To incorporate recent research findings, Gateway has arranged its daily schedule beginning with targeted fitness classes in the morning developed by our very own certified strength and conditioning specialist, Brian Benedict.  Brian is a former U.S. and Japanese Olympic Ski Team trainer.  Students’ most challenging school classes are scheduled immediately following morning fitness to optimize their learning.  Additionally, Gateway teachers utilize movement in their teaching approach to assist students to maintain attention and retain information.

"Movement accelerates the flow of key nutrients to the brain, which improves the ability to take in information, process it, remember it, and put it into context."

Next Pilates and Yoga mat classes are conducted each afternoon to reenergize and refocus students for their last school class of the day.  After school, cognitive fitness exercises and experiential learning activities which we call “brain breaks” are provided to augment student energy, emotional focus and attention needed for therapy.  Group therapy sessions are conducted each day following the brain breaks.  Additionally, targeted movement and experiential techniques have been integrated into every aspect of Gateway’s approach in school, therapy, and our outdoor weekend programming in order to maximize each student’s opportunity for healing and growth.

1. Our philosophy centers in individualized, clinically sophisticated, experiential approaches.  By adding movement and targeted fitness we have further optimized each student’s learning environment and opportunity for success.
2. Gateway’s morning fitness program primes the brain cells for learning (and increases the rate of learning) and Gateway teachers, therapists and staff provide the enriching experiences necessary to help them grow.
3. While targeted exercise sparks new brain cells, movement and stimulation in the classroom and therapy environment helps those cells to connect and grow.
4. Our integrated fitness and movement approaches not only enhance academic performance but also support therapeutic efforts to reduce anxiety, depression, distractibility and stress.
5. “Exercise fertilizes the brain.  Exercise doesn’t just benefit our general health but also has specific effects on the brain that aids learning and memory formation.”  –Dr. John Medina,
6. By adding movement and physical activity into the classroom, Gateway’s school approach augments student attention, memory and comprehension.
7. Physical movement and core strengthening exercises (Gateway’s daily mat class) are utilized to enhance student energy throughout the day—maximizing therapeutic benefit

Gateway's Fitness Approach

Traditional academic settings often emphasize a “sports model” of physical education which overemphasizes team sports skill development and participation at the expense of health and wellness education and lifelong physical activity skill development and participation.

Gateway emphasizes “fitness” instead of “sports.”  By so doing, each student’s participation is based on effort and progress toward individualized goals rather than athleticism.  Gateway’s approach is about getting its students active now and instilling the lifetime benefits of health and wellness.  It’s about enabling each student to maintain a life long physically-active lifestyle.  It means emphasizing fitness and wellbeing, not just athleticism.

The underlying philosophy is that Gateway's approach can be used to teach each youth how to monitor and maintain their own health and emotional well being.  These lessons are then integrated into therapy to help them develop a healthy lifestyle.

THE RESULT Gateway provides: An optimal learning environment An optimal environment for therapeutic progress Therapeutic and academic growth through use and integration of brain based activities and targeted movement in our educational approach and therapeutic programming. An optimized learning environment and opportunity for success by adding movement and targeted fitness.

Click here to read a New York Times article about why exercise makes you less anxious.