North Spring Academy: Student Programs

North Spring Academy offers individualized academic, therapeutic and enrichment programs that help military-connected students build confidence, strengthen resilience and achieve meaningful progress.

Programs & Services

Extracurricular Activities and Student Leadership

At North Spring Academy, we believe that student voice and engagement are critical to personal growth and community improvement.

North Spring Student Council

The Student Council serves as a consulting and advisory body to the patient care departments and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of North Spring Behavioral Healthcare, Inc..

  • Members represent the student body, presenting recommendations regarding community needs, programming, and system improvements.
  • Council feedback helps inform decisions affecting the educational and therapeutic environment.
  • Participation fosters leadership, civic engagement, and teamwork—key components of our whole-child development model.

Educational Field Trips and Experiential Learning

Students participate in educational field trips and hands-on learning experiences throughout Virginia and the District of Columbia (D.C.) at least three times a year to extend learning beyond the classroom.

Examples include:

  • Smithsonian museums, national monuments, and historic sites connecting directly to the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) in history and social science.
  • Science and environmental exploration supporting Biology I, II, and Environmental Science SOLs.

These experiences enhance social-emotional learning, promote teamwork, and strengthen real-world connections to academic content.

“Work Hard, Play Hard” School-Wide Positive Reinforcement Program

The Work Hard, Play Hard program recognizes students for consistent effort, safe behavior, and academic success each week. It is part of our school-wide positive reinforcement system aligned with Phoenix R.I.S.E. (Resilience, Integrity, Self-Awareness, and Empathy).

Eligibility Criteria:

To participate, students must…

  • Maintain passing grades (no Ds or Fs) for the week.
  • Achieve the minimum weekly behavior rating based on classroom expectations.
  • Demonstrate safe behaviors with no high-level incidents.
  • Remain in assigned areas with no out-of-area reports.

Weekly Incentives: Eligible students earn participation in a reward activity or privilege, such as games, crafts, music, or themed social events. This system encourages positive peer influence, reinforces classroom consistency, and promotes accountability—all vital for student motivation and success.

Military Families