Special Needs School in Rhinebeck Earns Highest Accolades from the National Association of Special Education Teachers

Astor Services for Children & Families, which provides behavioral and educational services for thousands of children and their families throughout the Bronx and mid-Hudson Valley, has announced its Astor Learning Center (ALC) in Rhinebeck campus has been selected by the National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) as a 2018-2019 NASET School of Excellence.

The NASET award goes to qualified licensed private special education schools that have met exacting professional standards, plus shown exceptional dedication, commitment and achievement in special education, and is the highest level of recognition awarded by NASET to those schools.

The ALC, which was established in 1980 and has been recognized three times by U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School, provides a nurturing learning environment for the success of children who have been unable to manage in conventional school settings, including children in residence at Astor’s Residential Programs Rhinebeck and day students from nearby counties.

In addition to social skills training plus speech/language, occupational and counseling/therapy, and other specialized services, the ALC provides a conducive atmosphere for academic learning through small class sizes, high student/teacher ratios, well-equipped and furnished classrooms, a computer lab and wide and windowed hallways where student work is displayed.

“Children benefit from the important work of our knowledgeable and dedicated staff,” said Mary Sontheimer, Astor’s assistant executive director, education and early childhood development programs. “We are glad for this honor by NASET, which recognizes those efforts, and thankful for everyone that works hard on behalf of our children.”

About Astor

Since 1953, Astor Services for Children & Families has been providing behavioral and educational services in a caring environment where children and their families find strength, healing, hope and trust. The organization, which has been accredited with The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval, now serves more than 10,000 children and families annually in more than 70 locations. Astor’s range of services in the Hudson Valley (Dutchess, Orange and Ulster counties) and the Bronx include: Residential Programs; Early Childhood Programs; and Community-Based Behavioral Health and Prevention Services. Visit the organization online at www.astorservices.org