Blog

We’ve had an incredible year! Even though we have had to navigate a pandemic, New Life Academy committed and prioritized an excellent education for our students. As a result of our COVID planning committee, we have been able to deliver in-person learning the ENTIRE school year for ALL grades, ALL students, ALL five days a […]

When you walk into Sarah Hansen’s sixth grade classroom, there is usually a funny meme or joke projected on the wall. This particular day, it’s a picture of a pencil. The text reads: “A long time ago… THE ORIGINAL COMPUTER!!” The pencil tip reads “Print” and by the eraser end, it says “Delete”.  While the jokes […]

The day Brian Schrader found out he was nominated for Educator of the Year, he was having a really bad day. He instantly thanked God for the uplifting news and thought how cool it was to be recognized as a good teacher, especially since he wasn’t formally trained as an educator. His background as a youth pastor […]

Carly Allen began her teaching career in a public-school setting. Often in these environments, a teacher’s job is dependent on enrollment levels. Being one of the newest teachers at her last school, Carly was unfortunately one of the first to be let go when enrollment levels dropped.    She was then introduced to New Life by a fellow teacher who thought it would be a great fit. “I was like, […]

Dan Kvitrud was not sure he could turn his love for sports and his passion for health and wellness into a career until he started spending an increased amount of time with student athletes. At the time he was teaching social studies abroad in mainland China and really liked helping the school’s sports teams improve. That is when he realized […]

In Carla Sheehan’s second grade class every day is an adventure. Whether it’s constructing a town out of cardboard or conducting a science experiment using vinegar and baking soda to blow up a balloon, Ms. Sheehan knows the value of using creativity to make learning fun. “My elementary teachers were extremely creative,” Ms. Sheehan remembers. “Learning was so fun when […]

The designated “mama” to New Life Academy students, Mrs. Dodds, was the guest speaker in chapel on Mov 24 and led her “babies” regarding the seeds God plants in us.  by Emma L. At the beginning of her sermon she talked about the seeds she noticed planted in her own children’s lives. Her son Grant once received a Christian […]

If you walk into Michelle Groeneweg’s Pre-K classroom, you will be greeted by an underwater ocean theme of colors and posters. Large cut outs of letters and numbers decorate the walls, reminding students what letter of the week they are working on. This month a Christmas candy store center rotation, full of pretend sweets and a cash […]

Jackson, class of 2021, started experiencing bullying at school when he was in third grade. When things didn’t change in fourth and fifth grade, Jackson’s parents knew they needed to try something different. “There wasn’t a lot of kindness from his peers and he wasn’t thriving socially or emotionally. It was hard to watch,” Sarah, Jackson’s mom, remembers. They had heard great things […]

By Journalism student, Téa D. Class of 2021, Melissa Kalinoff, New Life Academy’s registrar, was inspired to become a teacher because she loved working with kids when she was younger, specifically “teaching” her younger brothers before they started school. Mrs. Kalinoff, now in her 12th year on staff, was drawn to working at New Life Academy because of the impact she saw […]

Written by Riley M., Journalism student, Class of 2021 Mrs. Bach, teacher and theater director at New Life Academy, wasn’t always known for her fun and energetic qualities that she is known for today. In fact, she didn’t even know that she wanted to major in drama until 10th grade. “I was in high school when I  first found an interest in the […]

Courtney Roe opens each of her classes with a devotional. She often focuses on teaching her students how to love other people better and uses Jesus as an example for how to do it. Then, she switches to teaching middle school math. It might come as a surprise that Mrs. Roe begins her class time focused on […]

When Craig Butler completed his graduate degree in physics from the University of Virginia, he assumed he’d work in a research lab building lasers and analyzing quantum physics for the rest of his career. However, he soon realized interacting with only three or four people in a lab setting wasn’t how he wanted to spend […]

Music has always been a part of Rosalee Allard’s life as long as she can remember. Her mother was a piano teacher and an organ player, and she learned piano at a very young age. She knew she wanted to become a teacher as a young child, but it wasn’t until high school that she knew she should teach […]

My New Life Story: Jon Atwell, Class of 2010 Jon Atwell is a photographer “focused on capturing the best of humanity. Working in mainly humanitarian settings, Jon aims to photograph people in the most positive and empowering light,” according to his website. “My goal is simple, I want everyone who is a part of my work to walk away […]

Mrs. Pamela Bravo has been teaching at New Life Academy for 16 years. She spent nine years teaching fourth grade and eventually moved into teaching third grade.  “I never, ever regret having to get up in the morning and come to work,” says Mrs. Bravo about being a teacher. “Sometimes I wish we could stay […]

This is our final week in our series: Educating in the midst of a pandemic. Schools have been challenged in being able to deliver education safely in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. At New Life Academy, our small school community allowed us to prioritize in-person learning. We were committed to this based on our […]

Marquette Bateman-Ek loves teaching art. Now that might not be much of a surprise given she works with students all day long, but Mrs. Bateman-Ek did not start her career out with the goal to become a teacher. Instead, she graduated with a social work degree and spent many years in camp ministry. While she enjoyed what […]

In part 2 of our series, we focus on the social, emotional, and mental health needs of students during this pandemic. While our nation used business and school closures in the spring of 2020 to slow the spread of COVID-19, we spent the summer focusing on how we prioritize the needs of students during a […]

A teaching career inspired by a mission trip. Kaitlin Skeie (pronounced “Shay-a”) thought she would grow up and become a veterinarian because she loves animals. That was until she went on a high school mission trip and got the chance to work with kids. “I absolutely loved it. I was energized every day from the […]

Fueling innovative ideas to pursue our mission of preparing future-ready students. The New Life Academy Educational Foundation seeks to encourage our faculty and staff to be bold in bringing forward new ideas and innovative approaches to pursuing the mission of NLA.   Sometimes these new ideas and approaches require resources that seem beyond our grasp, so the NLA Foundation the created the […]

Six months have passed since the US closed businesses and schools in an effort to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Schools across the nation shifted to distance learning in March 2020. What started out as a temporary closure turned into the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. The quality and time of direct […]

The 23rd Annual Golf Classic raised over $64,000 for Variable Tuition On Monday, September 14, NLA hosted our 23rd Annual Golf Classic at Prestwick Golf Club. 142 golfers came out to support Variable Tuition for students at New Life, raising $64,220 in critical funds. Variable Tuition extends Christian education to families that might otherwise not be able to access […]

John and Sydney Horner – My New Life Story Meet John (’14) and Sydney (Steele ’15) Horner. They both graduated from New Life Academy. After meeting in middle school, they started dating in high school and got married in June 2017. “I had a huge crush on him the first day that I started at New Life Academy in seventh grade,” laughed Sydney. “I saw him walking down the hallway and […]

Becca Wyant is one of the newest teachers at New Life Academy. Up until this fall, Ms. Wyant was teaching Middle School and High School Social Studies in Kuwait. Now – for her eighth year teaching – she’s the Upper School History teacher at New Life. She can’t wait to use her international experience to […]

Jacque Olson is the new Middle School Bible teacher. The one main thing she wants to communicate with her students this year is that God is faithful, especially during this current season. So many people are wondering: “Is God faithful enough to bring us through this?” or “Are things really to going to be okay?” […]

Growing up hasn’t always been easy for Elaina. There have been challenging times and heartbreaking situations.But she has been surrounded by friends and teachers at New Life Academy that care for her and have helped her navigate through hard things

Emily Streeter began teaching at New Life Academy in August. Get to know one of our newer teachers!  Formerly, Mrs. Streeter has taught in both private and public schools. She teaches 7-8 grade science at NLA, which includes life science and earth science.  

Mateo attended New Life for kindergarten but transferred to public school in first grade. From the beginning Mateo struggled with being bullied both on the bus and in the classroom. By November Mateo was in tears every day and was not thriving at school. He did not feel safe and was in constant fear of […]

Ella, Class of 2023, was experiencing verbal bullying at her previous school. It got to a point where she was no longer thriving in school, in fact she felt like she was barely surviving on a daily basis. She would regularly look for excuses to stay home from school out of fear of what the […]

Sam St. Cyr graduated from New Life Academy in 2017. She attended New Life in high school from freshman to senior year. Currently, Sam is attending Wheaton College in Illinois, double majoring in English and Secondary Education. She was motivated to choose her majors due to the relationships she had with her teachers at New […]

New Life Academy is made up of a lot of unique people and many individual stories. One of these unique people is Louise Erickson. You can find her holding a teacup, teaching first grade, making a catchy comment, or hustling down the halls.   Louise has been teaching at New Life Academy for 28 years. We’re […]

Kathy Lutes is the enrichment teacher at New Life Academy. Her classes range from one student to 15 students. These classes allow her to go deeper into a child’s understanding and push them to think differently or try something new. Students from second to eighth grade love the engaging activities in Mrs. Lutes’ class. Kathy […]

Marie, Class of 2025, was inspired to take her learning outside of the classroom when she solved a problem her sister was having. Marie participates in problem-based learning (PBL) during her enrichment class.

Sylvia Stubbs has been teaching Spanish at New Life Academy for 16 years. Her classroom ceiling is covered with beautiful, colorful murals painted by students. Murals are an important part of Spanish culture, and this project allows students to express creativity while sharing their own experiences. Sylvia enjoys being able to take students out of […]

Kerri Kent began working at New Life Academy in 2009 as a substitute teacher and eventually moved into teaching 3rd grade. After taking time away while her children were young, Kerri returned to New Life Academy and is now teaching Preschool Prep where she loves teaching two and three-year-olds!  

Laurie Dahlen has been teaching for 14 years. She recently started teaching fourth grade at New Life Academy. We sat down with Laurie to ask her “what sets New Life apart?” After 14 years of teaching, what drew her to New Life and what made her decide to enroll her kids?  

Matthew Brocker, Class of 2010  #MyNewLifeStory #WhereAreTheyNow Matthew Brocker is a New Life alumni from 2010. With nine kids in his family, he and his siblings have attended New Life for going on 20 years. Now his child is enrolled at New Life and the legacy continues. Matthew started at New Life in first grade and continued […]

How do you see yourself? How do others see you? If you were asked that question, would there be a difference between how you see perceive yourself and how others see you? That is what Sara (Class of 2019) set out to discover in her final project for Photography 2 class. She chose to focus […]

Paul and Sarah (Muyskens) Ofelt – Class of 2006  Paul and Sarah (Muyskens) Ofelt met while they were students at New Life Academy. After graduation in 2006, Sarah went on to study Spanish and elementary education at Bethel University, where she graduated in 2010. Paul went on to Grove City College, where he studied finance and computer information systems and graduated […]

#WhereAreTheyNow highlights New Life alumni to see where they have gone and how they are making a difference in their chosen fields. Our Portrait of a Graduate list characteristics of a New Life Academy graduate. See how these alumni are making an impact.

The start of middle school, can bring about new challenges and changes for 6th graders. In a lot of ways, 6th grade is a year of significant transition for students as they move on to more complex learning, their friendship dynamics shift, and they begin to understand what a personal relationship with Jesus is all […]

Every year, New Life Academy students in grades 6-12 work on 15% Innovation Portfolio (15% IP) projects, which are long-term, student-driven projects. Each year students will compete at the 2019 Regional Science Fair. A select number of students advance to the MN State Science Fair.

The Seagate Excellence in Science Mentoring Award recognizes outstanding science teachers from around the state who find creative ways to nurture students’ interest in scientific research and discovery. Two awards are given, one for teachers with 1-10 years experience and one for teachers with more than 10 years experience.

New Life Academy students in the Entrepreneurship and Business Consulting class participated in a Shark Tank competition. The competition was held at the U of M Carlson School of Management. Eight student teams from four private schools across the twin cities pitched their business concept to a panel of judges, “sharks” in January. New Life […]

  Mrs. Dawn Kroohn has taught 3rd grade at New Life Academy for seven years. In a lot of ways, New Life Academy has become an extension of her home, and the people here are like family to her. “This has become more clear as I’ve watched my sons grow up under instruction and care […]

  Mrs. Shay Motalebi has taught at New Life Academy for eight years. Currently she is teaching two introductory engineering courses for grades 9-12. In addition to providing opportunities in hands-on STEAM activities for students, she also supports science teachers and students with developing student-driven Innovation Portfolios (15% IP) and coordinating Tech Forums and STEAM […]

Spotlight Education, a program of Hennepin Theatre Trust, honors and supports Minnesota high school musical theater students and programs. Two evaluators, either actors and theatre educators or those with a strong theatre background, evaluated Shrek the Musical in several categories, including movement and dance, vocal and acting technique for ensemble, execution of the technical aspects […]

Have you ever uttered the phrase “I don’t understand how they teach math today?” Depending on the age of your oldest child or when you graduated from school, there is a chance you have said this. Math instruction has evolved over the years, moving away from rote memorization of just facts to focusing on understanding […]

It is an exciting week ahead for New Life Academy! The ACSI/AdvancED Accreditation Committee will be at New Life Academy from Sunday through Wednesday (Sept 15 – 19, 2018). We have spent the last 18 months in a self-assessment study and we are ready and confident that our collective effort and work will result in […]

Abby Thor, Class of 2016, is attending U of MN – Duluth, majoring in Marketing Analytics. She is also playing Volleyball for the Bulldogs. We visited Abby on Campus during the Spring 2018 to ask her about her College experience and how her time at New Life Academy equipped her for higher level academics. Meet […]

It’s the start of a new school year filled with curiosity, exploration, discovery, creativity and problem solving. The culture of innovation at New Life Academy is inspiring many students to think differently about the world around them. To see every day problems and search for solutions. Not too entirely different from Art Fry back in […]

Valerie Hohol, Class of 2015, is finishing her senior year at University Minnesota, Duluth. She’s studying Chemical Engineering and playing softball for the Bulldogs. We caught up with her on campus in the spring of 2018 to find out what’s next. Valerie, tell us a little bit about how college is going and what you’re […]

Congratulations to Nancy, Nicolas, Bryna and Noelle for earning Blue Ribbons (highest level of excellence) on their 15% IP Projects at the Twin Cities Regional Science/Engineering Fair. Read about their creative and innovative ideas below.

This past month, Mrs. Kortuem launched a Writing Center at New Life Academy with the goal of helping students become stronger, more confident writers and communicators. Inspired by a long line of students requesting assistance and her dream of having a resource similar to those you find at college, she set out to explore a […]

Handwriting without Tears® Curriculum in Preschool and Pre-kindergarten by Christine DeBoer, Early Education Director Handwriting without Tears® was implemented as a new curriculum in our Preschool and PreK classes this year.  This curriculum allows  our students to be engaged in learning crucial Pre-writing skills and helping to develop their fine motor skills at an early […]

Striving for continued excellence in lower school by Joanna Richter, Lower School Principal At New Life Academy we believe God has called us to pursue excellence so that we can bring glory to Him. This pursuit is a never-ending journey. With this desire we are continually striving to improve our educational programming and extra-curricular activities […]

Pursuing Excellence in Upper School by Lynn Atkinson, Upper School Principal The pursuit of excellence is a journey. A journey of pushing into new areas, learning, adapting and continually moving forward. The pursuit of excellence at New Life Academy is singular focused on elevating the student experience. In the middle and upper school, we pursue […]

Mr. Dan Palkki is a current 5th grade teacher at New Life Academy. He’s been teaching here for 5 years and prior to teaching at New Life, he taught at Christian Life School in Farmington for 2 years. Recently, Mr. Palkki has been named a finalist for the Educator of the Year Award. The criteria […]

At New Life Academy we seek to make math a purposeful learning opportunity for every student. During this first semester we have implemented number talks in our 3rd-5th grade classes. Number talks are short, daily exercises aimed at building conceptual meaning around numbers. They encourage students to visualize problem solving, calculate quickly, use higher level […]

Do not give in to fear, but have great courage. Elementary Chapel speaker, Mr Beyersdorf. October 11, 2017 In the Joshua 1, we read of the LORD’s calling on Joshua to lead Israel into the promised land. God called Joshua to be strong and courageous three times. This repetition would seem out of place unless […]

The following kits are available to power your prototypes with alternative, renewable sources of energy: Wind turbine towers, blades, voltmeter or LabQuest probes, light bulb, etc. Motors that run using hydro or wind energy Wind to Hydrogen fuel cell kit – for storage of energy Biofuel experiment kit Solar thermal energy experiment kit – heating […]

Fashion and Art Innovation through Recycling and Repurposing – 15% IP Mrs. Bateman-Ek shared information about making textile, cloth and other art pieces out of recycled material, such as plastic.  She is a great RESOURCE.  See the PowerPoint.   Mrs. Kalinoff has a large collection of fabric, old clothing, patterns, idea books, etc.  She can […]

On Monday, students were able to work with animals as an inspiration for 15% IP. Guinea Pigs, Tortoises, Fish in Mrs. Tschanz’s room.  Students can work with these animals any day for your projects, with your teacher’s permission.  You can also make an appointment to come in after school.  She has A LOT of experience […]

Mrs. Bateman-Ek offered a lot of great ideas and resources for STEAM/15% IP projects regarding “Green Architecture”, eco-friendly, energy efficient, sustainable and affordable buildings and industrial art.  She offered examples of simple industrial art inventions that have solved important world problems.  Please read the powerpoint and feel free to seek her help and ask any […]

Dr. Nelson shared many project ideas related to human and animal body systems and behavior (see Mrs. Motalebi or Dr. Nelson for a copy of the document) Options for designing a medical device or prosthetic (hand, foot, etc.) was discussed Students can design and build a 3D prototype by using SKETCHUP to design parts and […]

Teachers and students brainstormed ideas related to using, modifying, preserving natural resources responsibly and ways to meet humanitarian needs.  The following is a list of ideas generated at this session:

Limited numbers of various robotics tools and kits are available through NLA Media Center for students’ use in the IP projects.  Some kits can be loaned out.  Students may also store their projects at school and work on them on their free time or during IP Fridays. 

Students who are interested in rocketry can choose an IP project that involves building a basic rocket and making adjustments to meet various challenge requirements.

I recently came across an article in Scholastic Teacher that discussed the importance of movement for students, throughout the school day. In the article, The Motion Quotient author Calvin Hennick states, “physical activity can have a hugely positive effect on students’ performance and behavior in the classroom”.

Cindy Martinson, an alumna of the University of Northwestern – St. Paul, has been selected for this year’s Music Hall of Recognition. Cindy has shown herself to be a worthy recipient of this honor and the University is thrilled to honor her on September 29, 2017.

Justin H. is passionate about math and science. He is currently pursuing a college and career track that would involve both subject matters. His desire to go into a Nuclear Engineer career led him to the 2017 Young Investigators’ Summer Program in Nuclear Technology at NC State University. 

Grace Killeen, a New Life Academy senior, spent her summer learning genome editing using the most advanced method in Biotechnology, CRISPR-Cas9.  CRISPR-Cas9 is currently the simplest, fastest, most efficient and reliable methods for editing genes. It enables geneticists to study the affects of altered genes is showing promise as a tool for treating human diseases […]

Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” This summer a number of New Life Academy students went to different parts of the world to serve God and his people. These students have incredible stories and memories that they have made on their trips. God worked through them and […]

Mrs. Rupp is an English Language Learner (ELL) teacher at New Life Academy in Woodbury as well as the International club organizer. We spoke with Mrs. Rupp recently on her passion to serve International Students.

Alex spearheads NLA Launch Club This summer, one of our students, Ruicheng (Alex) L. applied for a club program through the MIT website, which is called “MIT Launch Club.” Launch provides materials and mentorship support to high schools throughout the school year to allow students to develop entrepreneurial skills and mindset by launching startups. This is not […]

The New Life Academy cheerleaders attended the UCA Summer Cheer Camp again this year. The cheerleaders were the champions in the two categories that they competed in – Game Day and Extreme Routine. On top of the team performance awards, individual cheerleaders were also named All-American Cheerleaders.     July 2017 New Life Academy Summer […]

Minnesota has been in the process of standardized testing these past two weeks. At the same time, the US News and World Report annual list of “Best High Schools in the US” came out and it always sparks conversations about what makes schools great.  When parents are searching for a new home, one of the criteria many […]

For this spring’s Middle School Project Serve Day, wanted to try something different. We took a day to thank those who serve and protect our country by writing letters and creating care packages that we sent to a group serving overseas in the United Arab Emirates. 

Amber and her family have lived in Woodbury for 4 years. Amber and her husband have 4 young children attending New Life Academy. This is their second year at New Life so we sat down with Amber to talk about her experience. What has your experience at New Life Academy been like so far? We have been […]

I will never forget the first time I stepped in a Christian school. Up until the time I thought I would be teaching in a public school. However, I walked into a Christian school and I felt the Lord speak over me, “this is where you are called to be, to bring my Name to […]

Can an egg fall from 6 meters and not crack? This is the challenge that Applied Physics and AP Physics students were given this semester.

15 Percent Innovation Portfolio – Awesome Happens Outside the Classroom Our children are the future. Today’s youth, Generation Z, are already one of the largest generational segments at more than a quarter of America’s population.

Field of Faith events challenge our youth to stand together, get in the game and get in the book. In a world that is filled with pressures and temptations, students are challenges to stand their ground, share their faith and change a culture. 

Middle School. A time of transitions filled with big and sometimes awkward changes. Physical, social and personality changes are all happening and sometimes by the minute. If you have a middle schooler, you likely know the middle school angst, energy, enthusiasm, humor, anger, silliness, and the emotional highs and lows that come with each day.

At New Life Academy, leadership is one of the three major foundational pillars, among scholarship and service. It’s a quality NLA wants to see implemented in students as early as possible. 

With the ever-changing technological advancements of the 21st century, it is becoming increasingly important for students to become prepared as early as possible to take on modern-day jobs. 

Kurt and Kathy Nuehring’s two daughters have attended New Life Academy since they were four years old. This past May, their eldest daughter, Emily, has graduated New Life Academy and the Nuehring’s say they have seen Christian education come full circle. 

At New Life Academy, Kindergarten is like no other program in the surrounding area. Instilling values and a biblical foundation in children from an early age is an important part of their development, and teachers at NLA work side by side with parents to form a biblical foundation with their children and create an extension […]

Community is a cornerstone of life at New Life Academy, so relationships are among the most important gifts each student leaves with.

In its very nature, New Life Academy is set apart from other schools. We make it our mission to educate and energize future generations to impact their world for Jesus Christ, teaching students to use their God-given abilities in their communities and beyond. 

Your child’s education may be the most important investment you make in your life. In choosing a school for your children, you commit them to an environment where their minds and hearts will be shaped for the rest of their lives.

A poster in my high school locker room said something like this: “Adversity doesn’t build character, it reveals it.” As I’ve experienced challenges in my own life, I’ve thought a lot about this old poster, and I really believe the concept has Biblical roots. 

Our aim at New Life Academy is to energize students in their God-given gifts, empowering them to use their talents in powerful ways for the Kingdom of God.

At New Life Academy, students begin learning how to live out Jesus’ message from an early age. Though much of this learning takes place academically, NLA aims to give real-life opportunities to apply God’s Word; community service projects make up a large part of learning outside the classroom. 

An old friend of mine coaches basketball at a large high school. I recently asked how his season was going, and I’ve since been reflecting on his profound response—he said one of his biggest concerns for his team was, what he called, a “front-runner mentality.” 

Due to the generosity of New Life Academy parents at last year’s Auction, every teacher was provided with an iPad Mini and an iTunes gift card to purchase applications for learning.

New Life Academy’s Portrait of a Graduate states that NLA’s vision for graduates is that they become wise leaders and discerning followers. NLA students are taught to live out their faith authentically and lead generously and boldly from a heart that bends outward in love of God and of one another.

This year, New Life Academy implemented a new program with its secondary students called Community Groups.

This year, MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) tests will be administered again to first through seventh graders in the Fall and Spring semesters. New to the bi-annual MAP testing at NLA in 2014 is a Learning Continuum that will help teachers more effectively apply students’ score data in the classroom. 

Bringing new and innovative methods of learning into the classroom is a key fundamental at New Life Academy. With the technological advances of the 21st century, students of all ages are tech savvy now, and this is unlocking new ways to immerse students in learning at school. 

12th Graders Start the Year with a New Senior Retreat NLA’s aim is to cultivate graduates who are authentic Christ followers, Spirit-driven individuals, accomplished learners, and wise leaders. To further develop that, the class of 2015 started the year out a bit differently than previous senior classes at New Life Academy.

On Thursday, September 11th, New Life Academy’s 11th and 12th grade National Honor Society applicants served at the Lake Middle School Courage Retreat, held at Crossroads Church.