FAQ

What is Project-Based Learning?

Project-based learning is teacher-facilitated, student emphasized. A teacher-facilitated project transforms teaching from “teacher telling” to “students doing.” It places the emphasis of the doing on the students.
Engaging learning experiences that involve students in complex, real-world projects through which they develop and apply skills and knowledge;
A strategy that recognizes that significant learning taps students’ inherent drive to learn, capability to do important work, and the need to be taken seriously;
Learning in which curricular outcomes can be identified up-front, but in which the outcomes of the student’s learning process are neither predetermined nor fully predictable;
Learning that requires students to draw from many information sources and disciplines in order to solve problems;
Experiences through which students learn to manage and allocate resources such as time and materials.

What is New Century’s Learning Philosophy?

New Century is a project-based, progressive educational choice. We set high expectations and standards for our students. We are not interested in an accumulation of facts, but in learning for understanding and application. As stated in our mission, we engage students in critical thinking and teamwork that empowers them toward life-long learning and global citizenship.

What is your admissions policy?

We are a public school in the State of Minnesota and every student is eligible to attend here if we have an opening. We maintain an active waiting list and admit students any time during the school year if we have available space. We are capped at 150 students, grades 7 – 12.

Do you charge tuition?

What extracurriculars do you offer?

We currently have a very active theatre group and provide opportunities for students to participate in Student Council, National Honor Society, Yearbook, Newspaper, Math League, and more. We also have an extra-curricular agreement with Hutchinson District 423 which allows our students to participate in a number of their activities such as music and theatre groups, athletics, and other teams.

How do students do when they leave New Century?

New Century’s philosophy encourages the development of thinking skills, problem solving, and the skills essential for life-long authentic learning. Our students qualify for and are accepted to institutes of higher learning across the nation. The majority of our students also go on to be active participants in extracurricular school activities. Many assume leadership positions. Our students develop the skills necessary for learning how to learn, and are confident, well-rounded students.

What is the Student-Teacher ratio?

What types of special offerings are available at New Century?

Opportunities for service learning, gifted programs, reading time, character education, field trips, and physical education are embedded into the daily or weekly experience.
One of our most well-liked and beneficial programs is our e-term experience that is held 3 separate times during the school year. These are one to two week “experiential learning” opportunities where students may choose from up to 30 individual seminars put on by our staff. Topics include art, music, outdoor recreation, photography, horsemanship, ballroom dancing, and a myriad of other topics. These are especially popular weeks with our students.

What is an advisory?

Our students are grouped into “home rooms” called Advisories. They are multi-age level groups separated into 9 – 12, and 7 – 8 grade levels.
Students identify with their advisory, and their advisor is who will help them plan their curriculum and coach them on the project process.
Advisories often plan special events, field trips, potlucks, and other activities as a group.