Our Outcomes
87%
of Cooke alumni are achieving independence through
COOKE
COOKE CENTER FOR LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT in their communities.
53
Cooke alumni are % ofACTIVELY
EMPLOYED
versus a 17% national average for adults with special needs.
Cooke Center. A Path to the Future. COOKE CENTER FOR LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT School Admissions 219 Stanton Street • New York, NY 10002 admissions@cookecenter.org 212.995.1987
cookecenter.org
The Cooke Center for Learning and Development is a non-profit private provider of special education services in NewYork City, offering schools for students ages 5 through 21, and consulting and training services. At Cooke, we are driven by the belief that all children deserve an education that leads to an independent future – one in which they can be included as integral members of their community.
Overview & Services
Our Mission
Our Programs CCGS
Cooke Center envisions a world in which all people with special needs are included as valued members of their communities, leading independent and purposeful lives. To realize this vision, our school educates students with diverse developmental disabilities and backgrounds, from early childhood
through young adulthood. Through innovative programming and intensive, experiential instruction, designed to foster student independence, we integrate academic, social and life skills to prepare our students to discover and fulfill their life goals. We also strive to promote the world we envision by cultivating community partners and sharing our knowledge.
Our History Cooke Center was founded in 1987 by a small group of parents to address a pressing need in New York City providing quality education for children with developmental disabilities. Since then, we have grown from serving seven children in one classroom to an organization dedicated each year to serving nearly 300 New York City children with special needs and their families, while improving general education for thousands more. Our school and programs are sought out by families and educators looking for quality educational options.
Our students come from every borough in the city, and reflect the city’s economic and cultural diversity. Students come to Cooke because their families cannot find appropriate placements in the public school system. From the beginning, we set out to educate children with a broad spectrum of abilities and challenges. Our faculty and staff work tirelessly to ensure that our programs and curricula are individually tailored to the varying levels and skills of our students.
Cooke Center Grammar School (CCGS) serves students from Kindergarten through 8th grade. CCGS uses a multi-faceted approach incorporating traditional and innovative methods that address the specific needs of our students. Our Grammar School teachers and therapists instruct students in a supportive setting and build on each student’s strengths and developmental needs. Our building is equipped with tools that promote learning from the early years up through preparation for high school. Our facilities include a science lab, art studio, movement space with traversing wall, newly re-imagined garden, and playground.
CCA Cooke Center Academy (CCA), is a specialized high school that meets a critical need in New York City. CCA offers superior, individualized special education not accessible to most high school students with special needs. CCA is recognized for its rigorous academics and integrated therapeutic programs which offer students the opportunity to develop academic, social, vocational and adaptive living skills at a pace best suited to their individual needs and abilities. Academy students participate in off-site education activities with dozens of community partners and select internship placements that match their unique strengths and interests. Students also develop their independent living skills, from navigating public transportation to banking and grocery shopping, to preparing meals and doing laundry in the school’s Daily Living Lab.
SKILLs SKILLs (Skills and Knowledge for Independent Learning and Living) is a program designed for 18-21 year old students to round out the academic, social, and life skills needed to make the transition from high school to adulthood.
Located in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood and close to mass transit, SKILLS offers continued academics in the core subject areas. In addition, students can take advantage of all that New York City has to offer: using libraries, parks, museums, gyms and recreation centers as living classrooms. An active Cooke Alumni Association offers recreational opportunities, ongoing support and continuing education to Cooke graduates.
Cooke Center Institute Grounded in Cooke’s mission, Cooke Center Institute (CCI) partners with schools and organizations to support teachers and school leaders across New York City to develop and strengthen teaching skills which helps to improve the educational experience of thousands of children in under served neighborhoods each year. Our trained consultants provide long-term, sustained support and teacher training in literacy and special education. Through the Institute’s ACCESS Project we offer support and training to families of children with special needs, helping them understand the special education system and find the best educational options for their children
Cooke Center Summer Academy Cooke Center Summer Academy is our sixweek summer program for special education students ages 5 to 21, designed to reinforce the academic and social skills that were developed in classrooms during the school year. Divided into two, three-week thematic sessions, students receive in-depth, individualized academics and integrated related services in a fun, engaging and appropriate environment. Community inclusion opportunities complement academic themes by providing students with experiences in their local community settings.
cookecenter.org