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The Cooke Center for Learning and Development is the largest private provider of inclusive special education services in New York City, offering preschool programs, a K‐12 school and consulting services that support inclusive learning environments.  

the road to independence: COOKE CENTER CAMPAIGN NEWSLETTER

Spring

201020102010

Cooke Center Campaign

Thanks to your generous donations, the Cooke Center Academy now boasts:

A new elevator and sidewalk lift. For the

first time in the building’s history, students in wheelchairs have complete access to all five floors;

A Science Lab;

The Robards Student Center, a great environment for small-group learning and the place to be at lunchtime;

A Daily Living Lab with three kitchen areas and a laundry room where students can practice important independent living skills;

An Art Room;

New Smart Boards, computers and other technology;

Renovated offices, therapy spaces, and a new entrance area—an inviting welcome to students, families and visitors; and

New building mechanicals and updated systems, which ensure that the Cooke Center Academy will operate efficiently for years to come.

WE DID IT! Road to Independence Campaign Successfully Completed.

CAMPAIGN LEGACY

The Road to Independence campaign has been so much more than a fundraising campaign. It

has also given us the opportunity to refine how we position ourselves:

Anyone who needs Cooke can now find Cooke, thanks

to our new website and other steps we have taken to promote our school. Increased and more appropriate inquiries from parents, schools, pediatricians and other referral sources have, in turn, led to record enrollment.

The campaign has also made us more visible to dozens

of corporations, cultural organizations, small businesses and nonprofits, who now offer our students enriching off-site education and employment experiences.

(Continued on Back Page…)

Thanks to you – our generous and loyal friends – Cooke has completed the Road to Independence campaign, a community-wide effort to raise $10 million for the education of children with special needs. The Campaign had three priorities:

Renovate the Cooke Center Academy

Create a Fund for Diversity that allows Cooke to continue accepting students regardless of their families’ financial circumstances.

Create a Fund for the Advancement of Inclusive Education to foster best practices and demonstrate the effectiveness of our programs.

$250,000 $250,000 $250,000 ---$499,999$499,999$499,999 Altman Foundation Marcia and Michael Beck The Bok Family Foundation Robert and Kate Niehaus Foundation Louise M. Parent and John Casaly Karen and Tom Robards The Saxe Family The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation The Starr Foundation

$100,000 $100,000 $100,000 --- $249,000$249,000$249,000 Anonymous June Eichbaum and Kenneth I. Wirfel, Esq. The Hearst Foundation Carlie and Neal S. Garonzik Christine and Kevin Hennessey Hogan & Hartson LLP Hannah and Lon Jacobs Loeb and Loeb LLP Maher Family Foundation The Marc Haas Foundation Dr. Elsa Roe Margie and Nate Thorne $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 --- $99,999$99,999$99,999 Anonymous (3) Dreamworks Fox News

Goldman Sachs The Harriman Foundation Hearst Corporation Robert and Ardis James Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Brian Leach Patricia Nooy and Roger W. Miller Morgan Stanley Foundation NASDAQ OMX Education Foundation The NASDAQ OMX Group Inc. Rattner Family Foundation Susan and William Rifkin Saban Family Foundation Time Warner Inc. Triarc Companies Inc. Viacom $25,000 $25,000 $25,000 --- $49,999$49,999$49,999 American Express Company Beacon Capital Partners LLC Bridgemill Foundation The Y.C. Ho/Helen and Michael Chiang Foundation CIT Group Inc. Deborah Cooper and Daniel Sternberg The Stanley & Fiona Druckenmiller Fund Forest City Ratner Companies Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP S. Parker Gilbert The Heckscher Foundation for Children Hill Holliday Hyde & Watson Foundation JPMorgan Chase Bank Microsoft Corporation Kate and Joel Millonzi MTV Networks Offensend Family Foundation O'Neal Family Foundation Cindy and David Pinter Eileen Caulfield Schwab

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP Tsunami Foundation: Debra & Anson Beard, Jr. and Family Lee and Cynthia Vance Foundation Vinson & Elkins LLP Peter A. & Deborah L. Weinberg Family Foundation Pia and Jimmy Zankel Barbara and Michael ‘ Zimmerman $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 --- $24,999$24,999$24,999

The Adeona Foundation Roger and Beth Ailes Anonymous (3) ASM Mechanical Systems Wendy Banner and Geoffrey Wiener Jane Condon and Kenneth Bartels Bernard Family Charitable Fund Ellen Bickal and Gary Bieber Anna and Thomas Bryan Bryan Cave LLP Centerview Partners Debevoise & Plimpton LLP Fred Demenus Carol and James Dillon DirecTV Disney Worldwide Services Inc. Dodgers Dream Foundation CB Richard Ellis

Ernst & Young E. Ann Gill and Robert Hempel Foundation for the Supporters of the Disabled, Inc. Greenberg Traurig LLP JLS Industries The Johnson Foundation Kasowitz Benson Torres and Friedman LLP L & L Holding Company Margot and Edward Levy Deborah McLean and Keith Kearney The Meguid Family NBC Universal Vikram Pandit Related Partners Bernard and Anne Spitzer Foundation Sharon Sullivan Dr. Michael Termini Katherine and Alan Trager UBS Securities Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz LLP White Flowers Foundation $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 --- $9,999$9,999$9,999 Susanna Aaron and Gary

Ginsberg ABS Charitable Foundation Ellen Agress and Jay Gerber Vincent Alfieri Anonymous (6) Ariel Investments LLC Bruce Aust Rachel Aydt and Jim Burton Bear Foundation Inc. JoAnn and Robert Beltempo Carol Benjamin and Carol Monderer Susan Bhyunn Robert R. Bose Kathleen and Chris Boak Valerie Boom and James Gunderson Diane Brandi Dr. Naomi Bravmann and Dr. Andrew Martin Brearley School Class of 2010 Leslie and Frederick Bright Mary Jane and Charles Brock Harriet and Tom Burnett Family Foundation Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III Clermont Communications Group Constantine Cannon LLP The Chernin Family Foundation Inc. Dow Jones and Company Inc. Cheryl and Blair Effron Howard Ellin R. Bradford Evans Lawrence E. Fabian Esq. Louis Feinberg Foundation/Vicki Wiener Maria and Ivan Gallegos John Gallin & Son Genie Gavenchak and Harvey Horowitz Charlotte and Gerrald Giblin Susan Glendon Patricia Godoy Mary Golden and Kenneth Handal

Warren and Cathy Gorrell Nelson Griggs Douglas and Patricia Gross Gross & Ehrhardt LLP Karen Hagberg and Mark Jackson Jill and Paul Haggerty Haeng Eum Han and Jang Kyu Moon Maureen Hanlon Dori Ann Hanswirth Harper Collins Linda and Marshall Heinberg Mr. and Mrs. Craig Henick Robin Henry Les Hinton Robert Hughes Larry Hunter Intermedia Advisors

Jennifer Jehn Jonathan Knee Edward Knight Victor A. Kovner Esq. Thomas H. Lee Capital LLC Carol and Jack P. Levin Gabrielle and Joseph Levy Anne-Marie and Peter Livoti Jacqueline Lowey and David Kuperschmid LRN Corporation

Ricki and Mitchell Lubart Mihoko Manabe and Edward Kim Noreen and Mario Mastrangelo Barbara and Bowen (Buzz) McCoy McDermott Will & Emery LLP Bernard (Bud) McDonald Dr. Steven Medwid Kyoko and Toshio Mikami Mintz & Gold LLP Morgan Stanley Patricia and John Nallen Eileen Nugent Joyce and Daniel Pariser Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP Political Strategies & Insights LLC Joseph R. Puskarz Maria and Johnny Rahman Eileen Red Mike Regan Howard J. Rubenstein Henry B. Schacht Trust Patti Schaefer and Tom Fahey Karen Schlesinger Jonathan Schwartz Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP Jeffrey Sine Mary Ann and Arthur Siskind Rose Marie and Kelly Smith Susan and Ted Sonde Benjamin Stapleton Clifford Thau

DONORS The Cooke Center is grateful for the support of the following donors who have

made a gift to the Road to Independence Campaign.

We would like to We would like to acknowledge those acknowledge those donors at the “head of donors at the “head of the class,” whose the class,” whose extraordinary generosity extraordinary generosity inspired so many others inspired so many others to participateto participate.. $1,000,000 and up$1,000,000 and up The News Corporation The News Corporation FoundationFoundation $750,000$750,000 The Kresge FoundationThe Kresge Foundation The Moody’s FoundationThe Moody’s Foundation $500,000$500,000 The Carson Family The Carson Family Charitable TrustCharitable Trust

Below: Classroom Pre-Construction Post-Construction Classroom Elevator Renovations Julia Using New Elevator

Michael Starr Lissa Steele and Vince Pisano Patricia Thakkar Robert Thompson Janet Truncale Rita Tuzon and Richard Stone Miriam and Mark Varian Lisa and Javier Vega Nicole and David Wachter R. Clark Wadlow Mark Weinstein Alice Welt and Daniel Cunningham The Whittemore Foundation Leah and Robert Wilcox Serena and William Wiltshire Sarah Winkler and Simon Leopold Shirley and Michael Wise Lorraine Deeb-Castley Other ($1 Other ($1 Other ($1 --- $999)$999)$999) Hala Aboul Hosn Julie Abramowitz Carmen Acevedo Ruth Acevedo Kevin Allard Glen Alldredge Philip Altman Penny and Joseph Annecco Anonymous (6) Elke and Mario Archangel Debra and Jack Arkin Betty Ashe and John O'Toole Kumiko Ashino and Richard Hara Betsy Atkins Ellen Banner Sheryl and Roger Barometre Deborah and Paul Bartel Lauren Baum and David Blythe Muna and Krishna Prasad Belbase Jamal Bermudez Hermine and Irwin Berowitz Zainab Bhatti Janet Bickal Jerry Biggers Susan Bloch and Stephen Kay Luisa Bonachea Matt Bonelli Sara Bracken Sylvia and Neil Bradley Carlene and Mark Braithwaite Donald Brant Ludovica Brigatti Juan Briones Annette Brock Genna Brower Linda and Donald Burke Cynthia Butler DeNeen Butler Maritza Caba Rita and Mike Calderon Jenny Cantanero and Oscar Peralta Paul V. Carlucci The Carney Family Elizabeth and Kenneth Carr Damaris Castillo Mary and Donald Cerna Gerald Chamales Patricia and Morris Charles Bethany Chase Charles Cheek

Joanne Chiu Jennifer Cho Leanne Clancy Mary Clancy Caren and Arturo Constantiner Veronica Cook Thomas J. Cooper Emily Cozart-Mason Luz Crespo and Jaime Lopez Norma Cruz Georgina Cyrillien and Eric Edwards Lorraine Deeb-Castley De Feis O'Connell & Rose PC Karen and Anthony DeLorenzo Willie Dennis Susan and Chris Devlin Norka Diaz Ann and Egidio DiMarco Christie DiStefano Jamie Lee Dorado Jamal Dorsett Ann Dowd and Lawrence Arancio Kathleen and Lawrence Dunne Carolyn Edelstein Lynne Eickmeyer Katherine Ellis-Hernandez Mr. and Mrs. John Erdman Karen Espinoza Teri Everett Anthony Lennon Fahey Chondite Faison Nan Fedak Amy and Eric Federman Randi and Warren Feldman Danielle and Kert Fernandez Esther Fernandez and Mario Gutierrez Jessica Fernandez Gail Fevrier

Joselyn Fine Bernisse Flores Sally Foley Amy Freed Mike Fricklas and Donna Astion

Marilyn Friedman and Thomas Block Deborah Fuhrer Jasper Gaerlan Dr. Eleanor Galenson Rulisa Galloway and James Burgess Betty Garcia Marcia and Paul Gardere Marian Gassman Carol Ann Glazer Sonia Glazer Janet and Chris Goff Jill Goldstein Edwin Gomez Rose Gomez Mildred Gonzales and Edwin Viera Thomas Goodridge Carmen and Rafael Goris Jonathan Gratch Ashley Gray Jesse Green Jennifer and Russell Gribbin Janet Griffith Stacy Grossman Jennifer Grotas Gerald Growney Lawrence Gulotta Mario Gutierrez Mordi Gutnick Pamela Guzman Nicole Hall Anne and Kevin Halligan Patricia Hambrecht Ryo and Aya Hasegawa Danielle Helfand The Hendel Family Miriam Hendel and Sheldon Steiger Victoria and William Henderson Norma Hendricks Alexa Hernandez Anna Hernandez

Patricia and Hector Hernandez Wanda and Angelico Hernandez Birgit and Lenny Hickey Frances Hickox

Michael King Holmes Janet Hon Virginia and Richard Horan Deborah and Edward Horowitz Daphne and Matthew Hunter Clifford and Marielena Hurvich Frank Iannelli Barbara Isenstadt Eileen and Peter Jachym Kesha Jackson Leslie and Charles Jeffries Alexander Johnson Beverly Johnson Charlayne Jones Brenda and Peter Jordan John Jordan Chris and Gabriele Kartchner Lee Keating Art Kerber Hal Kessler Renee Khatami and John MacArthur Nahede Khosrovi Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Kirch Laurin and Norman Kleiman Michael Kleinerman Vera Kohn Rea Kolski Mark Kranz Victoria Kristal-Kotlyar Elizabeth Kroczynski and Jordon Saxe Michele Kule-Korgood Esq. Rona Kurtz and Irv Weinstein Joshua Kuvin Teresa and Tadeusz Kwasniak Tiffany LaBanca Katie Lance Rick Lane Dana and John Lang Evelyn Larios Nicole LaRosa Robin Lawrence and Sonny France James B. Lee Jr. Miguel and Cynthia Lee Edna Leib Heidi Levine and Paul Allman Mark Levine Louise Levy Donna Lewis Jessica Liebov Maria and Jarrett Lilien Joseph Link Jordan Lippner Rachel and David Lipton Sagrario Lisandro

and Juan Zuniga Antoinette Little Kevin Mark Lodie Haydee Lorenzo Nicole Lucin and Giovanni Briones Elizabeth Lunbeck and Gary Gerstle Michelle Lung Patricia and Patrick Lynch Rosemary Lynch Tara Lynch Bradford Lyon and Sarah Higgins M & S Foundation Inc.

Jillian Ma Dr. and Mrs. Michael Maas Rosemary and Santos Macaya Krysta MacLeod Amy Madrack

Haydee and Heriberto Maldonado Marcela Maldonado Maniatty Foundation Louis Manzo James Marcovitz Jennifer Markowitz Jacqueline and Genaro Marrero Brigitte Martel Kevin Martinez Rachel Maslanka and Fernando Navas Angela Matthews Valerie McDonald and Khadim Ngom Molly Ann McEneny and Kevin Walsh Mary McKenna and Mark Leeds Inez and William McMahon Olga Medwid Susan and Michael Meisler Demaris and Jacob Melendres Liske Mendoza Louisa Millonzi Mintz Levin PC Catherine Miranda Akiko Miyake Elizabeth Montalbano Leslie Moorer Blanca Morales Sara and Felix Morales Yajaira Morel Mary Munsch Elizabeth and William Munz Rachel Munz Katherine M. Nadler Shira and Joseph Nahmias Joan and Richard Nardi Neff Family Charitable Trust Magaly Nematalla Dr. Neil Newman Linda Noone Lisanne and Nathaniel Norman Martha and Frankie Nunez Yanira Nunez and Anthony Mota Adele M. O'Grady and Jim Botticelli Christine O’Leary Anne O'Malley Cynthia Ortiz and Maria Casiano Jacqueline M. Osborn Cynthia Overton Liz Pagedas Juliet Paradine Steven Paradise Bindia Patel Floyd Patterson Sr. Deborah Patton and Jon Montgomery Patton Boggs LLP Curtiss Bryan Peabody Charles and Joyce Pearlman Linda and Joseph Pehrson Emma Pena Kristie Perkins Marsha Perkins Maria Pia and Jeffrey Negron Dariana Pichardo Dina Pilgrim Lyudmila & Igor Pinkhasov Leonard Plaia Yana Pleshivoy Tonya Pope Marilyn and James Porcaro Patria Portes

Daniela Prutica-Whitlow Tara Quinn Mary Ann and Bruno Quinson Eliane and Joseph Rackman Jasmina and Orhan Radoncic Siegrid Raible and Dudley Gaffin Patricia and Lewis Raibley Kelly Reina Maxine and Earl Reiss Margareta Reyes-Mora

Ruth Reynoso Julie and William Rivera David Robards Robert Robbins Susan Robinson Elidza and Javier Robles Isamar Rodriguez Nadeen Rodriguez Jo Rogers Luis Rosario Laurel Rossi and Joseph Filippone Judy and Bennett Roth Lori Rothstein Eric Rubenstein John Sabatini Beatrice Sabum and Okor Ogbu Susan and Elliot Sagor JoAnn Sanchez Ray Sanseverino Tina Santiago Fiordaliza Santos David Schaefer Roslyn and Scott Schneider Linda Schwartz Phyllis Schwartz Suzanne and Gerald Schwartz Lyrie Ann and Ernest Scinto Linda Scot0t Adriana Serrano Mildred and Jorge Serrata Ying and Henry Shao Susan and Joel Shapiro Jarred David Sharar Rufina Shayne

Ira Sheinfeld Ann and James Silberman Jamie Sildar Kathryn Simic Roberta Simon-Hollander Amanda Slatus Karen Smith Andrew Solomon Audrey Ann Soto Dina Spiegel

Billy Spillman Nada Srdonovic Sarah Stapleton Sharon Stein Lisa E. Steinberg Anthony Stewart Nancy Stillpass Arthur Stout Kim and Sam Stowers Margaret Strauss Sharon and Michael Strongin Kalyani A. Subramaniam Cindy Surdi Nancy and Robert Swain Francis Tabone Marsha Tajima

Angelica Tang Hope Taylor Catherine and Jeffrey Tolin Keith Torjusen Nile Tompkins Howard Topaz Dennis Tracey Virginia Trainor Sheila G. Trarkus Betty Treslor Cheryl Tuttle Katty Vargas Crystal M. Vick-Sawyer Kathleen and Michael Voldstad Karen and David Waltuck Paula Wardynski Lora Duff Warrix Tara Watts Lauren and Ari Weisfelner Leah Weisfogel Tina Wells Neil Westreich Darlene White Ruth Wilson and Colin Howell Jayne and Jay Wiprovnick Mikhaila Wirfel Dr. and Mrs. Scott Wolfe Erica Wolff Jocelyn and Richard Woolworth Maureen Wycisk YAI Young Adult Institute / Dr. Phillip Levy Benjamin Yost

We celebrated the completion of the campaign with a party at the corporate offices of Sidley Austin on January 28. Thanks to all who were able to attend.

Cafeteria/Learning Lab Construction Cafeteria Post-Construction Learning Lab Post-Construction Our Dedicated Construction Crew

Cooke Center for Learning and Development 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 730 New York, NY 100115

We have sparked the interest of the

university community, too, and they have been generous in their willingness to partner with us:

This fall, we launched a program on the New York University campus for students who have completed four years at the Academy but need a bit more assistance in bridging the difficult passage from adolescence to adulthood.

Teachers’ College at Columbia University is working with our Lower School faculty on technology and has developed an exciting photography project for Cooke students and their general education peers.

Our commitment to students throughout New York City continues, and the campaign has helped us expand our outreach in poor communities:

This year, we are providing long-term teacher training in 25 elementary schools in Manhattan and the Bronx. One principal has already attributed an increase in student test scores to the efforts of the Cooke literacy consultant.

Through new partnerships with Head Start programs such as Harlem Children’s Zone we are preparing preschoolers for a lifetime of academic achievement and offering training to hundreds of parents and preschool teachers around the city.

Organizationally, the campaign helped us build support and enthusiasm from within. The Kresge Foundation Challenge Grant, in particular, served to dramatically increase participation in our fundraising efforts among Cooke families and staff.

Finally, measuring student success is important to any school, and thanks to the campaign we have significantly increased our capacity to report on student achievement and program Outcomes.

We are confident that Cooke will continue to accomplish great things in the coming years. We will use the success of this campaign to remind ourselves that – similar to the great strides our students make in the face of

sometimes seemingly insurmountable odds—we saw a challenge, and through the extraordinary

efforts of every member of the Cooke family, rose to meet it.

Thank you for being part of the legacy.

COOKE CENTER ACADEMY’S

2010 GRADUATING

CLASS

CAMPAIGN LEGACY: Continued from page one