What’s Cooking? The Cooke Center For Learning and Development Summer 2012 Cooke Center News :
In this issue: Welcome to the Neighborhood
pp. 1 & 2
End of School Year Activities
p. 3
Spotlight on C4I
p. 3
More Cooke Stories Online
p. 4
Volume 8
Welcome to the Neighborhood Cooke’s New Home: Lower East Side
A Letter from the Cooke President Cooke President Dear Friends, As the midpoint of summer break approaches, we at Cooke are beginning to look ahead to the opening of the Cooke Center Grammar School. As I write this, walls are being painted “Coral,” “Squash,” and “Key Lime Green,” floors are being tiled and we are busy readying the school to welcome more than 100 students in just a few weeks. Thinking even further ahead, I am also pleased to note that the Cooke Parents Association is hosting a Founders Dinner on November 7th at 475 Riverside Drive. Our hope is to bring the entire parent community together for this special event, so we encourage you to mark your calendars. Many of Cooke’s founding parents will be on hand to share their stories of how Cooke came to be, and we hope to hear from all of our parents as to their vision for Cooke’s future. Please join us! In the meantime, I hope you will continue to enjoy with your friends and families all of the good things summer brings. I look forward to seeing you in September.
Cooke Center Grammar School 219 Stanton St. @ Pitt St. Closest subway: F or M to Delancey/Essex St.
We are thrilled to announce that the Cooke Center Grammar School is near completion. Painters, carpenters, and many others are working hard to get the building ready for an early August move-in. Cooke has been a presence on the Lower East Side for several years through our Preschool work with Educational Alliance, and we are looking forward to welcoming our school-age children, families, faculty and friends to this historic, vibrant and diverse community. Here are some nearby spots to keep in mind when traveling to and from the Cooke Center Grammar School:
Sincerely, Michael Termini, PsyD
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AROUND THE LOWER EAST SIDE The Garden Next Door Stanton St. @ Ridge St. Distance from CCGS: Next door! Steps away from the school’s front door is a lovely community garden with benches, trees and a small path for meandering among the bushes and flowers currently in bloom. Hamilton Fish Recreation and Play Center 128 Pitt St. @ Stanton St. (212) 387-7687 Distance from CCGS: 1/2 block This is a fully equipped city recreational center with a gym, two outdoor pools, ping pong tables, basketball court, playground and, beginning in September, a free after school program open to kids ages six to twelve.
Hamilton Fish Park Library 415 East Houston St. @ Avenue D (212) 673-2290 Distance from CCGS: 2.5 blocks A New York City public library is around the corner from the Hamilton Recreation Center, giving you and your child a couple of options for after school activities – playing outside or working on homework in here. Like all city libraries, this one has free kidfriendly activities like storytelling time and board game hours. In addition, the library is a CCA Community Partner that has welcomed our older students as interns.
Economy Candy 108 Rivington St. @ Essex St. (212) 254-1531 Distance from CCGS: 7 blocks Be careful – this is every child’s (and adult’s) dream. Its variety and reasonable prices make it a city icon. Find old-fashioned pinwheel lollipops and PEZ dispensers or check out their enormous bulk selection of gummies and chocolates. If you take your child here, expect to field endless requests for return trips. You’ve been warned! DID YOU KNOW? Cooke’s 25th Anniversary Gala this past spring raised more than $775,000! Many thanks to all of those who joined us in supporting our students!
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END OF SCHOOL YEAR ACTIVITIES As we do at the end of every school year, Cooke celebrated the achievements and milestones of our students. At the Grammar School Awards Ceremony, not only did students receive academic awards, they also received medals for their participation in Mighty Milers, a key component of Cooke’s physical education program. At the close of the ceremony, the nineteen students moving up to CCA were acknowledged for their hard work. Jillian France, the graduating class valedictorian, gave a beautiful speech. The Cooke Center Academy celebrated its seniors, many of whom are moving on to the SKILLS program, while others are off to continue studies
Aaron and Jase posing for the camera at the 2012 Grammar School Awards Ceremony
elsewhere or enter the job market. A highlight of the ceremony was Ada Torres’ beautiful vocal performance of “The World’s Greatest.” Finally, SKILLS students celebrated the end of the year with the second annual SKILLS Banquet. Students, families and faculty gathered at 475 Riverside Drive to share a meal and wish these graduating students all the best as they move on to the next chapter in their lives. Students remaining in the program can look forward to reconnecting with graduates in the fall for upcoming planned Alumni Association Activities. CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2012!
Jay is all smiles at CCA Graduation
SPOTLIGHT ON COLLABORATION FOR INCLUSION Years of experience have taught us that in order to help preschoolers learn, we must also work with their parents and teachers. Cooke’s Collaboration for Inclusion program (C4I) aims to help all children get the best preparation for kindergarten by doing just this. We work in Head Starts and other early childhood centers in Brooklyn, Harlem, and the Lower East Side. In addition to providing direct intervention services for children at risk for language and learning delays, C4I also provides strategic one-on-one consultations with faculty in the partner sites. Our experienced special education teachers and therapists help implement best practices within classrooms that address children’s academic, social and emotional needs. Partner school faculty learn effective strategies for working with all children — those with and without disabilities — to adapt and develop classroom lessons that differentiate instruction for a wide range of ability levels in the classroom. C4I’s parent education and support services foster parent involvement by exploring techniques that can be used at home to reinforce the home-school partnership. Workshops throughout the year educate parents on methods such as play-based learning, sibling relationships and sensory integration, among others. Our C4I consultations offer a holistic approach to improving the learning environment for all students, and we’re proud of the work our Preschool faculty does to make this program effective. Special thanks goes to the Bernard F. and Alva B. Gimbel Foundation, the Rose M. Badgeley Charitable Trust, the Warner Fund, and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, whose generous funding makes this program possible. 3
Cooke Center for Learning & Development 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 730 New York, New York 10115
SAVE THE DATE! Sept. 10: First Day of School for CCGS, CCA and SKILLS Oct. 18: CCGS Open House Nov. 5: CCA Open House Nov. 7: Founders Dinner
MORE COOKE STORIES ONLINE... Don’t forget to check out The Cooke Blog – an online forum where Cooke faculty share their knowledge and experience with parents and practitioners in the greater education community. Some recent highlights include: Slipping into Summer with Tools that Make Learning Fun! All parents want their children to enjoy this carefree time of the year, but it’s important to provide fun and meaningful learning experiences to ensure a strong start to the next school year. The Cooke Center Institute staff has put together a list of enjoyable summer learning activities to help keep kids engaged all summer.
Animal-Assisted Therapy At Cooke Center Academy, animalassisted therapy is an integral part of the therapeutic services provided to students, providing emotional, psychosocial and physical benefits. Sensory Processing Disorder While we may be familiar with our own routines that help us function in a variety of environments, it can be difficult to understand methods that children can employ. Learn more from our Preschool faculty about ways to recognize and help children cope with sensory processing disorder. Supporting Participation in Physical Activities Children of all ages reap the benefits of physical movement in any variety or form. From walking to running to climbing to stretching, the most important thing is to get those bodies in motion! Learn about some strategies for the child who is reluctant in the playground.
For more Cooke stories or to make an online contribution, please visit us at www.cookecenter.org.