Project Descriptions

Through the Partnerships and Outreach Program, The Gateway Schools extend their innovative educational methods based on the pedagogy of Founding Director, Elizabeth Freidus, beyond the Gateway community to transform the educational lives of students with learning disabilities in other schools as well as our own.

To do this, we have found ways to leverage the varied resources of knowledge, experience, opportunities, skills and capacities of a group of New York City public schools, universities, non-profit organizations, policy makers and funders. These individuals work alongside Gateway faculty and staff to develop joint approaches to teaching and learning, professional development, strengthened academics and pedagogy. The following initiatives are currently part of our joint efforts in formalized collaboration, which have proven to be highly effective in creating systemic impact on the education of students with learning disabilities:

LD in the Middle

Partners include The Gateway Schools, the Academy for Education Development (AED) and CUNY, Hunter College.

Initiated in 2007, LD in the Middle brings together stakeholders, policy makers and funders to advocate, research and improve instructional strategies and service models for LD students in New York City public middle schools. Our current project is Math in the Middle, now in its second year. It includes LD students, faculty and administrators at 8 NYC public and charter schools: Jordan Mott; The Global Neighborhood Secondary School; The Cypress Hills Community School; PS191/Hudson Honors Middle School; Opportunity Charter School; Salk School of Science; Science and Medicine Middle School; and The Gateway Middle School.

Collaborative Team Teaching Dual-Language Program
(Kindergarten - 2nd Grade)

Partners include The Gateway Schools and The Cypress Hills Community School, Brooklyn.

Initiated in 2007, this project supports the development of the first dual-language, collaborative team teaching (CTT) special education service model in a NYC public school. Professional development activities have included professional observations/coaching, school inter-visitations, consultations, two retreats and three summer institutes.

School Campus Project

PS 191/Hudson Honors (210 W. 61st Street) is located across the street from Gateway. Since 2008, the schools have collaborated to take advantage of the offerings of both schools in terms of programs, facilities and faculty. Activities have included professional development of special education teachers and guidance counselors, workshops, 5th-6th grade level Science Unit, movement classes, City Opera project, theater experiences, instructional leadership inquiry team, grant writing and community-based activities.

This fall, two sixth grade students from Hudson Honors are coming to Gateway to participate with Gateway Middle School students in a Hip Hop dance elective. An additional 8 students are coming from Hudson Honors to join Gateway students in another dance class.

Beyond the Continental U.S.

Colegio Calíope- Sister School
Partners include The Gateway Schools and Colegio Calíope, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Since 2005, The Gateway Schools and Calíope have implemented an exchange that includes administrators, teachers and students. Teams from each school have visited the other school to train and learn from each others' experiences. This was Gateway's first initiative with dual-language transfer of ideas and teaching methods. Conversations between visits continue among teachers and administrators. In 2009-2010, the first student exchanges were established, in which student ambassadors from both schools spent a week learning in the schools and exploring each other's culture.

The Gateway School of Mumbai
Partners include The Gateway Schools and the K.V. Bodani Education Foundation.

Gateway is collaborating with the K.V. Bodani Education Foundation in India to bring high caliber special education to children with LD in Mumbai and to investigate the adaptability of Gateway's renowned programs for international communities. The adaptation of Gateway's educational philosophies and programs to serve students and families in Mumbai is one of our most ambitious efforts to date, and everyone at The Gateway Schools in NYC is eager to welcome our friends in India to the Gateway community. The Gateway School of Mumbai will open its doors in the fall of 2011!

Community Outreach and Education

Institutions of Higher Education- Teacher Education Program

Gateway continues to train professionals in special education as well as Adaptive Physical Education, Speech and Language Pathology, Psychology, Technology Education and Occupational Therapy. In addition, visitors attend Gateway's Professional Visiting Days. Visitors include neurologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, educational therapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, graduate students in special education and related fields, and teachers of mainstream and special education pre-schools.

In addition, Gateway faculty collaborate with professors from Teachers College, Columbia University, CUNY-Hunter College and CUNY-Queens College in the training of their graduate students seeking teaching certificates in general education, middle school, bilingual and special education.

Workshops and Presentations

Providing information to families of children with learning differences and to the professionals who work with them has long been an important part of Gateway's mission. Each year, Gateway hosts experts from diverse fields who share their ideas and experiences with an audience in the warm and welcoming setting of our school. Please take a look at our current workshop calendar and consider attending any that you might find helpful.

Please click here for our current Workshop Flyer.

Please click here to download Dr. Catherine Snow's latest workshop presentation.