Next is different from traditional schools in many ways. Perhaps the most obvious difference is our size. Our entire school is made up of only 80 students. This makes it easier for us to build a community where everyone feels accepted and that they belong. Another big difference is that students have a great deal of flexibility at Next. There isn’t a rigid structure or defined pathway for all students. Instead, we work with students to develop their own, personalized plans for high school and beyond.
At Next, most learning is designed to be project-based. This means that we work hard to connect learning goals to the real world. Whenever possible, we ask students to apply their learning in authentic contexts. This might look different in each subject area. Click here to see an example of project-based learning in a physical science class.
Charter schools are public, tuition-free schools that have been designed around a specific focus or mission. Any student living in NH can attend a NH charter school for free. Charters must hold a lottery if they receive more applications than they have seats available.
Any student can attend a charter school. This includes regular education and special education students.
Complete the application on our homepage.
Depending on the timing of your application, there may be a waiting list. To check our list, click here.
The decision to enroll at Next is a personal choice. As a result, we meet with each student and family during the application process to discuss your child and how they may fit at Next. As a rule, Next is an extremely accepting community.
Next’s goal is to provide a smaller, more flexible learning environment. A typical class size is between 10-12 students, so students naturally get more individualized support.
In NH, the school district of the town in which the child lives is responsible for providing special education services for children in charter schools. Next works closely with the sending districts to ensure services are provided consistent with the IEP. Next employs a full-time, licensed special education teacher and several paraprofessionals.
Nope. Charter schools are public schools. There is no tuition.
Not generally. Next does not provide transportation to and from school. However, if a student has transportation services in their IEP, those services must be provided by the student’s LEA (school district of the town they live in). As a high school, many of our students drive to school and park on campus. In addition, our PTSA has organized a carpooling network to help families work together to find transportation solutions.
Students at Next have the option to purchase “hot lunch” from the cafeteria. Students eligible for free or reduced lunch can also access these services from the cafeteria. Students can also bring food from home and store it in our refrigerator. We eat together as a community in our space.
Yes. We have a saying at Next, “The purpose of school is NOT to get good at school.” We believe that our job is to prepare students for their future by teaching them to be independent and thoughtful adults. Our approach is one that values the individual nature of learning, while providing students with real-time feedback and natural consequences. Students at Next have the opportunity to earn all of the credits they need to be accepted into colleges. Many of our students have earned college credits while students at Next and the majority of our graduates enroll in some form of postsecondary education (4-year college, 2-year college, trade/vocational programs).
Great question! The truth is that students have the flexibility to progress at their own pace. As soon as a student enrolls, he/she is assigned to a faculty advisor. This staff member stays with the student throughout their entire time in high school and helps the student and family to develop an individual learning plan (ILP) that outlines the student’s high school plan, including his/her timeline for graduation. We have had students graduate in 3 years, 4 years, and 5 years. Most students develop a plan for 4 years, but this is a personalized decision.
Yes. The activities at Next are student driven. Clubs are typically designed by students, based on the interests of the student body. Click here to see a list of our active clubs.
Any student living in NH can attend Next. Next has a partnership with the Derry School District, and as a result, the majority of our students are from Derry. However, we have had students from Windham, Hampstead, Atkinson, Hudson, Litchfield, Londonderry, Manchester, Raymond, and Nashua.
Next does not use traditional grades (A, B, C, etc.) Instead, Next communicates academic progress through competencies. Most student learning is organized around projects, which align to one or more competencies. Student progress is reported as a percent of competencies complete. For example, if a credit area contains eight (8) competencies and a student has met two (2) of those competencies, they are 25% complete within that credit area. To complete a competency, the student must receive a minimum score of competent, as assessed by the instructor. In many cases, the student can also earn a higher score of competent with distinction. A student’s progress toward the attainment of a high school diploma is reported as a percent of all competencies associated with a student’s ILP completed.
The term 1:1 (one-to-one) refers to the availability of computers for student use. At Next, each student is issued a laptop computer to use while enrolled. Students have the ability to bring their computers home or leave them at school (if they have personal devices at home). In some cases, students can bring their own personal devices to school.