President's Message

Dear Friends of the Foundation:

Almost forty years ago, Leary School first opened its doors.

What was soon to become a trend was then just an idea, speculation and a huge risk.

Albert Leary, the School's founder, believed that for some students who might have special needs, a different educational approach was necessary. A former teacher (and a former Marine), Mr. Leary had taught in a private school and learned the value of smaller classes, a level of academic freedom and creative methodology.

In establishing Leary School solely for students with special needs, students who might be behind, less motivated, underachieving, or in others way experiencing learning problems, an even more specialized program was developed. Classes were extremely small, some with only five students, at times. Teaching was highly individualized, as was the curriculum. Creative teaching was encouraged. Supportive therapies and services were added in response to recognition of additional needs on the part of the students. As a result, many, many students over many, many years were successful.

As time went on, the program evolved in many ways. Teachers certified in emotional problems and learning disabilities became the mainstay of the educational program. The range of supportive therapies and related services grew and grew. Since the mid-1970s, the Leary School programs have provided individual, group, and family counseling to all its students and families. In addition, psychologists, counselors, social workers, behavior management specialists and art therapists have supported the social, emotional, and psychological development of the students. Personnel highly qualified in speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and various educational specialists have supported the complex and often unique needs of the different student bodies year to year. Physical education, outdoor education, recreation therapy and strong vocational programming combine to offer the students a rich and varied educational program.

The vocational program is so strong, for example, that some local school systems refer students to our jobsite program exclusively.

The Leary School story is not terribly unusual in the world of private special education in the United States but it is a wonderful example of what works and what can work for students with special needs.

Throughout its history, the Leary School programs have consistently offered highly individualized educational programming with great attention to unique and changing needs on the part of the students, while staying true to the students it serves. Leary School does work with some of the most challenging students with oftentimes some of the most complex needs.

Now, forty years later, while many things have changed but the essential commitment to a unique group of students and specialized programming has not.

We will shortly witness 19 students finishing their secondary education as a result of their completing a program at one of the Leary Schools. Generally, this could not have occurred without the availability of the programming offered. In addition, a large portion of the students will successfully be promoted a grade level, some will be mainstreamed into local public programming and many, hopefully a majority, will experience some very important social, emotional, and/or psychological success as they achieve personal goals set early in the school year.

This only can happen through the combination of the specialized programming offered, the commitment and dedication of a strong staff and the support of a large constituency.

The constituencies in our case are the parents and guardians, additional case workers involved with each student, the personnel from the local and state school systems and those in the community who support the School in different ways. This annual report highlights the School's financial strength. It also acknowledges the various contributions from some of you and the support the School has received through various governmental agencies in the form of grants and donations.

I wish to take this just a step further and add from my personal observation, some assessment of the Foundation's strengths and weaknesses.

The Foundation needs to expand its visibility in the community and needs additional community support.

The Foundation's salary scale for teachers and line staff should be closer to that of the area public school systems.

The Foundation should have a significant fund development underway to ensure its future and specifically to prepare for facility replacement and enhancement.

To its credit, the Foundation has maintained a very competent and student-centered staff.

The Foundation, despite severe economic hardship in the area, has managed to provide adequate programming during these past several years.

As noted previously, the Foundation has assisted some very special students in realizing significant success. For many, placement at one of the Foundation's programs represented a last chance effort.

For the Foundation to continue to offer the programming to which it has committed itself, it will need continued support from the community.

The Foundation needs financial support in many areas. Contributions to the general fund can help defray increases in expenses and provide support for current programming.

Contributions to the Foundation's capital campaign will help protect the Foundation's future, especially in planning for a major facility replacement or upgrade in Virginia.

Contributions to the Foundation's Scholarship Program will provide support for student graduates who may attend college, technical or specialized post-secondary schooling.

We would also appreciate contributions in support of the Foundation's ten year anniversary celebration to be held in September 2004.

As always, thanks to all of you who have supported the Foundation's mission over these past 40 years.

Respectfully,
Ed Schultze, Ed.D.
President/Executive Director