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Success Stories
Gersh Student Brandon R. delivered the following speech during our November Open House at Coral Rock Academy.
Hi my name is Brandon Rodriguez. I am 12-almost 13. I’m in 7th grade. My diagnoses are depression and vocal ticks (making noises).
Coral Rock Academy has helped me a lot. There are lots of things I like about the school. For starters, the teachers are nice. They act more like friends then teachers. When I’m upset or mad they always cheer me up. There are lots of teachers so if I need help on math or reading I get the help and don’t need to wait forever. Another thing I like is the students. The school teaches us to respect each other. Most of us play together in the play ground or in the classroom. The school teaches us to compromise about our problems instead of fighting. Some of the kids hang out on the weekends. The best part is they accept everyone for who they are. Coral Rock has helped me a lot personally. They have taught me to not get upset. In the beginning of the school year I started to get vocal tics. The teachers still tried to understand what I was doing and were really caring about it. The school has helped me a lot from where I was when I first started. I know that they would do the same for you. They have helped me set goals for myself and are still helping me to find ways to help me at home and in public. That’s why I love this school so much.
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Anthony has been a student at Gersh Academy since July 2008. During this time he has overcome various obstacles due to his perseverance and commitment towards his education.
Initially Anthony was extremely nervous and lacked the confidence needed to achieve his goals. He o
ften expressed his concern of not being able to keep up with classroom assignments and felt that the work would be too challenging. Although his goals were to pass all of his courses and various Regent exams, his confidence and anxiety would often interfere with his achievement. Anthony soon realized the importance of developing trusting relationships with his teachers and accepting support from staff.
Throughout the past year Anthony has developed the confidence needed to achieve his academic goals. He has set specific goals for himself, both short and long-term. Anthony has excelled in all of his academic subjects and is a pleasure to have in class.
Towards the end of the 2009 school year, Anthony experienced a medical set back which resulted in his being absent for the majority of the 4th quarter. As a result he was unable to take scheduled exams or complete classroom assignments. Anthony however, was able to return to school over the summer and worked diligently to complete and make up all missing assignments. In addition, he passed his Earth Science Regents.
Socially Anthony has developed the ability to show patience and compassion towards those around him. He continues to foster positive relationships with his teachers and staff and has grown more tolerant of his peers needs and differences.
Anthony’s determination and commitment towards his academic and personal success continues to shine through. He along with his parents and the Gersh Academy staff are extremely proud of what he has accomplished.
Debbie Tilleli
Director at Gersh academy, Glen Oaks NY
On May 21, 2009, Arun S. Shetty graduated from The Gersh Experience after two years of hard work, perseverance and personal growth.  He will forever hold the honor of being the very first student to graduate from this post secondary program that supports young men and women with disabilities as they attend college and learn the skills they will need to function successfully in the adult world.
Arun’s first impression of The Gersh Experience did not portend such success. He and his father decided to travel to North Tonawanda, New York from London to see the program they had found by searching the World Wide Web.
The trip was not an easy one – they arrived at JFK Airport in New York City the day of a severe ice storm that blanketed the eastern seaboard and left thousands stranded in airports. Luckily, they were not in one of the planes that sat on the tarmac at JFK for hours; rather they spent the night choosing to sleep on plastic chairs or the terminal floor. Upon their arrival in Buffalo, they were greeted with another snowy storm. As I showed them around the buildings and campuses that comprise The Gersh Experience and our partner colleges, their breath turned to small crystals of ice. Only a Buffalonian would have dared honor their request to “see Niagara Falls while we are here.” Despite their desire to see the Falls, we were forced to turn back before we got to the brink because of the layer of ice that coated everything. After their tour, as I dropped them off at their hotel, cold and exhausted, I thought to myself, “there is no way I will ever hear from them again.” I felt bad because I knew that Arun would be a wonderful addition to our program. Much to my surprise, Arun’s dad turned to me before getting out of the car, and expressed a heartfelt endorsement of The Gersh Experience. He remarked that he had finally found a place for his son to go to school.
Arun returned in September of 2007 and enrolled at Erie Community College. For the next 2 years he studied hard despite the fact that the rigorous college academics proved very difficult for him. He also attended language sessions at the University of Buffalo where he worked to overcome his expressive language difficulties. Arun’s other accomplishments during his time in The Gersh Experience include: much improved money management skills, better understanding the value of money, how to keep his living environment clean, the value of physical exercise and healthy eating, and the good feeling of success one gets after putting in a full day of hard work. Arun also did volunteer work at a local home for the elderly and Arun viewed everyone at The Gersh Experience as his friend. His kindness, thoughtfulness and caring won over even the most resistant of his fellow students. And his sense of humor kept the staff laughing as he won their hearts. Arun arrived calling himself the “Romantic King of Cool” but by the time he left we had added another adjective to his nickname – he had become the “Responsible, Romantic King of Cool.”
Arun left The Gersh Experience much more a man than a boy. His experience here at Gersh will, I hope, serve him well as he moves on to live the next chapter of his life.
Article written by Mary Lawler, Former Director at The Gersh Experience
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My son, James, 14 years old, is currently in the B.A.S.E. program at Gersh Academy, in Glen Oaks, Queens. This is his third year at the school; he started in the I Am I Can Program, which he was in for the first two years.
James has been diagnosed on the autism spectrum. He has significant delays in speech, auditory processing, sensory integration, and social skills. He is an extremely sweet, and kind boy, who struggles every day with a myriad of anxieties, some as a result of his autism (sensitivity to sound, for example), and some because he knows he is different.
James attended Learning Spring Elementary school in Manhattan, where we live, and the program was wonderful for him. When he was ageing out, we began to look at other programs and we were, frankly, terrified. Because James withdraws when he is afraid, instead of acting out, he can be easily overlooked in a classroom where other children are acting out. He also has severe problems with focusing, and so he needs a small class size, and learns best from one-to-one attention. At the same time, he keenly wants to be part of a group. A sensory-based program is also crucial, as he needs OT to be able to regulate his system or he gets even more distracted. He is terribly sensitive, so a too-strict ABA type program might be misunderstood by him and makes him miserable and cause regression.
When Kevin Gersh and Evan Schermer came to make a presentation at Learning Spring, I became very excited. When they presented the program and the philosophy of the Gersh schools, I felt like it was the first time I had heard anything (besides Learning Spring) that sounded like the appropriate program for our son.
Gersh is unlike any other program I have looked at. Most programs seem to be either strict ABA, or mainly floor-time and sensory; or programs lean heavily toward either academics or life skills. What we love about Gersh is that it offers James the widest possible array of services. At first, he was in the “I Am I Can” program, but as he was ready to enter the eighth grade, it was decided by us all that the Regents track would be too difficult for him, and he is now in the B.A.S.E. program. But, at Gersh, because he stayed at the same site, he is still able to see his former teachers and classmates, and he didn’t have to change environments. This change did not mean that James was being given up on academically. He still has rigorous academics, suited to his needs, but in a less pressured environment. The B.A.S.E. program is great: in addition to his academics, and the therapies he needs – speech, OT (very important for his sensory issues), counseling – he is also learning about life skills – laundry, cleaning, cooking – and career skills. He has started doing data entry and filing, and really wants to work in the school store. I have not seen another program that covers so many bases, but this is really what we need. It is so easy to overlook how things that come naturally to other children have to be taught and reinforced with a person with autism, and James is going to need intensive focus on an array of basic skills so that he can someday live as independently – and confidently – as possible. And we have seen results: especially this year, James’ skills in the community – at restaurants, stores, at church, on the phone, etc. – have greatly improved.
What we really like about Gersh too is that it is small enough that individual children’s needs can be met, and that James can experiment while feeling safe. For example, James enjoys socializing with some of the older and more verbal children, and his teachers realize that and encourage opportunities for it, like during lunch or special classes. The staff has been terrific at teaching him to handle his anxieties, allowing him to develop coping methods at times of trouble, including speaking up and asking for help, or saying he needs a break and a walk, etc.
Our family has made major sacrifices to send James to Gersh. It is quite a commute for him, and the financial strain and anxiety is considerable. However, we have never questioned whether or not it has been worth it. James loves to go to school, and since being at Gersh, he has made great progress in two areas that gave us much worry: handling his anxiety (because he can’t learn if he is constantly afraid), and enjoying his peers (he has always warmed up more quickly with adults). James has become much more confident and feels valued and appreciated by his teachers at Gersh and by his friends.
I am happy for this opportunity to tell of James’ experience at Gersh.
Yours Sincerely,
Maria Maffucci
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"We  have been really thrilled with how content and at home Clara has been at Gersh, and wanted to let you know. For obvious reasons, pretty much our biggest question mark about sending her to you was whether she could adjust to group living 24/7, and the andwer seems to be a definite yes. Thanks to you and your staff for helping so thoroughly with all transitions!
"I cant even find words for how pleased I am to learn that Clara has acquired a note-taker for a couple of her classes. This is the kind of support that Clara had steadfastly refused until she encountered the warm and talented Gersh staff."
Marcia and Bill Weinert
Parents of student at The Gersh Experience
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We have been very pleased with our son Andrew’s attendance at the Gersh Academy.
He’s always happy to go to school in the morning and on the weekends he talks about going back to school.
The Gersh individualized approach is to work on a student’s strengths instead of focusing on negative behaviors.
At Gersh, instead of punishing him for failure to do the schoolwork, the staff works with him to find ways to help him do his schoolwork. We have seen a lot of academic progress since Andrew has been at Gersh.
We’ve also seen at home and in our neighborhood that his social skills have also improved due to the school’s patient coaching of Andrew on appropriate behaviors.
In short, the Gersh Academy has been a very positive experience for Andrew and we are grateful that he has had the opportunity to be a student at Gersh.
Sincerely,
Kevin & Robbie McKeon
Our daughter Alexandra has been attending Gersh Academy in Glen Oaks, NY since the beginning of 2009. She is diagnosed with autistic disorder and has had great difficulty functioning in the STRIVE program in our school district, Herricks Union Free.
Since her attendance at Gersh Academy began we have noticed that Alexandra is behaving more reasonably and calmly in public settings, which was rarely the case before. She has finally been able to toilet train and this has been a huge burden lifted off our shoulders.
The program at Gersh Academy has really been elegantly tailored to Alexandra’s needs. The focus has been placed on social skills training, behavior modification, diminishing outbursts and tantrums and improvement of academics particularly in the areas of speech and language.
We cannot begin to state how happy we are as her parents that we found an ideal placement to address Alexandra’s special needs. The caring and professionalism of Gersh Academy cannot be overstated and we look forward to seeing her grow further in their highly specialized care.
Sincerely yours.
J. Clive Spiegel M.D. & Jacqueline E.H. Spiegel
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I am a parent of a student of the Gersh Academy. His name is David. My son started there only this year in the third grade. It is so difficult to express just how much this school has done for my son, socially and academically. My husband and I are grateful to have found such a wonderful school where our son feels comfortable and is allowed to succeed with confidence and feel a part of the school experience. Much to our entire family’s relief, David’s behavior at school and home has gone through marked improvement. He is calmer; more relaxed, and is less hands on at home. I am shocked that the Gersh Academy is not yet a Board of Education approved school.
Before David started at Gersh, he had gone through three different schools in three years. We spent the majority of our day on fielding calls from schools, having him home, taking him from therapist to therapist with only our frustration to show for it. He hated school, spent his days dreading school, fighting to stay home and stay in control at school. Gersh serves a group of children who are difficult to place and integrate in any traditional school or special education program. And I can tell you that it’s not just the changes that we see in our son that has made us so pleased with his placement in Gersh.
The entire school experience has been a positive one. The staff is easy to reach and communicates regularly with me. My questions are always answered and any concerns are addressed. I am very familiar with all of David’s teachers and therapists. The teachers are patient, creative, and well trained. The therapists are knowledgeable and have wonderful insight when it comes to their approach. The interaction of each member of the school staff has been expertly organized and works on every level. I no longer dread the school day for my son. I never suffer knots in my stomach every time I receive a phone call from the school. Adding Gersh to the Board of Education’s list of approved school would be an asset to all of New York city’s students and families.
Sincerely,
Laryssa Shainberg
Gersh Parent
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"First, it is our great pleasure to let you know that when Ben came home for the Thanksgiving holiday, we saw the great workings of The Gersh Experience first hand! The long weekend was great!
We were truly amazed at the positive changes we saw in Ben in just 3 short months. his attitude and demeanor are so vastly different than before he left. We found him to be energetic and helpful; volunteering to do some chores without being asked and overall he was agreeable and eager to spend lots of quality time with us. The bonus was the tremendous amount of weight he lost, he went down 2 sizes in jeans. Before he came home we were a little concerned that when it was time to go back, he may waiver a little. Not at all! He couldn't wait to go back.
Sorry if this sounds like a commercial for Gersh, but it's all true and we are thirilled. Thank you so much!"
Mother of student at The Gersh Experience
What Professionals are saying...
“I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the efforts of the I Am I Can program in providing a therapeutic and educational setting for children and adolescents with neurobiological disorders. Four of my patients being treated for disorders such as Tourette Syndrome, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Aspergers Syndrome, and BiPolar Disorder have made significant therapeutic gains during their enrollment at I Am I Can.
Students who were once school avoidant now look forward to attending on a regular basis. Some of the students feel so comfortable in this environment that their symptoms are greatly reduced and they perform better socially and academically. This program focuses on developing the whole individual resulting in a commitment to community, school and family. The I Am I Can program is an important component to the treatment of children and adolescents and their families coping with the effects of living with neurobiological disorders. This program utilizes a self-management model and cognitive behavior strategies as well as social skills training and on going support for their families."
Marc Reitman, M.D.
“In the past three years, I have had the opportunity to represent several families in their quest for an appropriate educational placement for their children. These children, diagnosed with neurobiological spectrum disorders, require a highly individualized program in order to be maintained in an educational setting. These students often succeed at Gersh Academy where they have previously failed in other school placements.
I Am I Can provides instruction for this population of children who are usually not suitably placed in existing public school settings or BOCES program due to their disabilities. The I Am I Can approach has proven very effective in the self management model that is not typically employed in other educational settings. This program may be a solution for school districts that are aware that these students are not always appropriately served, but are unable to provide the specialized program that the students need to thrive.
As an educational attorney, it is always gratifying to see students succeed in any educational setting; however, it must be noted that the staff of Gersh Academy has exceeded expectations in providing support academically and therapeutically to this much underserved population.”
Lewis Wasserman, Esq.
