The Gillen Brewer Experience

At Gillen Brewer School, we see the spark each student brings to the world – and we partner with families in specific, individualized ways to encourage those talents and skills to flourish. When students leave Gillen Brewer, they are: 

Proud of Their Progress

Gillen Brewer students are determined, creative, and engaged learners. That’s because, here, they build a strong foundation for lifelong learning and independence.

Students recognize their success in the classroom as they begin to self-advocate, become aware of their own goals, and navigate their world with agency. It’s an ongoing, rewarding progression: we celebrate where they are today while instilling within them the confidence to go further.

PURPOSEFUL LEARNING & INTERVENTIONS

Gillen Brewer develops confident, engaged students through a distinct approach to educating children with a broad range of language-based learning disabilities, built on:

We believe in the potential of every Gillen Brewer student – and our integrated academic-therapeutic program keeps students challenged and progressing. 

• Differentiated instruction allows us to meet students where they are, personalize content to engage each child, and develop highly individualized plans to grow their skills, confidence, and independence. 

• Integrated therapies (including speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, and counseling) are part of students’ everyday learning experiences. We are purposeful in our therapeutic choices and in the way we instruct and support each student. 

• Our academic curriculum provides challenging advancement and enrichment opportunities and is benchmarked against nationally recognized standards.

• Active, hands-on learning encourages students to think, imagine, and problem-solve as they begin to understand the world and people around them. 

Excited to Explore

When students grow in a safe, happy community of learners, they develop the courage to expand their interests and try new things.

Our integrated academic-therapeutic approach brings out the best in every student, empowering them to develop the critical skills needed to overcome challenges, embrace an array of experiences, and pursue new opportunities.

AUTHENTIC SCHOOL EXPERIENCE

At Gillen Brewer, we want students to be happy to go to school each day – because children learn best in an environment where they feel safe and accepted, and where learning is fun. 

• Our integrated academic-therapeutic environment is a vibrant, welcoming oasis on the Upper East Side of Manhattan with spacious classrooms, a rooftop playground, art and music rooms, a school library, and sensory gyms, with additional access to an adaptive physical education program offered in a state-of-the-art athletic facility.

• Enrichment programs – an after-school program, museum collaborations, field trips, and more – expand the curriculum and open additional opportunities for learning and growth. 

• We truly are a diverse community of learners. Students make social connections, work together, recognize and respect each other’s differences, and learn from one another. Each child’s unique strengths and passions add to the entire classroom experience.

• Families share in our school pride, forming deep and supportive bonds with each other, which help them through challenging times and lead to lifelong connections.

Prepared to Engage with the World

The world opens for Gillen Brewer students. Here, children with a broad range of language-based learning disabilities forge meaningful connections with teachers, therapists, and peers. They recognize and respect one another’s differences. They find a place in their communities.

This warm, welcoming student culture prepares students for life beyond Gillen Brewer so that they see and seek the possibilities ahead.

PROACTIVE PARTNERSHIPS

Gillen Brewer is built on partnerships: between school and home, between teachers and therapists, between students and peers. These partnerships promote a generalization of skills so that every moment is a learning moment.

• The school-home partnership is a cornerstone of the Gillen Brewer program. We collaborate with families to create shared goals and strategies, and we become their children’s strongest and most supportive advocates together. 

• Parent/caregiver support extends beyond the classroom to include support groups, workshops, and a network of resources for the entire family. 

• Our team-teaching approach to education and intervention ensures teachers and therapists work collaboratively to address students’ holistic needs. 

• Cross-training of teachers and therapists creates shared language, goals, and methods to help students progress faster.