Community E-News Archive
March 15, 2024 Community E-News: Today is our 193rd Anniversary!
HEADER: NEW YORK INSTITUTE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION
The mission of the New York Institute for Special Education is to provide quality educational programs and support for students and families in a safe, caring environment to awaken & inspire student curiosity, lifelong learning, & fulfillment.
HEADER: WELCOME LETTER
On this day in 1831, the Institute began its now 193-year journey of educating New York City's blind and visually impaired children. Our first class comprised of three students (all boys), on what may have been a sunny day like today—hints of springtime in the air, bird song in the distance. What subject made up their first lesson? Reading? Writing? Arithmetic? How old were they? Surely, their age would have been a determining factor in what and how to teach them? At this point in time, there was no general understanding or formal structure for special education, let alone a U.S.-based training program for teachers of the blind and visually impaired. It was a different world, and the school's founders searched Europe for the best instructional methods to bring back to their students. Presumably, they were aware of the National Institute for Blind Youth in Paris, where several years earlier a teen named Louis Braille had studied. Did they travel there and meet Louis to discuss his latest invention? We don't know, but imagine their journey was filled with wonder, excitement, and endless possibilities.
Fast forward to today. We have over 100 blind and visually impaired students who come to us from across the five boroughs, including a few from Westchester County; over 200 talented teachers, staff, and administrators; a robust academic curriculum and expanded core curriculum, and a program for pre-schoolers who have developmental delays. As we celebrate this milestone, we hope you can make a gift to our 193rd Anniversary Campaign today. To access our secure online donations portal by following this link:
https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E113939&id=41
All donations to this campaign will support our Tutoring Program and ensure students have what they need to stay on their path of endless possibility. Donations of any and all sizes are appreciated and will go a long way to ensure our young learners expand their knowledge by working to master the material taught in their classes. We remain grateful that you are a part of our community and thank you for believing in our efforts and the bright future that lies ahead for our students.
Very best wishes,
The New York Institute for Special Education
HEADER: WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND 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. Donations to the Institute are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. To donate today, access our secure online donations portal by following this link:
https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E113939&id=41
To donate by check, make your check payable to The New York Institute for Special Education and mail it to The New York Institute for Special Education, Attention Development Department, 999 Pelham Parkway, Bronx, NY, 10469. Upon receiving your donation, we will mail you a gift acknowledgment letter for tax purposes. Please allow ten days for donation processing. Our E I N is 13-1740010.
HEADER: LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED
To learn more about the Institute, visit our website by following this link: http://www.nyise.org
To sign up for our mailing list, visit our website by following this link: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/QsNgWx9/signup.
To visit our Instagram page, visit our Instagram website by following this link: https://www.instagram.com/nyise999/
Not on Instagram, but want to watch our Instagram videos? Not a problem! Visit our website to access our recent Instagram videos by following this link: www.nyise.org/videoposts/
You have reached the end of our latest community newsletter. We look forward to keeping you posted and hope you have a nice day. Stay tuned for more.
March 4, 2024 Community E-News: Advocacy, Winter Wonderland, and Black History Month Wrap-Up
HEADER: NEW YORK INSTITUTE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION
The mission of the New York Institute for Special Education is to provide quality educational programs and support for students and families in a safe, caring environment to awaken & inspire student curiosity, lifelong learning, & fulfillment.
HEADER: WELCOME LETTER
This email newsletter looks slightly different from past e-newsletters as we are working to improve the accessibility of our digital communications. We hope this new look is more screen-reader-friendly for our visually impaired readers.
If you would like to receive text-only versions of our e-newsletters in the future, please email us at development @ N Y I S E dot O R G with the subject heading Screen Reader Preferred and your name in the body of the email, as well as your connection to the Institute (example: Alumni, Friend, etcetera).
Current updates include:
- Additional spaces between letters within acronyms and email addresses.
- Alt Text for images.
- Avoidance of Bold and Italics fonts.
- Bulleted lists.
- Descriptive headers for all sections.
- High contrast colors.
- Hyperlinks underlined.
- Hyperlinks shortened, where possible.
- Hyperlinks introduced with a description of the hyperlink destination and the phrase follow this link.
- Narrative spacing is set at 1.5 between lines of text.
We hope these improvements bring attention to the importance of screen-reader-friendly design and implementation in the digital realm.
Thank you in advance for your understanding as we work to improve our design to be as accessible as possible for all members of our growing community of friends, supporters, advocates, educators, and Alumni.
We appreciate you and thank you for reading. Enjoy!
Very best wishes,
The New York Institute for Special Education
PS: Our new website is scheduled to launch later this month. Stay tuned!
HEADER: SCHERMERHORN PROGRAM
Students in our Schermerhorn Program have been busy with a variety of activities celebrating Black History Month, including making African masks in their art classes and enjoying a performance by the Brooklyn based Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation, "devoted to sharing the real cultural history of Africa and its rich arts culture."
To learn more about Black History Month and watch a video compilation of the Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation's performance, visit our website by following this link: https://www.nyise.org/blackhistorymonth/.
For more photos from the Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation performance, visit our website by following this link: www.nyise.org/AsaseYaa_2023.
Fun Fact! With a 190+ year history of serving students with blindness and visual impairments, our Schermerhorn Program offers diverse educational services to meet the needs of children who are legally blind, from the ages of 5 to 21. Complimenting this program, our Residential Program provides a home-like atmosphere for select students who stay with us on campus during the week and return home for weekends and holidays.
To learn more about our Schermerhorn Program, visit our website by following this link: www.nyise.org/schermerhornprogram/
To learn more about our Residential Program, visit our website by following this link:
www.nyise.org/residentialprogram/
HEADER: READINESS PROGRAM
As we welcome March, our Readiness pre-schoolers said goodbye to winter with a Winter Wonderland celebration where they played, explored, and had fun with winter-themed activities.
To check out News 12 The Bronx's coverage of this event, visit their website by following this link:
For more photos from our Winter Wonderland celebrations, visit our website by following this link:
www.nyise.org/winterwonderland_2023/
Fun Fact! Our Readiness Program is a full-day, center-based program for children ages 3 to 5 who display a developmental delay in one or more of the following areas:
- Cognitive, speech, and language
- Fine or gross motor skills
- Sensory integration
- Adaptive or social-emotional development
To learn more about this program, visit our website by following this link: www.nyise.org/readinessprogram/
HEADER: ADVOCACY
During the New York State Budget process, each year, Executive Director Bernadette Kappen travels to Albany with students and staff to advocate for support and funding for the 4201 Schools Association. The Association represents 11 schools, including the Institute, that serve children who are deaf, blind, or severely physically disabled across New York State.
To watch Tim Kelly, Superintendent of St. Mary's School for the Deaf and Association Co-Chair's testimony at the 2024 Elementary & Secondary Education New York State Budget Public Hearing, visit the 4201 Schools Youtube Channel by following this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV15NegKvXk&t=92s
HEADER: MARCH EVENTS
March 8: Staff Conference Day
March 15 to 17: Eastern Athletics Association for the Blind Goalball Tournament
March 13 to 27: Readiness Ballet Program
March 19: First Day of Spring
March 28: Science Fair and Friends of Rye Nature Center Nature Station Event Visit
Fun Fact! March is Women's History Month and National Reading Month.
- Part of our Women's History Month activities will include an assembly with author Andrea Davis Pinkney as part of our Student Wellness Works Program. To learn more about Pinkney's work, visit her website by following this link: https://www.andreadavispinkney.net/.
- To learn more about Women's History Month, visit The Library of Congress Women's History Month website by following this link: https://womenshistorymonth.gov.
- In celebration of National Reading Month, students and teachers will participate in " Read Across America, "the nation's largest celebration of reading. This year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources that are about everyone, for everyone."
- To learn more about National Reading Month, visit the Reading Is Fundamental website by following this link: https://www.rif.org/nrm.
- To explore Read Across America, visit The National Education Association's website by following this link: https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/student-engagement/read-across-america.
HEADER: WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND 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.
Donations to the Institute are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. All donations help students learn and strengthen their independence throughout their K through 12 academic journeys.
Current programs made possible in part through donations to the Institute include our:
- Student Wellness Works Program serving Schermerhorn K through 12 students.
To learn more about this program, visit our website by following this link: www.nyise.org/studentwellnessworks/.
- Tutoring Program serving Schermerhorn middle and high school students.
To learn more about this program, visit our website by following this link: www.nyise.org/tutoring/.
- Athletics Program serving Schermerhorn middle and high school students.
To learn more about this program, visit our website by following this link: www.nyise.org/athletics/.
- Schermerhorn and Readiness Program Giving Tuesday Holiday Gift Drive.
To learn more about this program, visit our website by following this link: www.nyise.org/givingtuesday/.
To donate today, access our secure online donations portal by following this link:
https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E113939&id=41.
To donate by check, make your check payable to The New York Institute for Special Education and mail it to The New York Institute for Special Education, Attention Development Department, 999 Pelham Parkway, Bronx, NY, 10469. Upon receiving your donation, we will mail you a gift acknowledgment letter for tax purposes. Please allow ten days for donation processing. Our E I N is 13-1740010.
HEADER: LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED
To learn more about the Institute, visit our website by following this link:
To sign up for our mailing list, visit our website by following this link: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/QsNgWx9/signup.
To visit our Instagram page, visit our Instagram website by following this link:
https://www.instagram.com/nyise999/
Not on Instagram, but want to watch our Instagram videos? Not a problem! Visit our website to access our recent Instagram videos by following this link: www.nyise.org/videoposts/
You have reached the end of our latest community newsletter. We appreciate that you have taken the time to learn about our recent activities, programs, and student celebrations. We look forward to keeping you posted and hope you have a nice day. Stay tuned for more.