Rebecca School NYC
Building meaningful, respectful relationships is the foundation for learning. With collaboration between school, home, and the community, the learning goes beyond the classroom. Our goal is to move a student up the developmental ladder to become autonomous, relating communicating members of their community.
The Rebecca School experience is one of respect, acceptance, and challenge. Using an interdisciplinary approach, a student’s core deficits of relating and communicating are addressed continuously throughout the day.
Whether in an individual, dyad or small group activity the focus of the staff is to support the students’ difficulties and challenge their strengths. To move them up the developmental ladder, our team works to help the student integrate all areas of development.
Rebecca School was created to address the needs of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders who were underserved in New York. Tina McCourt was chosen as Program Director, having had extensive experience with DIRFloortime®, attending trainings since 1994. She had a strong belief that a relationship-based approach was the best way to serve and help children diagnosed on the spectrum relate and communicate. The program at Rebecca School fully integrates the DIRFloortime® model.
In April 2005, Dr. Stanley Greenspan, the founder of DIRFloortime®, signed on as a consultant to the school. The building was found at the end of 2005 and construction started in February 2006. This resulted in a state of the art facility that includes large sensory gyms, multiple art and music rooms, large sunny classrooms with amplification systems and a rooftop playground.
In the spring of 2006, Tina began to interview and hire staff, perform assessments and place children in classrooms. The school opened in September 2006 with 48 students and 53 staff members. Since then the student population has more than doubled and continues to grow each year.
Meet Our Staff
Tina McCourt - Program Director
Tina McCourt, MSW, LCSW, MS Ed, SAS, SDA, has been instrumental in shaping the Rebecca School. With extensive experience in DIRFloortime®, she has championed a relationship-based approach to serving children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.
Kristin Srp - Assistant Director
Kristin Srp plays a vital role as the Assistant Director at the Rebecca School. Her dedication to supporting students and fostering a positive learning environment is commendable. Kristin collaborates closely with the school’s leadership team to ensure that children with neurodevelopmental delays receive the best possible education and developmental support.
Explore Our Departments
Subscribe
Check Out Our Podcast
Monthly Newsletter
© Copyright 2023 Rebecca School. All Rights Reserved. Learning Through Relationships