New York City - Meet the Head of the Churchill School and Center

A Letter from Dr. Madigan

Welcome to The Churchill School and Center and our OneChurchill Community!

Thank you for taking time to visit our website. As you browse these pages, you will see all that we have to offer students with language-based learning disabilities. Our comprehensive K-12 program provides students with a complete educational experience through solid academics and ancillary services, such as speech and occupational therapy. At Churchill, we understand that working with the whole child is truly the best way to meet needs. This also means partnering with families to ensure success for students.

Often parents search for schools like Churchill when their children are struggling in school academically and perhaps socially as a result of academic failure. Parents come in and want to know that their children are going to be okay. I want to assure you that through the Churchill Experience, children don’t just come out okay, they thrive.

Students with language-based learning disabilities need an intensive, yet rigorous program to meet their specific needs and drive them to succeed. As a college preparatory program, we work to ensure students are ready to meet the demands of college, if that is indeed their path. With that said, we also recognize that college, like most things in life, is not a one-size-fits-all model.

Our goal is to address students’ academic and social needs while at the same time challenging them to identify and capitalize on their strengths and talents. For example, our students also participate in the visual and performing arts across the divisions. The annual student art show is always a highlight of the year. Performance opportunities include full-scale musical and dramatic productions in the middle and high schools, choral instruction and performances in all divisions, instrumental performing groups and individual instrumental lessons. At the high school level too, we offer electives and an Honors program to help students discover their passions and explore topics in depth. Across all divisions, our science program provides state-of-the-art laboratories and an enhanced curriculum.

Yet the goal of academic success beyond Churchill is not all we hope to accomplish with our students. We also work to ensure that our students are good citizens. Character development is a key component in all that we do. This is demonstrated through the belief in and commitment to our Core Values of Integrity, Respect, Kindness, Responsibility, and Perseverance. These Core Values are not simply for our students. As a whole community we are committed to incorporating them into our daily lives. In short, we work to live our Core Values and set the example for our students. True success for Churchill means our students leave us ready for their future as good citizens that show care for their community, people, and the environment.

As we prepare our students for a future we cannot even imagine, technology plays a large role, just as it does in our everyday lives now. For our students in particular, technology is an especially important component for addressing their learning needs.

From SmartBoards in every classroom, to integration specialists across all divisions, our makerspace, one-to-one iPads in the upper elementary and middle schools, and one-to-one MacBook Airs in the high school, technology is integrated across Churchill. Technology access and integration provide our teachers with new and innovative ways to assist our students and enable them to get ahead of the technology curve in our ever-changing technological landscape.

Middle and high school students also can shine on the athletic field, as we offer a wide range of athletic opportunities and compete very successfully in the Independent School Athletic League in the City. Individual and team sports are offered in grades 5-12.

Of course, learning opportunities exist throughout and around New York City and the wider community. The Churchill Experience allows for students to take trips to museums and events in and around the City. Upper elementary, middle and high school students also participate in overnight trips to places like Philadelphia, Gettysburg, Washington, D.C., and Yosemite.

Independently, academics, technology, athletics, the visual and performing arts, and trips are great learning and growing opportunities for students. Taken together, along with the passion, compassion and skill of our teachers, these are the building blocks of The Churchill Experience.

Educating children is a responsibility we take seriously and recognize that it takes trust and partnership with families to serve our children effectively. And, while the end results are important, it is the experience that has an immediate impact and lasting impression on students as they develop and rise to their potential. The Churchill Experience is like no other. I invite you to visit us and see for yourself.

We are OneChurchill!

Sincerely,

Timothy P. Madigan, Ph.D.

Head of School