"I never knew I could learn this much…."

Children living at Hayden House attend the on-site Cardinal McCloskey School which follows the NYS Regents curriculum which is mandated for public schools.

Education is considered an essential component of the Hayden House program. The trauma of being removed from their homes is significant and severe enough for these children without further adding the loss of school time and class standing. The Cardinal McCloskey School program is intended to maintain or reestablish learning patterns by helping children continue their education. In many cases, children are able to achieve academic goals that they never thought possible.

Located on the lower level of Hayden House, the Cardinal McCloskey School was licensed by the New York State Department of Education in 1980, to provide a secular education following the NYS-mandated Regents curriculum grades 4 through 12 for the children living at Hayden House. Children are required to take and pass all standardized tests following the NYS Department of Education testing schedule.

The school is staffed with a Principal, three teachers and two teacher aides and is in session from 7:45 AM until 2:45 PM, Monday through Friday, 12 months per year. For physical education children travel to local bowling alleys, recreation centers and fitness centers. During the summer session, the morning is structured as summer school and the afternoon is devoted to educational recreation programs. Art and educational field trips are also incorporated into the day.

Since children come to the school from school districts throughout the county, upon admission, each child is evaluated using standard academic achievement tests to determine their educational needs. Some children are very bright and have focused on scholastic achievement as a way to closeout the abusive portion of their life. However, many more - nearly 70% - have learning delays and are struggling with basic literacy skills such as reading and writing. Most children test a minimum of two or more grade levels below the expected levels.

The Cardinal McCloskey School provides education for grades 4th through 12th

In addition, nearly all of the high school adolescents who come to Hayden House and the CMS School are delinquent in passing the five NYS mandated Regents exams required for high school graduation. In addition to being victims of abuse, these adolescents are at risk of total academic failure and dropping out of school. Given this diversity of scholastic aptitude, teachers take a very individualized approach to teaching their students by providing each student with a customized educational plan.

In January 2001, Verizon Foundation provided funding to establish a computer lab in the high school classroom. The computers enhanced the curriculum and made it possible for teachers to provide each child with individualized computer lessons as well. In 2002, through the generous support of MasterCard International, a special after-school remedial educational program utilyzing computers, was established. The ASPIRE (Academic Support, Personalized Intervention and Remedial Education) Program provides students with intensive remedial educational support and has helped many show significant progress with reading and math skills.

The ASPIRE Program

The ASPIRE Program provides Hayden House children with the opportunity for customized remedial education using computers. (The ASPIRE Program is funded by MasterCard International. Funding to purchase the computers was made possible by Verizon Foundation and the Curran Family Foundation.)

Over and above the standard educational program, the ASPIRE Program provides remedial services in English, Reading and Math for the many children who are significantly delayed. The program uses technology and personal intervention to help the children "catch up" academically, successfully pass exams, develop confidence in their own academic abilities, develop a positive attitude toward academic achievement and encourage these youth to consider higher education. The program also provides these youths with new technology skills for pursuing successful future employment.

Grant Funding Makes A Difference "I can read now! I never thought I would be able to read…. Thank you." In July 2002, recognizing the importance of education to the future of the children at Hayden House, a private Westchester foundation provided a grant of nearly $20,000 to establish a second computer lab in the elementary classroom so that more children could participate in the ASPIRE Program and enhanced education. With the assistance of Verizon Foundation, MasterCard International and the Curran Foundation, the lives of the children at Hayden House have been changed dramatically. Most children participating in the ASPIRE Program are amazed at their own success. Many never imagined their own ability to learn and achieve so easily. Thank you to these generous donors for changing the lives of the children at Hayden House.

Specific software and leased on-line subscription services are used to target the various levels and areas of deficiency for each student. For students delayed in taking Regents Exams, special emphasis is placed on using on-line services to prepare students to pass currently required exams as well as delinquent exams.

Using the computers is especially beneficial to the large number of Hayden students suffering with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Since ADHD students have poor attention spans for auditory learning (teacher speaking to the class), having the ability to have limited interaction with the computer screen does not over-stimulate the student and allows the student to focus for an extended period of learning. For all students, the ability to learn computer skills such as keyboarding, basic word-processing skills, general on-screen movement, etc. provides a special type of self-confidence and self-esteem that establishes a foundation for future learning and job-skills development.

Results to Date

The ASPIRE program was launched in January 2002. The Reading, Writing and Math abilities of 30 children in grades 3 through 12 were evaluated at admission. Over 90% of the children showed significant academic delays. More than 53% tested at least 3 grade levels below current grade and 10% tested at least 5 grade levels behind.

At the end of eight months, 13 of the 30 children had been placed in other care facilities. These children were tested again just prior to leaving: 100% showed improvement in two of the three areas and 62% showed improvement in all three areas. On average, math scores improved by over 2 grade levels and reading by 1.6 grade levels.