elcome to the Fall Edition of What’s Been Brewing!
We are excited to share the latest news and highlights from Gillen Brewer, a Pre K-8th grade school dedicated to helping students with a broad range of language-based learning disabilities make meaningful strides forward, becoming proud of their progress, prepared to engage, and excited to explore.
This fall has been full of excitement for Gillen Brewer, marked by the opening of our new middle school program. All of our classrooms have been full of energy as students have delved into a variety of fascinating projects and activities. In addition to our academic programs, we hosted a series of engaging family workshops and speaker events.
As we move forward, we remain committed to providing an exceptional education for all of our students. We invite you to explore the pages of this newsletter to learn more about the exciting things happening at Gillen Brewer.
GBS Middle School
is Officially Open!
illen Brewer’s Middle School welcomed its first 6th grade cohort in September. The Class of 2027 and its teachers, Linda Delaney and Penny Efstathiadis, got right to work on their interdisciplinary study of ancient civilizations beginning with Mesopotamia. The students learned about the beginnings of agriculture, built a ziggurat, and studied the geography of this culture built between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
There are many aspects of GBS’s Middle School that are built similarly to the rest of the GBS program. For example, the academics and therapies are seamlessly integrated, whether Jane Enright, head of the speech and language department is pushing into morning advisory or facilitating conversation at lunch; or Kelly Cooke, school psychologist, is engaging in collaborative problem solving during clubs, the teachers and therapists work cohesively to support each student on their goals.
There are features of the middle school that are, however, new to Gillen Brewer students. Perhaps the students’ favorite activity is City School.
Every other week, the students venture out into the city for learning and exploration. These trips are designed to complement classroom instruction with real-world experiences, fostering both academic growth and essential life skills.
Thus far this fall, the students visited a local florist, the Union Square Farmers Market, the Battery Urban Farm, C-Town and traveled on foot, by subway, and by city bus–the M86 and M31 to be exact!
Perhaps the trip that the students loved the most was the week that they found a note from Gilgamesh (the ancient hero from Mespotamian mythology) underneath the Ziggurat they had built. The message from Gilgamesh asked the class to make barley bread. In order to make this item:
The students mapped their travel via the M86 bus to Whole Foods
Were given a metrocard to use on the bus
Crossed streets safely
Broke up into groups to find the ingredients they needed Were given cash to make their purchase and had to make sure they had enough money
Interacted with the cashier
Upon their return to school, they went to the multipurpose room to prepare the bread. Much to their delight, they were visited by Gilgamesh himself who led the cooking lesson and helped the students enjoy what they had prepared.
In our next edition, we look forward to sharing about the middle school's study of Ancient Egypt, which included a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
It’s
a Plane, It’s a Bird,
It’s GBS Comic Con!
his November, Gillen Brewer proudly hosted its inaugural Neurodiversity Comic Con at Asphalt Green, an exciting event that celebrated neurodiverse characters, authors, and artists in the world of comics and children’s literature. Designed as an inclusive and sensory-friendly experience, the event welcomed students, families, and community members to explore creativity, connection, and the joy of storytelling.
With over 30 exhibitors, including favorites like Archie Comics and Scholastic, attendees enjoyed a vibrant lineup of meet-and-greets, hands-on workshops, games, and photo opportunities. Special prizes, including books and exclusive swag, added extra excitement to the day. For those needing a moment to recharge, a partnership with Calmer Con provided a soothing Cool Down Room filled with calming activities in a softly lit space.
Neurodiversity Comic Con was a great celebration of neurodiversity, community, and children’s books, and it garnered the attention of press outlets such as New York Family, Publishers Weekly, the Be A Better Ally podcast, and more. We can’t wait to host more events that are open to the community in the future!
The Gillen Brewer Family Workshop Series
n September we launched the 2024-25 Gillen Brewer Family Workshop series and have had some really interesting dialogue so far!
Our first session was with Dr. Erika Stapert of Manhattan Psychology Group on Helping Your Child Manage Big Emotions. The webinar showcased effective strategies and tools to understand, support, and guide children in regulating their emotions and behavior.
Next, we invited Dr. Stephen Shore, autistic professor of special education at Adelphi University, to Gillen Brewer to share his story of growing up autistic at a time when little was known about autism, transitioning into adulthood, and promoting selfadvocacy. He hosted three different sessions throughout the day, including a fireside chat with Gillen Brewer Board Chair Kathryn George Tyree.
Our most recent GBS Family Workshop was with our very own Director of Middle School & Enrollment, Amy Salomon, who led a session on the topic of Life After High School: Exploring Post-Secondary Academic Options. Families left the session with a better understanding of Associate's and Bachelor's Degrees with comprehensive learning support programs, transition programs and vocational opportunities.
We’re looking forward to continuing the GBS Family Workshop Series in the winter and spring with upcoming sessions from Manhattan Psychology Group, Northwell Health/Cohen Children’s Hospital, and a sibling workshop from the GBS counseling team!
Autumnal Adventures
Fun Highlights from Fall
his fall was full of festivities! Here are some highlights and memorable moments from the past few months:
Fall Family Fun Day: A Beloved Tradition
This year’s Fall Family Fun Da was a hit! Current GBS familie and alumni gathered at Carl Schurz Park in October to cat up over coffee and bagels wh enjoying a fun-filled morning Highlights included face pain balloon animals, and an entertaining magic show. It w wonderful day of community connection, and fun for all ag
Apple Picking at Dr. Davies Farm
The Lower School continued another fall tradition with a field trip to Dr. Davies Farm in early October. Students enjoyed picking a variety of apples and selecting class pumpkins, which were later incorporated into hands-on learning activities. The apples became the centerpiece for classroom cooking lessons, art projects, and math activities. The pumpkins played a starring role in math instruction, as students estimated and counted pumpkin seeds. One class took the fall spirit a step further by baking pumpkin muffins and delivering them to a nearby community fridge spreading kindness alongside their learning!
A Spooktacular Halloween at GBS
Gillen Brewer brought Halloween magic to life with a spooktacular after-school celebration! Students enjoyed a variety of festive activities, including arts and crafts, dancing, and trick-or-treating at the administ trink
s an
bran
cultures and traditions of Hispanic Heritage Month through engaging and interactive experiences. Students had the privilege of welcoming Ballet Hispánico, whose dancers introduced two dynamic dance styles and shared how dance plays a central role in Hispanic culture. The performance was a joyful celebration of movement and storytelling that left students inspired and energized.
In addition, the Phoenixes classroom enjoyed a special visit from GBS parent, Bianca, who shared her own cultural connections to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Together, they explored favorite foods (tacos were a big favorite!), learned new Spanish vocabulary, and wrapped up the session with a lively conga line!
Grandparents & Special Visitors Day and Community Feast
Grandparents & Special Visitors Day at Gillen Brewer was a wonderful celebration of the school-home partnership that plays such a vital role in our students’ growth. Visitors began the day with a presentation introducing them to Gillen Brewer and enjoyed an inspiring workshop led by Amy Salomon, who shared how her parents supported her journey as a special needs mother. They then joined students in classrooms for engaging, hands-on activities, creating cherished memories together.
The d o ur annual Community Feast. Families brought delicious dishes and festive decorations, and each class gathered to share a meal and express gratitude. These events are a beautiful reflection of the Gillen Brewer community, and we can’t wait to continue these meaningful traditions next fall!
Classroom Highlights from the Lower School Classes
Gnomes - The preschool class has been working on creating fall-themed artwork and making observations about animals they are introduced to through the Art Farm program.
Dragons - The Dragons have been working on letter sounds like /b/ and /p/. They explored many hands-on activities during literacy such as sorting pictures that began with the /b/ sound versus pictures that did not start with the /b/ sound.
Yetis - The Yetis have been practicing introducing themselves by their full names and their age. They also engaged in a counting exercise with all of the apples they picked at the Apple Picking Trip!
Phoenixes - The Phoenixes recently began their unit on Native American history in New York State in observance of Native American Heritage Month. They have also been working on self-portraits!
Wizards - The Wizards have been working on their place values in math; practicing their ones, tens, and hundreds and learning how to add, subtract and even multiply some of the numbers they are learning.
Unicorns - The Unicorns recently worked on brainstorming, drafting, and then finalizing letters written to a U.S. Army Veteran in honor of Veterans Day. They have also been working on recognizing shapes such as stars, ovals, and triangles and coming up with examples of items that are in those shapes.
Griffins - The Griffins have been working on sentence structure and learning about the different types of words such as nouns, adjectives, verbs, and connectors They have also been studying geography by looking at globes and maps, as well as learning about geographic terms such as island, mountain, ocean, etc.
Gillen Brewer took a child who struggled to advocate for himself and helped him find his voice. They didn’t just educate him—they empowered him. The love, patience, and expertise of the faculty created a foundation that continues to support Sebastian in every stage of his life. Gillen Brewer is more than a school; it’s a lifelong community.
- Dara, Gillen Brewer Alumni Parent
Come Say Hi!
At Gillen Brewer, we believe that students with complex learning needs benefit from being in a class of peers with varied strengths and challenges, and we intentionally create cohorts of students with this in mind. Our belief in the importance of a strong schoolhome partnership drives our commitment to open communication, family education, and building a thriving school community.
We invite you to visit Gillen Brewer during one of our upcoming events—even if you’ve been here before, we would love you to come and see what’s new!
