The Child School / Legacy High School (TCS) is a state chartered private school for children who have learning disabilities. It is located on Roosevelt Island, New York City where it was founded. The founder, Maari De Souza, was born in India and holds a degree in psychology.
History
The Child School began in Maari's apartment building on Roosevelt Island. Maari began to teach children with learning disabilities using her own curriculum which was tailored to each of her students. Eventually, the apartment was converted into a school and more students began to attend. In 1973, the Child School was formed, and in 1979, the Child School was moved to Manhattan. In 1991, a Middle School was added to address the needs of middle schoolers with learning disabilities. In 1996, a high school was added and the Child School was renamed The Child School/Legacy High School. The first graduating class from the high school graduated in 2001. In 2010 Maari De Souza was replaced by Sal Ferrera as the executive director of The Child School/Legacy High School. In 2013, Sal Fererra abruptly resigned for an undisclosed reason. Soon after he resigned from the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation [RIOC] as well. The Executive Director position is now headed up by the three school principals.
Return to Roosevelt Island
In 2003, The Child School returned to Roosevelt Island. Upon its return, the school moved into four separate buildings: an elementary school, a middle school, the Island House, and the Patterson House. The four new building were less crowded, allowing more individual attention and cleaner class rooms. The Island House includes a science lab with state-of-the-art equipment and a flat-screen television. There are also three computer labs.
Elementary school
The elementary school has an art room, and a garden. Courses in the elementary school range from motor skills to Mathematics, to Technology and more. In the garden, students plant organic fruits and vegetables. There is park near the school, and sometimes classes are conducted there. Also, students of the elementary and middle schools go on other educational field trips.
Middle school
Classes range from English to Mathematics to Science, to Social Studies and more. Students can also take electives which include Sign Language and web design. Students who take electives or participate in independent studies can gain credit toward Legacy High School.
Middle school students are given a hands-on approach to learning including field trips and extra activities. These activities have included trips to the beach to catch sea creatures and preparation of food to be served at the New York Culinary Institute. Students who graduate from the school are given recognition awards and can go to the Legacy High School where they may be placed in the Regents or RCT program.
In 2009, the middle school was moved to the Patterson House.
Legacy High School
When the school moved back to Roosevelt Island, the two high school buildings were for separate programs. Island House was for students who were taking the Regents program and Patterson was for students taking the RCT program. There was some controversy about this segregation and, in response, the founder has made Patterson for grades 9 and 10, and Island House for grades 11 and 12, from the 2007-2008 school year to the 2008-2009 school year, until the 11 and 12 grades were moved to Patterson, to be replaced by the middle school.
Students of Legacy High School take courses ranging from Art and Music to Mathematics. Their studies are enhanced by a new and innovative library. Legacy students can also take electives and do independent assignments. If students are able, they can take Advanced Placement (AP) courses at other schools in calculus and advanced physics (the school hasn't been recently open to this because it affects the school's scheduling). The school is considering the addition of an IB Diploma. Legacy is the only high school on Roosevelt Island.
References
External links
- Official site
- New York Times
