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Riverdale Early Childhood Center

475 West 250th Street
Bronx, New York 10471
(718) 549-4753, Fax (718) 796-6474

Population We Serve: We serve children with a wide range of special needs including speech impairments, learning disabilities, emotional behavioral difficulties, autism and mental retardation.

AGE RANGE AND CLASS SIZE: WE SERVE CHILDREN RANGING IN AGE FROM 2.6 - 5 YEARS. CLASS SIZES RANGE FROM 8:1:2 TO 12:1:2.

FUNDING: STUDENTS ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE DISTRICT IN WHICH THEY RESIDE BY THE COMMITTEE ON PRESCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION.

AREAS SERVED: STUDENTS ELIGIBLE FOR ENROLLMENT MAY RESIDE IN ALL AREAS OF THE BRONX, UPPER MANHATTAN AND WESTCHESTER.

Staffing: Teams of teaching staff, speech therapists, social workers, physical and occupational therapists, and a school nurse provide services to support the students and parents.

Donna Fitzsimmons
Principal

Joyce Group
Sr. Curriculum Coordinator

Services: Intensive related services are a vital component of Birch. We offer speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, play therapy/counseling, support groups and parent workshops.

School Day: Riverdale is a 5 day per week, 5 hour per day center based program. The instructional day runs from 8:15 AM - 1:45 p.m..

Transportation: Door-to-door bussing is provided for all students.

Calendar: Preschool services are available on a 12 month basis (summer programming runs for 6 weeks). Students are placed in the 10- or 12-month program based on their Individual Educational Plans from the district.

Early Childhood Program: The curriculum for these classrooms is based on developmental best practices. We provide an educational environment which promotes learning through a variety of center-based activities and thematic units.