Dear Friends of Center School,
Twenty eight years ago, Center School was founded by two mothers seeking alternatives to the standard education system that did not address the needs of their sons who learned differently. Their search led them to a vision to create a new and specialized educational setting that focused on the individual needs of students and provided them with targeted learning to ensure success. From that vision formed Center School’s mission: to provide children who learn differently with a personalized education to realize their potential and reshape the way they view themselves and their future.
Our mission has set the foundation in providing countless students with a pathway to confidence and achievement. As the needs of our students have changed over the years, our mission has remained constant and effective in providing students who learn differently with a personalized education to experience success. In changing and altering our programming to fit our students’ changing needs, we’ve never strayed from our mission because it is the underlying principle that has allowed us throughout the years to deliver a distinguished program to ensure growth in all of our students and our school.
Today, our mission continues to lead us along an upward trajectory to sustain Center School into the future. We’re excited about the direction we’re moving and about the growth that has happened over the past year that is leading us on a positive journey into the 2017-2018 school year.
We Have Experienced Curricular Growth
Center School has implemented Responsive Classroom, an evidence-based program that promotes social-emotional growth to increase learning. Our students are learning about how to self-regulate in order to maximize their learning experience each day. We also welcomed EduTech to Center School. They have provided us with a Technology Integration Specialist who works collaboratively with teachers and students to implement the best of 21st century technology practices. In addition, to provide our students with opportunities to address their needs for focus, attention and movement, we partnered with the University of The Sciences Department of Occupational Therapy to create a Student Break Room. Finally, we’ve welcomed Dr. Adam Berman to our staff to provide guidance and support to our faculty, students and families.
We Have Experienced Community Growth
We have also partnered with Reading Buddies and Rydal Park Community Center, providing students with a stress-free environment to share their pride and enthusiasm in reading and to make friends with their senior partners. Wee R The World, a local early learning center, is now sharing our campus, providing before- and after-care to students in our community. We’ve also had the opportunity to partner with The McKeown Foundation and Manor Care to educate our students about Alzheimer’s disease and teach them about the importance of community participation.
We Have Experienced Financial Growth
As we’ve expanded our curriculum and community outreach, our year has also been one of incredible financial growth. Our Run to Read 5K Event, only in its second year, yielded over $80,000, over a 100% increase from the previous year. Our Annual Fund Appeal increased by 64% with the support of a strong board, staff and faculty, and family base. The belief in our mission has also been supported by a generous donor who presented us with a large six-figure bequest that serves as a validation of the work we do each day. These strong finances have made it possible to begin renovations on our building both inside and outside and to otherwise support our students, faculty and classroom programming.
Perhaps most importantly in our year of growth, the belief in our mission has also been supported and upheld by countless dedicated Center School families, and we are fulfilled by their child’s successes. The additions of an improved curriculum and increased community outreach has led us to a 10% increase in our admissions, and we are looking forward to serving even more families and teaching students who learn differently so they can go on to fully realize their incredible potential.
In this year of growth, we recognize and thank our students, families, staff and faculty, and partners who have supported and strengthened our mission and are a part of our success which will move us into the future. I look forward to continuing to share news of our ongoing growth over the coming year and wish everyone in our Center School community the best as we kick off the 2017-2018 academic year.
Mindy Wawrzyniak
Head of School
