The Gillen Brewer School

Leading Private Special Education School in NYC

The Gillen Brewer School is a family-oriented, 12-month, special education program on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, NYC, for children ages Pre-K - 8th grade who have a wide variety of language-based and non-verbal learning disabilities. We provide an integrated, developmentally appropriate, academic-therapeutic program that includes speech and language pathology, occupational therapy, counseling, and social groups.

The School-Home Partnership

Gillen Brewer's unwavering commitment to each family is a cornerstone of our school-home partnership. GBS' philosophy is founded on the belief that changing the life of a child can only be achieved through meeting the needs of the family as well. Our goal for parents is that they develop an understanding of their child and acquire the information and strategies with which they can be their strongest and most supportive advocate. As both mentor and partner to parents, The Gillen Brewer School strives to provide a network of resources and to develop a collaborative relationship which fosters awareness and sensitivity and enhances the progress of each individual child.

About Our School

Student culture is enthusiastically supported at a school-wide level. All students have the same school-wide expectations of being ready, responsible and safe. Students are encouraged to accept each other’s differences and are explicitly taught that “everyone is working on something” at Gillen Brewer. Individual classes organize fundraising drives for charity and engage all students in these efforts. The staff encourages students to become more engaged with their peers during community lunches and during the end of the day activities that cross classroom boundaries. The school uses the term “community of learners” to define and reflect the culture of the school. In every aspect of the program, from staff development to parent training, the Gillen Brewer community is in a state of reflection and learning, putting what we have learned into practice. Through reflection and action, the school is able to individualize the program to meet the needs of each child and family. 

Diversity & Inclusion

At The Gillen Brewer School we view diversity broadly and through the lens of our mission to provide a nurturing and supportive environment where children feel accepted. We believe in encouraging our students to self-advocate, and we are dedicated to promoting and nurturing diversity and inclusion throughout our school community. We celebrate many types of diversity including ability, learning style, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and family structures. Gillen Brewer has a self-selected staff committee dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment and understanding issues under the broad umbrella of diversity. We continuously explore programs and initiatives that promote the diversity of our school community and our world.