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About New Horizons

Illuminating Minds, Igniting Passions, and Shaping Futures

Our Mission:

New Horizons Regional Education Centers trains and educates a competitive, future-ready workforce that is college and community-ready.

Our Vision:

New Horizons Regional Education Centers is a premier regional education organization that aspires to be a model for the Commonwealth and the country offering specialized programming to create empowered individuals and a world-class workforce.

Our Theory of Action: 

If New Horizons Regional Education Centers embraces a mindset where:

          1) career readiness is intentional and creative;

          2) learning experiences are rigorous and engaging, and;

          3) a culture of collaboration drives innovation;

then every student has an opportunity to explore, discover, and strengthen their skillset to be career and community ready.

Fast Facts

Owned and Operated by the six Peninsula School Divisions: Gloucester, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg/JCC, and York.

Largest of the nine regional centers in the state of Virginia in both size and scope of service.

Centers include:

  • Career and Technical Education Center
  • Governor’s School for Science and Technology
  • Center for Autism
  • Newport Academy
  • Center for Apprenticeship and Adult Training
  • Youth Workforce Center
  • Family Counseling Center

Located on five sites:

  • The Butler Farm Campus is 115,000 sq. ft. bldg. on 30 acres.
  • The Woodside Lane Campus resides on 20 acres. The WL Career and Technical Education Center (Bldg A.) is a 75,000 sq. ft. bldg., and the WL Special Education Center (Bldg B.) is a 52,000 sq. ft. bldg.
  • Kiln Creek is a 15,000 sq. ft. integrated wing at Kiln Creek Elementary School
  • York Middle School is an 8,800 sq. ft. wing at York Middle School

 

Organizational History –  A Legacy of Regional Cooperation Since 1965

New Horizons Regional Education Center (NHREC) is a collaborative organization operated by six Peninsula school divisions to deliver educational services more efficiently through a regional partnership.

NHREC began in 1965 as the Virginia Peninsula Vocational Technical Education Center, located in the renovated Copeland Park Elementary School in Hampton, Virginia. The original program included five teachers serving 85 high school students.

In 1966, the Center expanded its mission to include adult learners, offering continuing education and apprenticeship-related instruction. Programs for disadvantaged adults were later introduced through federal employment initiatives. As these programs grew, they were relocated in 1978 to the renovated Buckroe Skill Center, establishing a second campus in Hampton.

To meet increasing student enrollment and evolving industry demands, NHREC continued to expand. In 1978, a third campus opened on Woodside Lane in Newport News. This 78,000-square-foot facility was specifically designed to support advanced career and technical education programs.

In 1985, Governor Charles Robb and the Virginia General Assembly approved $2.5 million to construct the Butler Farm Road campus, consolidating the Copeland Park and Buckroe locations into a single Hampton campus. The new site featured four buildings and over 104,000 square feet of instructional and laboratory space. At that time, the organization was renamed New Horizons Technical Center, consisting of the Woodside Lane Campus in Newport News and the Butler Farm Campus in Hampton.

Also in 1985, The Governor’s School for Science and Technology was established at the Butler Farm Campus. As one of the first four such schools authorized by the Virginia Board of Education, it provided advanced, college-level coursework for the region’s top science students.

In 1993, NHREC further expanded its mission by incorporating the Peninsula Area Cooperative Educational Services (PACES), a highly successful regional special education program. These services were relocated to the Woodside Lane campus, and in 1994, the organization was renamed New Horizons Regional Education Center to reflect its broader scope. The special education programs served students ages 4 to 21 and included Newport Academy for students with serious emotional disabilities and the Center for Autism. Over time, these programs have grown into premier regional day treatment services, now spanning multiple sites including Woodside Lane, Kiln Creek Elementary, and York Middle School.

In 2016, NHREC opened a new 52,000-square-foot Special Education Center designed to serve up to 200 students. This state-of-the-art facility includes a gymnasium, cafeteria, therapy spaces, and modern instructional technology to support diverse student needs.