elcome to What’s Been Brewing, our new quarterly newsletter where we will share what’s been happening at Gillen Brewer!
Just as our students grow and evolve, so does our school! After hearing from prospective families and trusted professionals about the desire for Gillen Brewer’s academic-therapeutic to be accessible to families seeking a 10-month academic year, we are excited to launch this option beginning in the 2024-2025 school year. Being able to meet the needs of students requiring both 10-month and 12-month academic years allows us to broaden our community reach and provide more social opportunities for our students.
t was “Olympic Fever” this summer at Gillen Brewer! With the 2024 Summer Olympics taking place in Paris, students here at Gillen Brewer in New York City were immersing themselves in all things Olympic. In true Gillen Brewer form, therapies and academics were integrated to create an immersive and engaging experience for students in order to learn about and experience the Olympics. Students who attended our summer session continued benefitting from literacy and math each morning in small groups or one-to-one, ensuring that students maintained their skills. In addition, our summer session program offered more summer-related experiences, such as cooking and sports clubs, as well as much loved water play on our rooftop playspace and at local playgrounds. Gillen Brewer students were introduced to a core value each week that related to the Olympics:
These core values, STAR, became the mantra and guiding principles for each week. Through a core value, students learned about athletes and their sports from a different continent each week. Additionally, they learned dances in Zumba that correlated to countries within that continent and cooked traditional recipes from those countries as well in cooking class. Musically, students learned songs from the focus country and also learned a new Gillen Brewer song that is sung to the Olympic Theme song. To move their bodies as athletes always do, they participated in biweekly martial arts classes, as well as Olympic study movement classes curated by the Occupational Therapy team at GBS; where they practiced balance, coordination, and gross motor development through a variety of Olympic-themed sports.
To cap off each week, students celebrated their core values at a school-wide assembly showcasing activities throughout the week that demonstrate "STAR," cheering each other through a school-wide cheer, and celebrating each other's accomplishments. In the Closing Ceremony, parents were invited to share in the excitement of STAR and see the core values in action. All in all, it was an amazing and action-packed summer at Gillen Brewer– gold-medals all around!!
Middle School! Next Stop,
illen Brewer families have historically asked, “When is Gillen Brewer opening a middle school?” The answer is “This September!” Gillen Brewer is thrilled to introduce the opening of our new middle school division this fall. Our first cohort consists of five current Gillen Brewer students and one new student. Eventually, we plan to have classes with a ratio of 8:1:1; and, continuing our longstanding, integrated academictherapeutic program, there is also a school psychologist, an SLP, and an OT on the team.
Our inaugural cohort participated in a series of fun activities with their middle school classmates and teachers this summer. Every Monday of summer session, each student received a note from the teachers inviting them to the week’s activity.
Students enjoyed lunch, conversation, and games.
Students went “shopping” for items with which they could decorate their lockers. They then decorated their own locker and received some Gillen Brewer Middle School swag!
Students presented their favorite book in the Gillen Brewer Library to their classmates and then added it to the middle school book nook.
Students shared their favorite games, which were then, in turn, ordered and added to the classroom.
Lastly, students and their families enjoyed a lemonade toast to honor their completion of lower school and the start of middle school.
More highlights of our new middle school will be shared throughout the year!
Excited to Explore the World
tudents had a blast on our first field trip of the summer at Complete Playground: an inclusive, supportive, and fun indoor playground suitable for children of all ages and abilities. In addition to the jumping, climbing, and sliding of your usual playground, Complete Playground offered opportunities for students to roleplay in different settings such as the grocery store, the kitchen, and a gas station. When our students needed a break from the action, they enjoyed the calm of the sensory room that Complete Playground offers.
The next field trips of the summer were familiar favorites: The American Museum of Natural History and The Children's Museum of Manhattan! Five of our lower school classes visited The American Museum of Natural History to learn about African mammals and sea creatures. Our preschool students joined our youngest lower school class and spent the day at The Children’s Museum of Manhattan, where they got to explore playscapes and experience interactive exhibits such as Dynamic H2o, a splashy exhibit explaining New York City’s amazing water systems.
If I work with a family who enrolls in Gillen Brewer, I am confident that this match is the right one – one that will make a real difference in the life of their child… Gillen Brewer is a school with a heart and a soul. The needs and care of the students and their parents are always primary – it provides a setting that reflects compassion for and commitment to the challenges that families face when seeking a special needs program.
- Marcia Roesch, Educational Consultant
At Gillen Brewer, we believe that special needs students 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 school-home 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! Click
