From the Desk of the CEO

Dear Families and Friends,

We made it! Another successful school year at Brookville Center for Children’s Services (BCCS). Our continued success is due to the exceptional talent of teachers, clinicians, teaching assistants/aides, and administrators. Thank you for making BCCS a welcoming community dedicated to advancing our vision – for every child, a lifetime of achievement.

It was a pleasure to see Sydney Ambrose, a Teacher’s Aide at the Barbara C. Wilson Preschool, awarded the Blanche Fierstein Scholarship at the AHRC Foundation Rose Ball on June 13. I also appreciated learning more about the important work of Najoya Stewart at the Lido Beach Children’s Residential Program (CRP) in this newsletter. 

Recognizing the team’s achievements is deeply meaningful, especially as we see students meet new opportunities for success and continued learning.

Best regards,

Stanfort J. Perry

Chief Executive
Officer

Sydney Ambrose, Barbara C. Wilson Preschool Teacher’s Aide, Receives The Blanche Fierstein Scholarship

Sydney Ambrose, a Teacher’s Aide at Brookville Center for Children’s Services Barbara C. Wilson Preschool, was awarded the Blanche Fierstein Scholarship at the 2024 Nassau County Foundation Rose Ball on June 13.

The Blanche Fierstein Scholarship was established in 2011 to honor the life and legacy of the late AHRC Nassau Board member and NYSARC, Inc. President Blanche Fierstein by awarding $5,000 annually to a person pursuing an advanced degree in special education.

Sydney is currently pursuing a master’s degree from Mercy University and was encouraged by Barbara C. Wilson Preschool Director Diane Condy to apply for the scholarship.

Onto the Next Chapter: Celebrating 2024 Graduates of Brookville Center for Children’s Services

Let’s give a round of applause to the graduates of Brookville Center for Children’s Services.

Last week, the Children’s Education Center presented the Class of 2024. While the graduation ceremony, held in the AHRC Nassau Mansion in Brookville, was bittersweet, we are proud to celebrate our wonderful graduates and all their accomplishments.

Throughout the month of June, the Children’s Education Center, Marcus Avenue Preschool, Post Avenue Preschool, and Barbara C. Wilson Preschool held ceremonies for the graduating preschoolers, who will begin kindergarten within their school districts or continue with our educational offerings. In their time with us, these students have learned about themselves and explored the world around them through classroom lessons and speech and occupational therapies. We are proud of these children and know they will continue to grow and thrive.

We thank all the families and staff for their dedication and support in the education of these wonderful students.

A Night We’ll Never Forget: Children Education Center Graduates, Their Classmates, and Residential Services Residents Enjoy A Prom

The Children’s Education Center Prom, which took place at the AHRC Nassau Mansion on Friday, June 14, was a night to be remembered, Prom Night!

“We wanted to give our kids the same experience that many of their peers have, that their siblings have,” said Children’s Education Center Director Denise Gaughan. “You could see how excited they were to socialize with their friends who may not be in their classroom. We’re very excited to end the year with the prom. That’s their age. That’s what they should be doing.”

Graduates of the Children’s Education Center, their classmates, residents of the Children’s Residential Program (CRP), staff and families, dressed to the nines, were ready for the long-anticipated evening.  

Children’s Education Center Welcomes Summer with Year-End Carnival

For the second year in a row, the Parent Association (PA) of the BCCS Children’s Education Center organized an end-of-year carnival for the students and teachers.

The carnival brought bounce houses, an ice cream truck, festival games, snacks, and prizes to the Brookville campus for students to enjoy. The PA curated the event’s activities to benefit both pre-school and school-age children that were inclusive of mobility and sensory needs.

“We really worked to make everything inclusive,” said PA Co-president Lisa Fanoso. “The preschool came out first. We wanted to make sure they had their run before the others came out. We had sprinklers for them to run through and for those with different mobility needs.”

A highlight was the water slide, which according to Lisa, was an immediate hit. “We thought, ‘The kids would love this.’”

#DSP Spotlight

DSP Najoya Stewart’s care and warmth comforts Lido Beach residents

Every day, the lives of the children who live at the Children’s Residential Program (CRP) in Lido Beach are filled with creative, engaging, and fun activities, opportunities to learn through daily upkeep of the home, and care from the managers and Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who support them.

Among the DSPs who enrich the lives of the children through their compassion, leadership, and understanding is Najoya Stewart. This month, we are highlighting Najoya for her dedication to the children she supports.

Characteristics of an exemplary DSP include patience, empathy, discernment, guidance, confidence, and positivity. Najoya embodies all these characteristics.