About East River Child Development Center

East River CDC classroom

Testimonials

PARENTS:

“Can East River please go up to 12th Grade?  We’re so grateful to you all.”  Parent …. Transition to Kindergarten Meeting.

“I wanted to just say a quick thank you. My name is … and my son and sister in law were at East River for an evaluation this past week. My son, a little blond hair boy walked into your office exploring the space. You gently took his hand, spoke calmly, and escorted him out of the space. It may not seem like a lot but to me it was a moment full of warmth and care. Thank you.” K’s Mom. 03/31/23

“Yes! Mom was very pleased with the school. And to be honest, all the parents sent to East River are coming back with only good comments about the program.” 10/2022 NYCDOE Administrator

“Congrats to my graduate! I am so proud of him !! Thank you again so so much for all of your help and wisdom. Having him attend ERCDC was the best decision ever!  I’m so sad he is leaving such a supportive environment!”  C’s Mom.  08/12/2022

“I am so happy that my child is attending this school. I have a different daughter because of the amazing job of the Teachers and Therapists. East River has safe, clean and organized classrooms for kids to be themselves not to mention supportive leadership.”

“I am very happy about my child’s progress after attending this school.  It has outstanding leadership, it’s friendly and family oriented, with a clean and organized learning environment.  I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.

In a society that is characterized by statistics, one seems to forget that institutions are made up of human beings who realize that wealth is measured in human terms.  Given the expert leadership, East River is an exemplary oasis of bona fide learning wherein children do not feel like fixed entities but rather active participants in the learning process.  The children feel safe, comfortable and their life experience is not only acknowledged- it is embraced.  Recognition of one’s potential underscores the philosophy of this fine school: a culturally sensitive strengths perspective is more comprehensive and inspiring than a deficits perspective.  To be sure, I will be hard pressed to find any individual who is not thrilled to be associated with East River.  Bravo!!”

“When I went for a visit to East River Child Development Center I had already seen about 20 schools. To be honest, I hadn’t seen anything that I was excited about. I was afraid we would have to settle for something below my hope and dreams for my child. I called Klara and jumped in a taxi, went to meet her and tour the school. The location is perfect and peaceful. The walk through the school was very inspiring to me. I knew my son would thrive here.  I had seen a lot of schools where the teachers and students weren’t happy or engaged. This school is ALIVE! You could feel it in the halls, in the classrooms and most importantly in the children. Everyone I encountered was full of passion and dedication to the progress of the children. I was moved and excited for the first time by a school. The facilities are immaculate, there are multiple sensory therapy spaces, the therapists were fully engaged and physically on the same level as the children. Having a special needs child, that was a sign that they truly understand the needs of children who learn differently.   A few days later I brought my son for a visit. They immediately went down to his eye level and started to make him feel comfortable and safe. They were patient and took him one step at a time from lower stimulation situations to full stimulation, the playground! In the playground the children greeted him with smiles, hugs and enthusiasm. Within no time he and Klara were off to the slide and I was waiting at the bottom. At the end of the tour he didn’t want to leave. My husband and I are very excited about the fall, we feel our son will soar to new heights here in the hands, hearts and minds of a passionate and devoted staff. It really is the most exciting school I have seen.”

“This School Is Wonderful … The Greatest Staff, Most Friendly.”

“Thanks to the wonderful teachers and program at East River, not only is my son holding a pencil and spelling his name, he graduates this summer to go into regular Kindergarten.   No more speech, occupational, physical or special education services are needed.”

“Great school. Excellent leadership. Safe and nurturing learning environment where children can explore and learn. My child is progressing because he is attending this school.”

“Terrific school -my son attended this school for two years. Helped a great deal with his speech.”

“My son attends this school for a year. Thanks to great teachers, he progresses a lot! There are good numbers of teachers including teacher assistants in each class, so my son feels secure about his school life. Teachers take parent’s concern seriously and try their best to help us. My son and I really like this school”!  “Since he started at your school, he has improved greatly. He went from not being able to express himself verbally to talking clearly in complete sentences. He knows his ABCs, he can count from one to twenty, and he knows his colors. His teacher has been a great factor in his improvement. East River Child Development Center has been a great help for me and my son.”

“Dear K and A,
We would like to say a special thank you for showing us your wonderful school on Friday.  You were both so welcoming and made us and our son feel very at ease. He loved the experience in Ms L’s class, especially the story time with Ms. K. We appreciated the time you spent with us explaining the school and answering questions.  We would be excited if there was a space for our son as soon as possible.   Thank you again for your kindness to our son and our family.   Warm regards!!”

FORMER EMPLOYEES:

“Thank you so much for the support and the opportunity to grow in my career. It was such a pleasure working at East River Child Development Center !”

“I grew as a teacher in this environment. Administration was supportive in providing me with the resources I needed to succeed in the field. My colleagues of teachers, teacher assistants and clinicians were like family to me…we still keep in touch! Highly recommend this school for those teachers looking to make a difference in the community!”

“East River will always have a very special place in my heart.  I will really miss it! Good luck for the coming year! Be well!”

“Administration went above and beyond to continue to support me and provide valuable learning experiences. I will be leaving ERCDC with so much knowledge, passion and excitement for furthering my career in early childhood special education. I am thrilled to have worked in such a nurturing, collaborative and creative environment.”

“I did my independent study in East River for a few months and had nothing but good experience. The staff was nice and accommodating. This is a good place to learn and gain experience. They were very professional and were very welcoming to all.”