NVLA incorporates best practices from current, widely respected educational theory in order to continually refine its curriculum.  Some of the features of our program include:

•  High priority on academics above all.
•  Individualized reading programs. Rather than all children at a given grade level reading the same material at once, our children move forward as quickly as they like. 
•  Tailored mathematics programs. Children in the same grade have many different levels of math, and extra help or new challenges are provided by additional faculty members.
•  Mix of traditional and progressive teaching methodologies. Some subjects at NVLA are taught traditionally with tried and true methodologies whereas other subjects involve open-ended inquiry, projects and multi-media.
•   Technology skills and applications are incorporated into the school day in a one-to-one student to laptop program.
•   Students are required to demonstrate 100% mastery of a skill before they move on. Testing is done in a separate classroom. If a student has not achieved mastery, he or she is gently re-taught until he is ready to move on.
•   Mastery can be tested traditionally with pen and paper, but often we prefer to have children demonstrate their understanding by creating models and by applying their knowledge to a real world problem or situation.
•  Purpose and Application of knowledge is stressed. We ask, “How would you use what you just read in your life?” We do not ask children to memorize and regurgitate.
•   We teach children how to study and how to recognize in themselves when they aren’t learning and how to get back on track.
•   We emphasize that children look up the words they don’t know in the dictionary. They then learn exactly what words mean as opposed to “sort of” what words mean.
•   We teach children concepts whenever possible with the actual object – right there to see and touch. If this is not possible we use other visuals.
•   Both high performance and creativity are encouraged and nurtured.
•   Students have Physical Education daily in a vigorous and fun program that develops strength, flexibility and balance along with sports.
•   Students take the CTP-4 standardized test (from the Educational Records Bureau and designed to be used in private schools) in the spring for curriculum development and program refinement.
•   There is a low-sugar policy at the school.
•   We teach our children to be leaders and have a sense of ethics – to reflect on the choices they make and actions they take for themselves.
•   In addition to our core academic literacy and mathematics programs, our students are exposed to a wide range of curricular areas. These fields are: Spanish, Dance/Performing Arts, Science, Physical Education, Karate, Social Studies, Leadership Development, Music, Robotics, Technology and Art.
•   We stress a partnership with parents that requires parents to ensure that their children come to school on time, in addition to being well-rested and well-fed. Also stressed is that television time be limited.
•   A longer school day (ends at 4 p.m.) means less homework and more family time in the evening.