Lower School
The Gillen Brewer Lower School has two programs designed to serve students aged 5 to 11 years old: The Gillen Program and the Brewer Program.
Both programs:
- feature integrated academics and therapies
- include art, music, physical education, field trips, and all-school traditions
- are grounded in the New York State Next Generation Learning Standards and other curricula/therapy programs designed for children with language-based learning disabilities
- are staffed by highly trained classroom teams of 3 teachers and 3 therapists who differentiate material to meet the varied learning needs of our students
The Gillen Program (classes designed for 10-11 students) provides students with a traditional classroom environment in a highly supportive and nurturing school setting.
In this program, we consider every child as an individual and design group activities to support each student’s learning style. The Gillen Program prioritizes independence, and students are able to navigate the classroom space with autonomy, access their academic content with confidence, and are motivated to learn and build relationships with their peers.
The Brewer Program (classes designed for 6-7 students) gives students who require a more individualized program the opportunity to participate in a traditional school environment.
In this program, we use a highly structured approach to classroom set-up and instruction where students participate in academic lessons in very small groups or one-on-one with a teacher. The Brewer Program prioritizes opportunities for students to build community through classroom traditions and whole group experiences, with a focus on generalizing their academic skills across contexts.
