← Bronx
-
Has your preschooler’s behavior been difficult to manage at home or while you are out in the community?
-
Have you been hearing reports of behavioral difficulties from your child’s daycare or preschool providers?
-
Has your child been referred to the Committee on Preschool Special Education?
Located at 4010 Dyre Avenue, the “Little Red Schoolhouse” was built in 1877 as a two-room public school (P.S. 15) and has always been known in the community by this name. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in April 1981.
The Lawrence F. Hickey Center is a NYS Education Department approved 4410 special education preschool which is also licensed by the New York State Office of Mental Health as a Children’s Day Treatment Program. Also known as “The Little Red Schoolhouse”, the center is named after Lawrence F. Hickey. Mr. Hickey was a board member and a dedicated supporter of Astor and our mission, who was instrumental in acquiring and renovating the school in 1992.
No one will be denied access to services due to their inability to pay. A discounted/sliding fee schedule is available based on family size and income.
We serve children:
- between the ages of 2 years, 9 months and 4 years, 9 months
- who have behavioral and emotional challenges
Children attend a 12 month, 5 hour day in a center-based, self-contained classroom with a classroom ratio of 8 students to each one teacher and two teacher’s aides.
Our goals at the Hickey Center
- Prepare children with behavioral challenges to succeed in school
- Improve the social and emotional functioning of each child
- Develop and enhance social readiness skills
- Support the child within the family and community
- Provide parenting support and skills training
Services Provided
- Special Education Services
- High Scope Approach to Early Child Development
- Field Trips: Extended Learning Opportunities Outside the Classroom
- Therapeutic Crisis Intervention
- Evidence-Based Clinical Services
- Individual and Group Therapy
- Parent/Child Interaction Therapy
- Parent Skills Training
- Weekly Evening Parent Support Group Meetings
- Behavior Management Techniques
Intake Procedure
Referrals approved by the Committee on Preschool Education are accepted from:
- The NYC Department of Education
- Early Intervention Programs
- Pediatricians
- Day Care Centers and other preschool programs
Each child will receive a comprehensive evaluation at no cost to the family
Each family will meet with a school psychologist, a special educator, and a social worker to assess the strengths and needs of the child and family
Each child will receive Speech, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy evaluations
Contact Us
Celesta Parisi, M.Ed., SBL, Principal
Tel: (718) 515-3000, ext. 101
Email: Please use our Program Contact Form »
More Information
Program brochure (PDF file)
Folleto del programa (archivo PDF)
Learn about Astor's other Bronx Community-based programs:
- Care Management
Ensures appropriate access and service management via care coordination and service integration. - Counseling Centers
Provides counseling, psychiatric services and case management to children and adolescents, and their families. - Day Treatment
A school-based intensive treatment program that integrates mental health and special education services for students grades K — 8. - High Fidelity Wraparound
Evidence-based care coordination that uses a highly structured, team-based, family-centered approach. - Lawrence F. Hickey Center for Child Development (Little Red School House)
Special education therapeutic preschool - Prevention Services
Time-limited, evidence-based model that utilizes a home-based approach to address both the concrete and clinical needs of the child and the family. - School-Based Behavioral Health Treatment (SBBHT)
School-based clinics and other mental health/casework supports embedded in community schools. - Serving Youth iN Their Communities (SYNC)
Through supportive skill-building and clinical services, SYNC helps to build a strong foundation so that youth and families can be active and productive members of their communities - Transitions
Provides services to school-aged youths, 4-18 years old, who exhibit behavioral difficulties in order to promote academic stability and successful promotion to the next grade level. - Trauma Recovery Center
The Trauma Recovery Center strives to provide help, healing and hope to survivors of trauma.