Center School’s Capital Campaign.

Our teachers are heroes.  They need a place to hang their capes.

This is the tagline that Center School is using to raise funds to build our amazing teachers a faculty lounge.  

By way of background, Center School was founded in 1989 by two mothers who struggled to find the appropriate educational setting for their sons diagnosed with dyslexia.  Center School is a small, non-profit school with a 30+ year history of serving students in grades 1-8 who have learning disabilities including dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADD/ADHD, auditory processing disorder, executive function disorder, and high functioning autism.  Center School remains committed to helping bright children who learn differently excel and succeed.  The specialized instruction that Center School students receive addresses their diverse learning needs, renews their confidence and allows them to feel successful and worthwhile.  Our philosophy is based in the belief that every student is capable of academic, social and emotional growth, and we are dedicated to designing instructional programs which foster each child’s optimal development.  Students are provided with personalized instruction that is necessary to address their challenges and leverage their strengths which involves ongoing diagnosis of each student, appropriate instructional placement, and a team approach to working with the students and their families.

When visiting a school you will find a teacher in one of two places: their classroom or the teacher lounge. The lounge provides a respite from the hustle and bustle of the school day and a comfortable place to rest and recharge. Center School has never had a teacher lounge, and teachers have no place to unwind.  Built in the 1950’s, Center School has a unique structure and plenty of space in the classroom for students to engage and learn.  While the building is certainly appealing, it lacks a place for our teachers to gather, build camaraderie, and share best practices which ultimately leads to retention.  Our mission is incredibly important, and so are our incredibly dedicated and talented teachers.  It is not unusual to see teachers here past their scheduled hours, working in the evenings and weekends, and hosting fundraising events – on their own time – for our school.  They are so devoted to Center School’s mission and its families that they are willing to volunteer their time to support their students and our school.  Most striking is that their dedication is not measured by their compensation.  As a small private school, and one that receives no federal, state, or local funding, we are solely tuition-based.  Their salaries cannot begin to compete with their public school counterparts.

Our teachers also know their students incredibly well. They thoroughly read their students’ evaluations to understand their strengths and challenges to plan accordingly. Developing individualized and personalized lesson plans is not an anomaly; it is standard practice.

Over the last two years, teachers have supported our students and families in an environment that we couldn’t have imagined: a pandemic. They’ve implemented numerous protocols and guidelines into their daily routines while still providing excellent instruction to our students. We want to repay their loyalty and dedication with a “place to hang their capes”.