Opportunities Continue for Special Needs Students at Fort Lee Education Center

The Youth Consultation Service (YCS), a nonprofit social services agency, Fort Lee Education Center (FLEC) was established in 1996 as an approved private school for students with emotional and behavioral problems, enrolling 70 students in grades seven through 12.

The school prepares students for employment after graduation.

Once with of an enrollment of 80 to 90 students, that number has declined, and the population now consists of many more special needs students.

Fort Lee Education Center is accredited by the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE), is a member of ASHH (a private school association) and the National Association of Private Special Education Centers (NAPSEC).

The project-based curriculum engages students in the learning process and encourages them to take on more responsibility, problem-solve and make decisions. The student-teacher ratio at FLEC is four to one.

The FLEC employs 35, with certified teachers, aides and support staff. The teachers work 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and need certification through the NJDOE. The staff is trained through in-services and on-going training. Teacher aides need experience working with youth and must have bachelor's degrees and substitute certificates.
 
Training is required in behavior management, classroom and instructional strategies, suicide, gang awareness, health issues, seizures, heat related issues and medical effectiveness since the sun affects medication.

“This job is very interesting and challenging," said nurse Pat Cohen. "The students do need more TLC. It is essential that I see that the meds are given and screenings are done on time.”

The YCS schools in the state are approved by the Department of Education. Financing is paid through each individual school district. Each school district gets an amount of money for educating special ed. kids and is paid through taxpayer dollars.

Ruth Ann Hunt, principal at FLEC for the past four years said, "However, the economy, all across [New Jersey], has forced keeping kids in their district and are not being sent to out-of-district placements."

"Enrollment has declined, affecting income, forcing a reduction in staff, meaning everyone wears several hats to get things effectively and efficiently done," she said. "I also function as the assistant superintendent.”

Hunt added, “We’re also effected because we don’t have money for items such as graduation rings for seniors, yearbooks, prom gowns, suits, new curriculum supplies and money is not had to update technology.”

"Luckily, the prom is funded through the South Bergen Rotary Club," she said. “The South Bergen Rotary Club essentially adopted the FLEC.”

FLEC has also partnered with the Fort Lee/Ridgefield Park and Bogota Rotaries.  They have hosted job fairs at FLEC for the students with representatives of dozens of potential employers. 

It is through the YCS foundation that Hunt was introduced to members of the Rotary Clubs.

The child study team of any school district can recommend a child with an emotional or behavioral disability to the FLEC that will, in turn, try to find a place for that child. These special needs often interfere with their academic work. Most of the kids also face socioeconomic challenges.

The faculty at FLEC takes a holistic approach to education, and the curriculum is planned around life skills the students will need when they graduate. Of course, one of the most pressing concerns is how to prepare students for college or the workforce once they graduate.

Hunt explained that what sets YCS schools apart from other private and special schools is that they have a strong, balanced, clinical and academic program that works to meet the needs of the child by offering individual therapy and small group counseling, a tailored curriculum to meet specific needs and multi-sensory instructions that include art, music and speech and language therapy, as well as physical education.

Teacher Terry Ryan is the head of transition services, the extension of public schools, that the high school offers.

Hunt explained that it was through the inspiration of Barbara Markell, Superintendent of YCS Schools with an office in Hackensack, that FLEC started years ago. YCS started out as an orphanage for neglected and abused children in Newark and developed the YCS Holly Center in Hackensack for elementary-aged, special needs kids. YCS FLEC was developed for high school-aged kids.

Edwin, a student in his last year at FLEC, is attending Eastwick College High School, majoring in Health Care. Eastwick College High School, a shared time program, is for juniors and seniors where high school credits are earned.

“At Eastwick, I will be able to experience something new," Edwin said. "In the first year, I will be learning new things. My personal opinion is that I will have the opportunity to learn about something new. Running the program is good, and they cover everything I need to know. It gives me a chance to learn about how to communicate with other human beings in a better way. Being a senior is challenging. I would like to go to the second year program. Finances are a problem. I am seeking extra help. I do plan on continuing to finish what I started.”

Edwin added, “I can do it myself; YCS gave me the opportunity. Some teens don’t think about the future here. I am thinking about being a home health aide.”

Edwin does aspire to be a doctor though he knows it will be financially challenging. He mentioned how all the students don’t have money but need it to succeed. 

“I’m just trying to find a job - I need money or else I can’t to go to Eastwick College," he said. "I take it day-by-day. I do have a plan.”

YCS’s transition team helps juniors and seniors focus on possibilities like junior colleges and finding grants. The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) gives students tests to help them fall into a career. The DVR has an unemployment office in each county to provide job coaches and direction.

Hunt, who has a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education, started with YCS as principal of the first autistic school, pre-school to middle school, in 1988, when she observed children at a young age who needed special services to help them transition to a regular program.

She said, “With the loss of so many students, I hope the districts can still find that our school can stay strong and see the services we afford. My goal has always been at YCS to help children here be able to transition back to their regular school district and work collaboratively with the child study teams to do that. This is all known as an approved Out of District Placement.”

FLEC’s new Career Pathway Program Options was implemented at the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year, so not every aspect of the program is in place yet. The horticulture and cosmetology programs are still in the planning stages. However the culinary arts, computer and health care programs are all up and running.

The Culinary Arts program is being developed as an incentive program,  preparing students for jobs in the food industry. It teaches students about sanitation, hygiene, how to set the table, how to be a host or hostess, how to cook and how to serve food. The program helps the students understand what’s needed to get a job.

The subject areas they have chosen for career options is compatible with current employment trends and the expressed interest of their students. The hands-on training the students receive in computer technology, culinary arts and health care give them valuable skills and, most importantly, the confidence that they can succeed in the workplace.

In addition, several students from FLEC have won YCS Blossoms Arts Education scholarships for their artistic abilities. This is a testament to the school's innovative arts education program.

Last year's winner, Benito Flores, used the scholarship funds to take courses at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan. The confidence he gained at FIT and Fort Lee helped him secure work as a silk screen printer. With additional scholarship money, YCS will provide Benito with a MAC computer so he can begin his own silk screening business. FLEC’s individualized programs give each student that extra attention that is so important to a student with unique learning needs.

YCS's mission statement is as follows:

The mission of all YCS schools is to teach children to become academically proficient and socially competent through a high crafted and structured program specifically designed for students with severe emotional and behavioral problems.