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Section Header: Welcome to the screen-reader friendly version of the New York Institute for Special Education Newsletter.
In this issue, we invite you to learn about our Readiness Program as it takes center stage for its commitment, dedication, and creativity in preparing preschoolers and parents for primary school. A few quick facts:
  • Readiness is one of our four core programs and formalized into its current role as a preschool for children with developmental delays in the early 1990s. 
  • In 2024, Readiness expanded to serve children who are blind and visually impaired.
  • Currently, the program serves 124 three- and four-year-olds and their over 200 parents and caregivers, all of whom are Bronx residents.
  • Admission to the program is open on a rolling basis and in coordination with the NYC Department of Education's Committee for Preschool Special Education. 
Readiness preschoolers receive a high level of individual attention, hands-on support, and access to services from a team of 59 teachers, teaching assistants, therapists, social workers, psychologists, coordinators, related service providers, and administrative and executive staff. Children graduate from the program after they turn five. If you work with or know of a preschooler who would be a good fit for Readiness, forward this newsletter to their parent or guardian. To learn more and download our latest Readiness brochure, follow this link to our website https://www.nyise.org/ReadinessProgram/.
 
Section Header: Play in Action
Readiness preschoolers and several of our younger Schermerhorn students shined this week as they rode tricycles and bicycles through Frampton Hall to raise funds during our annual Trike-a-Thon. It was an excellent opportunity for students to work together on a team and practice skills built since the start of the school year, balance and coordination included. Brightening the day, delightful giggles were abundant as students worked diligently to reach the finish line and happily accepted their medals. Fourteen classroom teams were sponsored by over 45 staff from both Readiness and Schermerhorn, raising over $1,400 for St. Jude Children's Hospital. Thank you to all who helped make this day possible! To see more photos from the day, follow this direct link to our website wwww.nyise.org/2025_ReadinessPhotoAlbum/Tricycles/.
 
Section Header: Family-School Connection
Every month, Readiness students and families come together in the classroom to play, create, and learn during structured activities to support developmental milestones typical for their age group. All activities center on parent-child interactions, allowing parents to see learning in action and allowing the children to show, tell, and share what they are learning through play. Each month's themes and topics vary and tie in with campus-wide activities, including our Read Across America celebrations, which brought students and families together to read P. D. Eastman's classic Go, Dog. Go! in March. To learn more about our Family-School Connection events, visit www.nyise.org/2025_Readiness/FamilySchoolConnections/.
 
Section Header: Parent Groups and Training Sessions
Every month, the Readiness Program offers Parent Groups and Training Sessions for students' parents and guardians on topics relevant to preschool special education. Building a sense of community and empowering support network, participants receive information on best practices and practical tools to strengthen their existing knowledge and create a learning environment to support their child's development at home. One of our most recent Training Sessions focused on The ABCs of Behavior Management. Led by our school psychologists, Dr. Karen Schlichting and Dr. Renee Badami, this session explored foundational concepts in behavior management to help parents and guardians understand the why behind children's behavior and how they can proactively address these behaviors when they occur. To learn more about our Parent Groups and Training Sessions, visit www.nyise.org/Readiness/Community/.
 
 
Section Header: Collaborations
Housed in Frampton Hall, across the street from the Schermerhorn buildings, our preschoolers are always delighted to go on walking field trips to meet the Schermerhorn "big kids." For preschoolers who are blind or visually impaired, these trips provide the opportunity to explore our braillers and brailled board books, some of which were purchased with funds raised from past Giving Tuesday Campaigns. These cross-site collaborations help all students feel connected to our larger Institute community and, in recent months, have included:
 
Section Header: Appreciation
Join us in thanking our teachers, teaching assistants, and nurses for their commitment and hard work in creating a learning environment in their classrooms and offices! Together, they ensure students feel welcome, included, listened to, and cared for throughout the year! Stay tuned for photos from our upcoming Annual Staff Appreciation Day in late May.
 
Section Header: Donate to Support our Students
As a 501(c)(3) organization, contributions to the Institute are 100% tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Donate today by clicking on the coin box icon below or following this link to our website www.nyise.org/donate/.
 
Section Header: One Institute: Four Programs 
The New York Institute for Special Education is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a nearly 200-year history of supporting children with visual impairments through high-quality educational programs and services. To support our programs and help improve the lives of our students, make a tax-deductible gift through our secure online donations portal at www.nyise.org/donate/. We extend our sincere thanks if you have already made a gift. It means the world to us, our students, and their families!
 
Section Header: Upcoming Events
  • Garden Scholars Program
  • Graduation
  • Moving-Up Ceremonies
  • Prom
  • Rose Garden Ceremony
  • Spring Music Concert
  • Sports Awards
  • Staff Appreciation Day
  • Touch-A-Truck Event
 
Section Header: Alums and Friends
We love to stay in touch through the USPS and hope you join our mailing list to receive holiday postcards, program updates, and appeals to support our programs. Join our mailing list by following this external link http://www.nyise.org/mailinglist/. Connect with us on LinkedIn by following this external link https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-york-institute-for-special-education/. Connect with us on Instagram @NYISE999 by using the QR code below or by following this external link https://www.instagram.com/nyise999/
 
Section Header: Admissions 
Learn about admissions procedures for all programs by following this link to our website www.nyise.org/admissions/.
  • Schermerhorn. A K-12 Educational Program Serving Blind and Visually Impaired Children and Youth. Learn more at  nyise.org/schermerhorn/.
  • Readiness. A Pre-School Program Serving Children with Developmental Delays, Visual Impairment or Blindness Ages 3-5. Learn more at  nyise.org/readinessprogram/.
  • Residential Program. Serving Blind and Visually Impaired Children and Youth Ages 10-21. Learn more at  nyise.org/residentialprogram/
  • Extended Year Program. Serving Blind and Visually Impaired Children and Youth in our Schermerhorn Program. Learn more at nyise.org/extendedschoolyear/
 
Section Header: Stay Connected. 
As part of our efforts to encourage students and families to help their children explore, learn, and grow, we encourage them to use NYC as a classroom and invite you to join along by exploring our new NYC Classroom webpage featuring a listing of family-friendly programming and city-wide events by following this link www.nyise.org/nyc_classroom_spring/
 
Section Header: Thank you for reading.
You have reached the end of our newsletter. We look forward to keeping you posted and hope you have a nice day.
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