Faculty and Specialist Training

Fostering Excellence

Stephen Gaynor School provides a distinctly supportive environment for our faculty and students. We foster the professional development of our staff by providing them with ongoing training programs, inviting expert educators to campus for speaking engagements, and enabling teachers to travel to enriching workshops and conferences. This allows us to ensure students benefit from the most innovative methods and fresh ideas, while our faculty enjoys the satisfaction of continued self-enrichment.

Teacher Training Institute

Our teachers, especially new and assistant teachers, benefit from Gaynor’s summer Teacher Training Institute, led by our in-house experts. The training reinforces the Stephen Gaynor School philosophy, culture, and approach. In addition, we periodically invite outside specialists to train our teachers, providing additional perspectives. In the past, our training has included experts from the Singapore Math and Stern Structural Arithmetic programs, as well as Dr. Judith Hochman, author of Basic Writing Skills.

Orton-Gillingham Training Program, Associate Level

Stephen Gaynor School is the only institution in the New York metropolitan area with a teacher training program accredited by the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators (AOGPE). As such, we are an Organizational Member of the Academy and a member of the Academy’s Council of Accredited Programs. In addition, Gaynor’s Orton-Gillingham Instructional Program has been officially accredited by AOGPE, and is the only school in the New York metropolitan area to be so certified.

Ongoing Support

To ensure all of our teachers receive the support they need, we have Educational Co-Directors who serve as mentors. They meet with teachers weekly to share best practices and discuss student progress. Educational Co-Directors can frequently be spotted in their teachers’ classrooms interacting with students and ensuring that each student is receiving optimal instruction to meet their needs.

Our specialists also serve as a strong support network for our teachers, collaborating daily on their expert area of instruction, including Speech/Language, Reading, Math, and Occupational Therapy. In addition, we provide a special support program to assistant teachers, who meet weekly with their school’s Educational Co-Directors to share their ideas and experiences, ask questions, and enrich their understanding of the methods that work best for Stephen Gaynor School students. All Gaynor teachers are encouraged to participate in relevant professional development opportunities throughout the year.