East River Child Development Center (ERCDC) is a not-for-profit educational corporation founded in 1976 to provide a family centered, community based school experience for children and families. As ERCDC grew and matured, it’s mission was refined to focus on servicing children with special needs. ERCDC provides a comprehensive Special Education program delivering educational and therapeutic services in a centerbased multicultural, multilingual environment. Additional services include comprehensive evaluations as well as Special Education Itinerant Services. ERCDC believes that the provision of comprehensive, coordinated services to children with special needs should be provided in the least restrictive environment and must be responsive to the individual child and their family. ERCDC has created a therapeutic and challenging learning environment that encourages high expectations for success through developmentally-appropriate instruction that allows for individual differences and learning styles. ERCDC promotes a safe, nurturing, caring, and supportive learning environment. Each student's self-esteem is fostered by positive relationships. Our mission is to prepare each student to become a responsible, productive contributing member of society. We help our special needs students achieve their highest potential academically while at the same time facilitate their social, emotional and physical development, with a goal of becoming a lifelong learner. ERCDC recognizes that each child is an individual; that all children are creative; and that all children can succeed. At East River Child Development Center each student is: welcomed, valued, respected, and given access to individualized and differentiated teaching and learning. ERCDC is a NYSED approved preschool and is contracted to provide services through the NYCDOE and NYSED.