THE SACRED ART OF HEALING CHILDREN
                               LESSONS LEARNED
                                              AT
                                   BEACHBROOK

                                                  by
                                   Joan Prideaux

A Brief History of Beachbrook Nursery School

Beachbrook Nursery School was founded in 1948 as a Parent Cooperative. From 1972 - 1974, I originated a three hour Therapeutic Program on Saturday mornings, from 9am - 12pm when I was a teacher at Beachbrook, and Ceil Perkel was director. The first hour included five special needs children and an assistant teacher trained by me. During this hour my assistant and I worked therapeutically with the children while they engaged with cognitive materials. The second hour included parents interacting with their children as they played together; the third hour was for parents only. In this hour, parents explored their interactions with their children at Beachbrook and at home. Whenever possible, both parents participated. Each hour was facilitated by me. This was the model for the soon to be born Therapeutic Classroom at Beachbrook.

The Therapeutic Classroom was founded by me in 1974, in the Red Room. With our then director, Ceil Perkel's support, and the endorsement of our Parent Board, the Therapeutic Classroom was opened for six children with serious emotional and developmental needs, a precursor to our present Therapeutic Nursery School.

In 1974 - 1983, Joy Cohen came to Beachbrook as a Board of Education co-teacher with me. Together we worked with children who presented profound and difficult problems. Together we spent days into years, living an extraordinary life, sharing a deep and serious commitment to heal the six children in our care; forging new ground in the art and science of the healing work we performed daily, entering our classroom at 8am and rarely leaving it until 2pm; many times to continue our own private explorations for hours into the night, to better understand the meaning of our children's behaviors and communications, in order to better meet their needs the following days.

Student teachers and interns from various colleges assisted us in the work in the Red Room, (usually in the morning), and in return received training from Joy and me.

In July 1988, with our Parent Board's approval, Beachbrook's remaining three classrooms, the Blue, Yellow, and Green, also became therapeutic classrooms. As some children in each classroom were likely to need one-to-one aides due to the severity of their difficulties, our need for student teachers and interns from colleges declined. Therefore we became less inclined to accept student teachers into our Program in order to maintain a balanced ratio of adults to children in each classroom. However, aides who worked full-time received equal training from me as any other staff member.

Prior to the opening of the Therapeutic Program, Beachbrook had been an excellent Parent Cooperative; a classical mainstream nursery school, but still innovative, aspiring to the highest standards of excellence, and ahead of its time when I arrived, as three children with special developmental needs (usually emotionally disturbed or autistic) were integrated into each mainstream classroom by then outstanding and brilliant director, Rosalyn Weiner. From 1961 - 1966, she integrated special needs children into mainstream classrooms, long before integrating children in the least restrictive environment became New York State Board of Education policy.

During this time, from 1962 - 1980, Mrs. Trudy Weintraub was noted for, and heralded as one of the most gifted teachers Beachbrook had provided, and has remained a cherished friend ever since.

Helen Cohen taught with me in the Red Room from 1970 - 1971. This association led to a mutually enriching and wonderfully endearing friendship lasting until her death in June 2005. Helen was not only an excellent teacher, but also became an administrator and educational researcher.

Following Rosalyn Weiner, there were several other significant directors, each of whom maintained the standards of excellence Beachbrook has been known for in the field including, Mendy Samstein, Ceil Perkel, Dr. Constance Goldfarb, Georgie York, and Todd Boressoff.

In 1984 - 1986, New York City Board of Education Principal, Eve Kiley, supervised (as one of three sites) two Red Room Teachers in Beachbrook's first therapeutic classroom. This was the beginning of a long and meaningful relationship which continues to this day.

When Beachbrook no longer employed a Board of Education teacher, Eve Kiley continued her efforts on behalf of Beachbrook by becoming Beachbrook's Board Chairperson. During this time, I have had the opportunity to discover many of Eve's gifts. Eve Kiley is also a serious writer, community activist, who cares deeply about human concerns, and peace - all over the world.

The Therapeutic Program continues Beachbrook's long and innovative tradition of providing pre-school children with the highest and most developmentally useful classical nursery school experience; such that our energies are directed to responding meaningfully and usefully to each child in the moment to promote and integrate all aspects of the child's Being.

Exciting News! On 12/12/09 Nick Gelbard, now an elementary school principal, contacted me to inform me that he attended Beachbrook in 1950 or 1951, and his mother, Ruth Fisher Gelbard was one of the founding mothers of Beachbrook Nursery School as a Co-op. Another founding mother was Marjorie Guthrie, wife of Woody Guthrie! Arlo Guthrie also attended Beachbrook! I can only rejoice and smile at this news! So many times parents entering our school for the first time have been moved to speak of the special energy they experienced upon arrival. It started back then and has been accumulating ever since! Thank you for sharing this important information Nick Gelbard! Thank you to each Founding Mother of Beachbrook Nursery School!

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BEACHBROOK THERAPEUTIC NURSERY SCHOOL