Stephen Gaynor School marked a significant milestone on October 16, celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Community Learning Center (CLC) and two decades of bringing the school’s literacy expertise beyond its own walls.
The anniversary celebration brought together current and former faculty, school leaders, public school partners, board members, families, alumni, and community leaders to recognize a program that has provided free, Orton-Gillingham-based reading intervention to first- and second-grade students from neighboring New York City public schools since 2006.
The morning included a special recognition from Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who presented Stephen Gaynor School with a proclamation honoring the CLC’s 20 years of service and officially proclaimed October 16, 2026, “Stephen Gaynor School Community Learning Center Appreciation Day.”
Hoylman-Sigal spoke both as Borough President and as a parent about the importance of early identification and intervention for children with learning differences. In the proclamation, he recognized the CLC for expanding educational opportunities, sharing expertise, and strengthening the ability of educators and families to support children’s academic growth and confidence.
New York City Council Member Gale A. Brewer, an early champion of the CLC who helped connect Gaynor with local public schools as the program was being developed, also presented the School with a New York City Council citation recognizing the CLC’s contributions to literacy education and public schools.
The celebration also offered a look at the CLC’s continued evolution. Dr. Brennan Chandler of Georgia State University shared findings from an independent year-long evaluation demonstrating significant gains in student reading fluency as well as growth in literacy knowledge among public school teachers participating in the CLC’s Reading Professional Development program.
The morning also honored individuals and partners whose leadership and support have helped shape the CLC over the past two decades. Donna Logue, who founded the CLC in 2006 and helped build the program’s foundation, was recognized for her role in bringing the original vision to life. Council Member Gale A. Brewer received the Community Champion Award for her longstanding advocacy, community connections, and support of the CLC and its public school partnerships.
The principals of the CLC’s partner schools, Dr. Evelyn Lolis of PS 84, Deborah Mastriano of PS 166, and Monica Berry of PS 87, were recognized for their schools’ partnership and shared commitment to early literacy. Keech and Akshay Shetty were also honored for their support of the CLC and for helping expand access to early literacy through the Yvette Siegel Herzog Innovation Fund.
For Head of School Dr. Scott Gaynor, the anniversary reflects something fundamental about Stephen Gaynor School’s mission: the responsibility to share what the school has learned through more than six decades of educating students with language-based learning differences.
“The outreach from the CLC over the past 20 years has been truly transformative,” Dr. Gaynor said. “By bringing Stephen Gaynor School’s specialized expertise beyond our own walls, the CLC has helped unlock potential in hundreds of children who simply needed the right tools to thrive.”
Twenty years after its founding, the Community Learning Center continues that work, expanding access to effective literacy instruction while sharing knowledge and expertise with educators throughout the wider community.
