The Graham School

The Graham School at Echo Park, ABC’s multi-service family center in East Harlem, has twelve classrooms that offer the highest-quality, year-round early childhood education and preschool special education, in addition to comprehensive wraparound services that meet the needs of the whole child and whole family. The Graham School is a New York State Pyramid Model implementation program and QUALITYstarsNY participant.

The Graham School is a community of professionals, families, and local community members, who are collaboratively committed to affording children a safe, nurturing, and engaging environment where their play will be their work. Here, through modeling, reflection, and dialogue our children grow, learn, and form relationships and friendships; our educators deepen their understanding and practices; and our families thrive. Our community is a supportive environment that equitably promotes the healthy social emotional development of all members through prioritizing meaningful connections and differentiated approaches to learning. All are welcome.

Program Information

Early Head Start: One birth to 1-year-old classroom, three classrooms for 1- to 2-year-olds, and three classrooms for 2- to 3-year-olds. We provide comprehensive, trauma-informed services for children and families who face the effects of poverty daily. We recognize that play is the work of children and create opportunities for their developmental growth through their play.

Head Start: Three preschool integrated co-teaching (ICT) classrooms that may have up to 18 children ages 3 to 4. Here all children have opportunities to learn from and lead their peers. Related service providers, including speech, physical, and occupational therapists, and counselors, are all on-site to provide services in accordance with each child’s Individualized Education Program.

Universal Pre-K (UPK): One mixed classroom for 3- to 4-year-olds and one NYC DOE Universal Pre-K classroom. These classrooms support readiness for kindergarten goals and initiatives through intentional, data-driven practices within an evidence-based curriculum.

Home based services: Our Early Head Start home-based program provides comprehensive services to the expectant families and to families with children birth to 3 years old. Our goal is to empower families within their most natural space, their home. We celebrate and value parents as their child’s first teacher and support them by building their capacities to strengthen their child’s physical, social, emotional and intellectual development. Our home visitors meet parents where they are ready to be met and partner with them as they move along a continuum towards independence, advocacy, and leadership. The home-based program also builds community by providing opportunities for families to engage with each other.

Contact Information

General Information: MaryEllen Rooney, Program Director, mrooney@a-b-c.org, 646 459 6091

Enrollment: Elisa Diaz, Bilingual Family Worker, Intake Coordinator, ediaz@a-b-c.org, 646 459 6032