whatscookingsummer2012
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http://www.cookecenter.org/uploaded/documents/WhatsCookingSummer2012.pdfTRANSCRIPT
Summer 2012 Cooke Center News : Volume 8
Welcome to the Neighborhood Cooke’s New Home: Lower East Side
In this issue:
A Letter from the Cooke
President Cooke President
Dear Friends,
As the midpoint of summer break
approaches, we at Cooke are
beginning to look ahead to the
opening of the Cooke Center Grammar
School. As I write this, walls are being
painted “Coral,” “Squash,” and “Key
Lime Green,” floors are being tiled and
we are busy readying the school to
welcome more than 100 students in
just a few weeks.
Thinking even further ahead, I am
also pleased to note that the Cooke
Parents Association is hosting a
Founders Dinner on November 7th
at 475 Riverside Drive. Our hope is
to bring the entire parent community
together for this special event, so we
encourage you to mark your
calendars. Many of Cooke’s founding
parents will be on hand to share their
stories of how Cooke came to be, and
we hope to hear from all of our
parents as to their vision for Cooke’s
future. Please join us!
In the meantime, I hope you will continue to enjoy with your friends
and families all of the good things
summer brings. I look forward to
seeing you in September.
Sincerely,
Michael Termini, PsyD
Cooke Center Grammar School 219 Stanton St. @ Pitt St.
Closest subway: F or M to
Delancey/Essex St.
What’s Cooking?
The Cooke Center For Learning and Development
1
We are thrilled to announce that the Cooke Center Grammar School
is near completion. Painters, carpenters, and many others are work-
ing hard to get the building ready for an early August move-in.
Cooke has been a presence on the Lower East Side for several years
through our Preschool work with Educational Alliance, and we are
looking forward to welcoming our school-age children, families, fac-
ulty and friends to this historic, vibrant and diverse community.
Here are some nearby spots to keep in mind when traveling to and
from the Cooke Center Grammar School:
Welcome to the pp. 1 & 2 Neighborhood End of School Year p. 3
Activities Spotlight on C4I p. 3
More Cooke Stories Online p. 4
AROUND THE LOWER EAST SIDE The Garden Next Door
Stanton St. @ Ridge St.
Distance from CCGS: Next door!
Steps away from the school’s front door is a lovely
community garden with benches, trees and a small
path for meandering among the bushes and flowers
currently in bloom.
Hamilton Fish Recreation and Play Center
128 Pitt St. @ Stanton St.
(212) 387-7687
Distance from CCGS: 1/2 block
This is a fully equipped city recreational center with a
gym, two outdoor pools, ping pong tables, basketball
court, playground and, beginning in September, a free
after school program open to kids ages six to twelve.
Hamilton Fish Park Library
415 East Houston St. @ Avenue D
(212) 673-2290
Distance from CCGS: 2.5 blocks
A New York City public library is around the corner
from the Hamilton Recreation Center, giving you and
your child a couple of options for after school
activities – playing outside or working on homework
in here. Like all city libraries, this one has free kid-
friendly activities like storytelling time and board game
hours. In addition, the library is a CCA Community
Partner that has welcomed our older students as
interns.
Economy Candy
108 Rivington St. @ Essex St.
(212) 254-1531
Distance from CCGS: 7 blocks
Be careful – this is every child’s (and adult’s) dream.
Its variety and reasonable prices make it a city icon.
Find old-fashioned pinwheel lollipops and PEZ
dispensers or check out their enormous bulk selection
of gummies and chocolates. If you take your child
here, expect to field endless requests for return trips.
You’ve been warned!
DID YOU KNOW? Cooke’s 25th Anniversary Gala this past spring raised more than $775,000! Many thanks to all of those who
joined us in supporting our students!
2
END OF SCHOOL YEAR ACTIVITIES As we do at the end of every school year, Cooke
celebrated the achievements and milestones of our
students. At the Grammar School Awards Ceremony,
not only did students receive academic awards, they
also received medals for their participation in Mighty
Milers, a key component of Cooke’s physical education
program. At the close of the ceremony, the nineteen
students moving up to CCA were acknowledged for
their hard work. Jillian France, the graduating class
valedictorian, gave a beautiful speech.
The Cooke Center Academy celebrated its seniors,
many of whom are moving on to the SKILLS
program, while others are off to continue studies
elsewhere or enter the job market. A highlight of
the ceremony was Ada Torres’ beautiful vocal
performance of “The World’s Greatest.”
Finally, SKILLS students celebrated the end of the
year with the second annual SKILLS Banquet.
Students, families and faculty gathered at 475
Riverside Drive to share a meal and wish these
graduating students all the best as they move on to
the next chapter in their lives. Students remaining
in the program can look forward to reconnecting
with graduates in the fall for upcoming planned
Alumni Association Activities.
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2012!
Aaron and Jase posing for the camera at the 2012
Grammar School Awards Ceremony
Jay is all smiles at CCA Graduation
Years of experience have taught us that in order to help preschoolers learn, we must also work with their par-
ents and teachers. Cooke’s Collaboration for Inclusion program (C4I) aims to help all children get the best
preparation for kindergarten by doing just this. We work in Head Starts and other early childhood centers in
Brooklyn, Harlem, and the Lower East Side.
In addition to providing direct intervention services for children at risk for language and learning delays, C4I
also provides strategic one-on-one consultations with faculty in the partner sites. Our experienced special
education teachers and therapists help implement best practices within classrooms that address children’s
academic, social and emotional needs.
Partner school faculty learn effective strategies for working with all children — those with and without disabili-
ties — to adapt and develop classroom lessons that differentiate instruction for a wide range of ability levels in
the classroom.
C4I’s parent education and support services foster parent involvement by exploring techniques that can be
used at home to reinforce the home-school partnership. Workshops throughout the year educate parents on
methods such as play-based learning, sibling relationships and sensory integration, among others.
Our C4I consultations offer a holistic approach to improving the learning environment for all students, and
we’re proud of the work our Preschool faculty does to make this program effective. Special thanks goes to the
Bernard F. and Alva B. Gimbel Foundation, the Rose M. Badgeley Charitable Trust, the Warner Fund, and the
Stavros Niarchos Foundation, whose generous funding makes this program possible.
SPOTLIGHT ON COLLABORATION FOR INCLUSION
3
Don’t forget to check out
The Cooke Blog – an online
forum where Cooke
faculty share their
knowledge and
experience with
parents and
practitioners in the
greater education
community. Some
recent highlights
include:
Slipping into
Summer with
Tools that Make
Learning Fun!
All parents want
their children to
enjoy this carefree
time of the year,
but it’s important to
provide fun and
meaningful learning
experiences to
ensure a strong
start to the next
school year. The
Cooke Center
Institute staff has
put together a list of enjoyable
summer learning activities to help
keep kids engaged all summer.
Animal-Assisted
Therapy
At Cooke Center
Academy, animal-
assisted therapy
is an integral part of the
therapeutic services provided to
students, providing emotional,
psychosocial and physical
benefits.
Sensory Processing Disorder
While we may be familiar with
our own routines that help us
function in a variety of environ-
ments, it can be difficult to
understand methods that children
can employ. Learn more from our
Preschool faculty about ways to
recognize and help children cope
with sensory processing disorder.
Supporting Participation in
Physical Activities
Children of all ages reap the
benefits of physical movement in
any variety or form. From
walking to running to climbing to
stretching, the most important
thing is to get those bodies in
motion! Learn about some
strategies for the child who is
reluctant in the playground.
SAVE THE DATE!
For more Cooke stories or to make an online contribution,
please visit us at www.cookecenter.org.
Cooke Center for Learning & Development 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 730 New York, New York 10115
Sept. 10: First Day of
School for CCGS,
CCA and SKILLS
Oct. 18: CCGS Open House
Nov. 5: CCA Open House
Nov. 7: Founders Dinner
MORE COOKE STORIES ONLINE...