Learning at Norris is viewed in four dimensions; Academic, Employability, Citizenship, and Wellness.  Together these dimensions provide the breadth of knowledge, skills, and learner practice that allow for a personalized experiences that reflects each learner's interests and dimension of urgency.

Learning Specialists confer with each learner to co-design plans (long and short-term goals) and pathways that refelct each learners dimension of urgency.  The pathways include learning experiences that contribute to the learner reaching his/her plan.  Learning experiences are often multi-dimensional, addressing competencies from multiple areas. 

Learning experiences for each learner are unique and refelcted on the learners daily agenda.  Examples of learning experiences that fall primarily within the WELLNESS Dimension include:

Adventure Education weeks are offered to build confidence, trust and teamwork through the "Challenge by Choice" philosophy. Learners take controlled risk taking that challenges them to apply themselves in many nontraditional, experiential and enjoyable ways. The experience is lead by trained facilitators whether indoors or outdoors at the high and low ropes courses.  Adventure Education issues a challenge to learners to engage with the activity while pushing into the edges of their comfort zone without falling out of it.  It is the expectation that participants engage with challenge course activities in one way or another, whether directly engaging with the elements, spotting their peers or cheering each other on, all participants take an active role in this process. Afterwards, facilitators lead a debrief that highlights the different steps of the experiential learning cycle to generalize learning and transfer the learning forward to the rest of their lives.

During the orientation process all learners reflect on personal needs and goals to develop a plan to personal growth. Through reflection of the Learner Profile and fitness assessment, learners meet with the Wellness Specialist to  develop personal goals related to a heathy lifestyle.  Goals of the Healthy Lifestyle Plan may include; fitness, nutrition, streghth, or stress managment.  The Healthy Lifestyle Plan is reviewed and refined during physical education and health courses.

Movement and brain breaks are an important part of each learners success. Learners schedule breaks of their choice between learning experiences or as needed.  Learners may find breaks a useful tool to refocus and channel energy to engage in learning.

A variety of courses are offered with competencies addressing emotional and mental health well-being. In additional to a variety of physical education courses, high school learners may earn competencies in Health Education, Health and LifeStyle Management, Health Substance Abuse and Prevention, and Family and Interpersonal Relationships.