named programs · 9 · from sources
What they call their work
Counseling Services
Provides individual and group counseling to support students’ academic, social-emotional, and crisis needs; integrates with classroom instruction and collaborates with teachers and outside providers.
Experiential Learning
Uses multi-sensory, hands-on, and real-world experiences to reinforce classroom learning and skill development.
Health Services
Onsite Registered Nurse provides medication administration, first aid, health screenings, and health education aligned with students’ IEPs.
Maker Place
Hands-on program where students engage in design and creation using physical materials, CAD, and 3D printing to develop problem-solving and technical skills.
School-wide Strategies
Implements Thinking Maps® and EmPOWER writing strategy school-wide to build organizational and written expression skills across all subjects and grade levels.
Service Learning
Students participate in community service as part of Participation in Government and other courses, fostering civic engagement and responsibility.
Skills for Life
School-wide Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) program focusing on self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, responsible decision-making, and relationship skills; aligned with PBIS framework.
Speech-Language Services
Speech-Language Pathologists collaborate with teachers to support communication skills tied to academic success; services delivered individually, in groups, or in classrooms.
Transition Counseling
Guides high school students and families through post-secondary planning, including college, career, and independent living; led by Transition Counselor and multi-disciplinary committee.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Special Education Support Services 3 activities
- Delivering specialized education for students with learning disabilitiesProvides individualized, evidence-based academic instruction for students with learning disabilities, including explicit reading, writing, and math instruction aligned with New York State learning standards. Offers personalized education programs with Regents-level courses, small class sizes (average of 8, reading classes limited to 3), and a 99% graduation rate.
- Delivering speech-language services integrated with academicsOffers individual and group speech-language services aligned with classroom instruction, supporting communication, test-taking, memory, and vocabulary development. Services are delivered by Speech-Language Pathologists in collaboration with teachers, parents, and other providers.
- Providing on-site health services and medical supportDelivers on-site health services including medication administration, first aid, illness triage, health screenings, and health education in accordance with students’ IEPs, provided by a Registered Nurse.
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Structured Literacy Instruction and Dyslexia Support 2 activities
- Offering reading comprehension and language enrichment programsProvides targeted reading comprehension instruction using the Reading Advantage program, emphasizing close reading and text-based writing for students without basic skill deficits. Offers Spanish as a foreign language for students who are not exempt from language requirements.
- Providing remedial reading instruction using evidence-based methodologiesDelivers daily, systematic remedial reading instruction focused on decoding, fluency, and comprehension through small-group (up to 3 students) and 1:1 support by trained reading teachers. Uses the Wilson Assessment, Read Naturally, and Lexia programs, with curriculum-based and standardized assessments administered three times per year to track growth.
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College Access and Success Support 1 activity
- Facilitating post-secondary transition and career planningOperates a multi-disciplinary Transition Planning Committee to support students in exploring college and career pathways, developing independent living skills, and achieving post-secondary success. Over 75% of graduates enroll in college.
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Project-Based Learning Programs 1 activity
- Implementing project-based and experiential learning programsDelivers hands-on, project-based learning for middle school students through an Expeditionary Learning model integrating Social Studies and English Language Arts (STEPS + G framework), supported by frequent field trips and real-world applications. Includes a Maker Place program where students use CAD and 3D printing to design and create projects from concept to completion.
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Comprehensive Student Enrichment Programs 1 activity
- Offering enrichment, arts, and extracurricular programsProvides after-school clubs, service learning, outdoor education, cooperative games, community trips, and arts programming including photography (as elective and club) and physical education. Chromebooks are issued to all students for use in school and at home to support learning.
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Student Support and Academic Services 1 activity
- Supporting student social-emotional and mental health developmentProvides individual and group counseling services through licensed counselors to support academic success, social-emotional skill development, and crisis management. Implements school-wide Social-Emotional Learning programs and uses the Social Thinking methodology to build student social competencies.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$5.96M
Contributions & grants$460K8%
Program service revenue$5.14M86%
Investment income$248K4%
Other revenue$112K
expenses
Total expenses$5.70M
Program expenses86%
Admin / overhead14%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$4.64M
Grants paid out$178K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$8.29M
Cash$113K
Investments$5.47M
Liabilities$2.10M
Net assets$6.19M
Liquid reserves11.8 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +13.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 5
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOSEPH M MARTINO | CEO / SECRETARY | 14 | $289K |
| CHRISTOPHER ZUPCAK | CFO | 13 | $171K |
| ROSEMARY HODGES | DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION | 40 | $169K |
| NICK FARGNOLI | DIRECTOR OF STUDENTS | 40 | $136K |
| SUSAN DIETER | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 12 | $123K |
board members · 7
- GEORGE MEDILL — BOARD MEMBER
- JAN AUGUST — BOARD MEMBER
- JOSEPH DEFENDIS PE — CHAIR
- KIM M KLEPS — BOARD MEMBER
- LISA C ARRINGTON ESQ — BOARD MEMBER
- RYAN FELTNER — TREASURER
- SHETARA BOUIE — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 10
Who they work with
- Architects for Learning Partner — Implements the EmPOWER writing strategy, developed by Architects for Learning, to support structured writing instruction.
- Community Partner — Serves as an educational resource for the broader community.
- Families Partner — Serves as a resource for families of students with learning differences.
- Google Classroom Partner — Uses Google Classroom for posting daily homework assignments and facilitating student-teacher interaction.
- Memorial Art Gallery Partner — Collaborates with the Education Department at the Memorial Art Gallery to teach students about the relationship between art and culture across historical periods.
- New York Association of Independent Schools Network — Accredited by NYSAIS as a special education school
- New York State Education Department Government — Approved by NYSED as a special education school serving grades 5 through 12
- Participation in Government Partner — Partnership through which students engage in service learning as part of coursework
- Social Thinking Partner — Uses the Social Thinking methodology, a research-informed framework developed by Michelle Garcia-Winner, to build student social competencies.
- Thinking Maps Partner — Uses Thinking Maps as a school-wide visual tool to support cognitive and organizational skills.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Experiential and Inquiry-Based Learningmethodology: experiential_inquiry_based_learningBy engaging students in hands-on, project-based, and inquiry-driven learning, the school deepens understanding and motivation, because real-world application and investigation help students with diverse learning needs connect abstract concepts to meaningful contexts.
- Integrated Social-Emotional and Academic Learningmethodology: integrated_social_emotional_learningBy embedding social-emotional skill development directly into academic programming and school-wide systems, the school improves both behavioral and academic outcomes, because students who develop self-awareness, relationship skills, and coping strategies are better equipped to engage in learning.
- Strength-Based, Individualized Education for Learning Disabilitiesmethodology: strength_based_educationBy tailoring education to individual strengths and learning profiles, the school enables students with learning disabilities to overcome challenges and achieve academic and social success, because personalized support fosters self-understanding, engagement, and skill development.
- Structured, Multi-Sensory Instructional Approachmethodology: structured_multisensory_instructionBy using systematic, explicit, and multi-sensory methods in literacy and writing across the curriculum, the school helps students with learning disabilities build foundational skills, because these approaches align with evidence-based practices for neurodiverse learners and support memory, comprehension, and skill retention.