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Philosophy
The New Dimensions School strives to incorporate the student,
the family and the community into our interest based curriculum.
We encourage each child to take an active role in their learning process
and in shaping the world around them.
Hands-on experiential learning is used to engage and interact with
students in order to develop independent and critical thinking skills.
The goal of the school is to provide quality, cutting edge education
while teaching students to love and appreciate learning. The
broader goal of the school is to prepare the children of Burke and
surrounding counties for the best chance to succeed in a changing world.
We stress personal character development as well as social and community
responsibility. Each student in The New Dimensions School is
expected to be a positive, contributing member of his or her class,
demonstrating respect for individual differences, the environment, and
the community; creating a supportive and nurturing setting where
children can involve themselves fully in the learning process; and
embracing individual and cultural diversity inside their classroom and
in their community.
History
With the support of parents and community leaders and two early
childhood researchers, Carl, J Dunst, Ph.D. and Carol M. Trivette,
Ph.D., The New Dimensions School received its initial charter in March
2001. By August of that year, The New Dimensions School began
offering instruction to children in Kindergarten through second grade.
In 2002 the school successfully sought state approval to expand, and
began their third year of operation (2003-2004) as a K-5 school.
In 2005, the NC Department of Public Instruction extended the school's
charter for 10 more years.
The New Dimensions School began as four community schools, housed in
local churches. In 2003, the school purchased a building from the
Catawba River Baptist Association at E. Concord Street. Three of
the school's sites moved into the newly renovated location at 501 E
Concord Street in August of 2004. One site continued to be housed
at the New Hope in Christ Baptist Church on Bouchelle Street in
Morganton. In September 2007, the school added a mobile unit
housing three additional classrooms and all students were moved to the
E. Concord Street site.
Self-directed learning is the core educational philosophy of The New
Dimensions School, with each pupil's interest, talents, and abilities as
the building blocks for standards-based academic learning and
achievement. Self-directed learning nurtures for success in any
future educational or work setting. The New Dimensions School is
preparing students for the world ahead, a world where they must function
as independent learners who know how to use the tools of the 21st
Century to acquire the knowledge and skills they want and need.
The mission of The New Dimensions School is to create learning
environments and opportunities that support student's self-directed
learning and love of learning. This mission is accomplished using
students' interests, talents, and abilities as building blocks for
academic learning and achievement.
Facilities
Just a few blocks from downtown Morganton, New Dimensions School
is located in a stable residential neighborhood at 501 East Concord
Street. Our students walk to downtown activities and the Burke
County Public Library. New Dimensions is a growing school and we
are currently looking for a larger facility to accommodate our expanding
programs.
Handbook
2009-10 New Dimensions School Handbook
Faculty
Mr.
Larry Wilkerson, Director.
An undergraduate at
UNC-Wilmington, Mr. Wilkerson received his Ed. S. degree from
Western
Carolina
University
in school administration. He graduated from the Principal’s Executive
Program in Chapel Hill and has received extensive
related training throughout his career.
At Evergreen, he was trained in the Expeditionary
Learning Outward Bound curriculum, which emphasizes hands-on,
project-based instruction to encourage high academic achievement and
personal growth.
Mr. Wilkerson
brings his years of educational and administrative experience to
New
Dimensions
School
and is very excited about any challenge he faces. He looks
forward to spreading the message about the wonderful learning
opportunities the school has to offer.
Outside
of school, Mr. Wilkerson enjoys playing golf, collecting baseball cards and
spending time with his family.
 Mrs. Donna,
Administrative
Assistant.
Mrs. Donna has
over 20 years experience working in schools in Ohio, Texas and North
Carolina.
She and her husband Jarl have four grown children
and 8 grandchildren. The newest two live in Texas and Alaska.
She and Jarl have lived in Morganton for
almost 12 years and enjoy the changing seasons.
Mrs. Donna loves to
read, crochet, swim, and travel to visit all the children (who live in
Florida,
Texas and Alaska).
Ms. Stacie, Exceptional Children's Coordinator
Ms.
Stacie graduated from Emporia
State
University
in Kansas
with a bachelor’s degree in music education. A December 2007 graduate
of Appalachian State University with a Masters in Special Education, she
taught music in NC for 4 years, grades K-12, was a substitute teacher
for BCPS for 2 years, and taught 2nd/3rd grade resource for one year.
She is the Exceptional Children's Coordinator at NDS.
Ms. Stacie sings southern gospel music with
her parents as "The Macs”, collects Coca Cola memorabilia, and loves to
travel and read. She also keeps the score book for her dad's
varsity basketball team in
Catawba County and
enjoys playing tennis when she gets a chance.
Her philosophy of teaching is "if at first
you don't succeed, try a different approach!”.
Ms. Mathis, Kindergarten
Ms. Mathis has an Associates Degree in Early
Childhood Education from Western Piedmont Community College and a
Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education K-6 from Lees McRae College.
She has spent many years working with
children of all ages and has a strong desire to see children strive to
be successful, not only in the classroom but in everyday situations.
Her first experience working with children was at Valdese First Baptist
daycare where she worked with three and four year olds. She continued to
work with children as she was starting her teaching degree. She
worked at Valdese Elementary in before and after school and was also a
substitute teacher for Burke County Public Schools.
During her student teaching, Ms. Mathis had
a unique opportunity to work in a multi-age classroom. The classroom had
K-2 students. This experience taught her to differentiate her lessons to
meet each student on their ability.
She started out at New Dimensions as the
Kindergarten assistant. She enjoys teaching and seeing her students
learn.
Ms. Mathis'
philosophy
is: That every child can learn given the opportunity. As a teacher
it is her responsibility to teach each child in her classroom on their
ability level.
Ms. Smith, Kindergarten Assistant
 Mrs. Norman, 1st Grade
Mrs. Norman is from Casar, North Carolina, located
in Cleveland County. She has been married to her husband, Brandon, for almost
8
years and they have a beautiful little girl, Madeline. Mrs.
Norman
graduated from Western Carolina University in 2005 with a BS in Elementary Education. After graduating from WCU, she worked as a Kindergarten Teacher at a Pre-K through 12 school for two and a half years before returning back home to Casar.
In her spare time, Mrs. Norman enjoys spending time
with her family and friends, reading, hiking, and camping in the great
outdoors.
Mrs. Norman enjoys working with her students;
helping them to become successful members of society.
Mrs. Dietrich, 2nd
Grade
Ms. Stanton,
3rd Grade
Ms.
Stanton was born and raised in
Watertown,
New York,
a small town about 30 miles from the Canadian border.
She grew up hiking, camping, canoeing, and
playing outdoors.
Her love of the outdoors led her to Unity
College in
Maine to receive a B.S.
in Ecology, then to NC State where she received MALS with a focus on
informal science education.
Her friends would still call her a nature nerd,
but she tries to balance that out by fooling around with a banjo,
sewing, knitting, and crocheting.
She enjoys teaching at NDS because she is
able to keep lessons hands-on and exciting.
She has the freedom to incorporate the outdoors
into a variety of lessons, and the parental support she has seen here is
unending.
Mrs. Cogdell, 4th Grade
Mrs. Cogdell lives in Caldwell County
with her husband James and son Cody, who is in high school.
She attended school at
Caldwell
Community College, TI, Western Piedmont
Community College and Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk where she earned a
B.A. in Elementary Education.
She enjoys reading, spending time with her family,
and working at NDS!!
Mrs.
Auton,
4th Grade Assistant
Mrs.
Auton grew up in Indiana with a
passion for science.
She spent two years at Franklin College of
Indiana and then transferred to
Indiana
State
University to study
biology and genetics. She recently recieved a Bachelor of
Science in Psychology and is currently working on her Master's Degree in
Special Education.
She and her husband James have two children,
Jameson, a middle schooler, and Jennalyn, currently a fourth grader, who proudly
attends New Dimensions.
Mrs. Auton enjoys spending time with family, singing
in the choir and playing handbells. Her philosophy is that every
child has the ability to succeed and as a teacher, it is her job to
guide student to their full potential.
Mrs. Garst, 5th Grade
Mrs. Garst was born and raised in Morganton. She
graduated from the University of North Carolina at Asheville in 2008
with a degree in Psychology. Her love of children and learning led her
to teaching.
In her free time, Mrs. Garst enjoys spending time with her husband, Ian,
as well as the rest of her family. She loves to read, shop, and
travel, and is looking forward to the fifth grade field trip
to Charleston later this spring.
Mrs. Garst loves to keep the classroom upbeat and exciting because
she believes that learning is just more fun that way!
Ms. Carmen, Art
Ms. Carmen graduated from Coker College in
Hartsville, SC receiving her B.A. in Art and Psychology in 1999. Ms.
Carmen received her M.S. in Art Therapy in 2002 from The College of New
Rochelle in New York. She currently works as an art therapist at
J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center. During fall semesters, Ms.
Carmen teaches the Creative Expressive Arts class for the Therapeutic
Recreation Department at Western Piedmont Community College.
Being a "flat land girl" from South Carolina, Ms. Carmen now enjoys
living amidst the foothills of the mountains. She is a "foster mom" for
Burke County Friends for Animals and offers art experiences for children
as well as private art therapy sessions. Ms. Carmen loves to travel,
read, spend time with friends & family and explore new art
techniques. Ms. Carmen is excited to be a part of New Dimensions and
looks forward to being supportive of each child's creativity in the
atmosphere of fun and success.
Ms. Whittington, Music
Mrs. "M", Physical Education and
Computer Instruction
Board of Directors
Steven Moody, PhD (President)
Bobbie McCombs (Vice-President)
Kim Kling (Treasurer)
James Auton (Secretary)
Wayne Austin
Mark Bradshaw
Susan McCann
Laurie Robinson, M.D
Meetings are generally held on the third Wednesday of each
month and are open to the public. Please check with the school for
exceptions.
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