New Leaf Academy is designed for girls ages 10 to 14 years of age upon enrollment.
A New Leaf girl is typically struggling in the home and academically with a number of behaviors, such as:
- Immaturity
- Impulsivity
- Disorganization
- Self-Centeredness
- Inability to Control Her Anger
- Defiance Toward Parents
- Easily Influenced by Others (no sense of self)
- Difficulty Picking Up on Social Cues
- Trouble Making and/or Keeping Friends
- Difficulty Maintaining Grade Level Performance at School
- Tantrums
- Lack of Respect
- Inability to Adhere to Rules or Limits
- Emotionally Shutting Down or Withdrawing
- School Refusal
- Loss of Interest/Participation in Previously Enjoyed Activities
- Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
- Bi-Polar Disorder
- Non-Verbal Learning Disability
- Asperger’s Syndrome
- Mood Disorder
- Anxiety
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- School and/or Social Phobias
New Leaf Academy staff screen each student on a case-by-case basis. The typical New Leaf girl has not yet experienced significant issues with substance use, sexual acting out or criminal behavior and has not had significant incidence of running away (i.e. beyond the boundaries of the neighborhood). We will evaluate the history of each girl to ensure that she is an appropriate candidate for admission.
There are certain behaviors which we cannot accommodate at New Leaf Academy. Those include:
- Homicidal thoughts or intent
- Active suicidal intent or previous serious suicide attempts
- Active psychosis
- Physically aggressive behavior outside the home/family
- Regular alcohol or drug use beyond the "experimentation" stage
- Current self-harming behavior (i.e. cutting, burning, etc.)
- Sexual acting out toward other children
- Fire-setting
