Brewster Day Program - Green Chimneys

Image of a brown miniature horse in the snow with a holiday gift graphic in the lower right corner

Holiday Gift Guide 2021

November 8, 2021

Brewster Day Program

The Green Chimneys School offers an enriched academic environment with a vast array of innovative programming, including life skills, music and art, therapeutic animal-assisted activities, and outdoor education, all based in experiential learning. The fully integrated approach to education at Green Chimneys includes: Academics, Therapeutic Education, Clinical & Related Services, Animal & Nature Program and Vocational Education.

Academic Program

Green Chimneys School complies with—and often exceeds—all standards and educational mandates set by New York State, and is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) and National Association of Private Special Education Centers (NAPSEC). We follow New York State Common Core learning standards and standardized testing for all grades, modifying instruction and activities to meet the abilities of our students. Our teachers are certified special education professionals.

Therapeutic Education

Green Chimneys School academics are complemented by age-appropriate, therapeutic educational programs offered to students in all grades as part of their weekly class schedule. Many incorporate Green Chimneys’ unique nature-based approach, providing experiential learning and opportunities to develop important skills related to the care of and interaction with animals and plants. High School students earn 1/4 elective credits for these courses.

Animal & Nature Program

Green Chimneys was founded on the belief that children will benefit from their interaction with nature and animals. The Green Chimneys Farm & Wildlife Center is home to 200 farm animals, unreleasable wildlife, horses and a small number of service dogs in training. Acres of gardens and outdoor spaces encourage learning in horticulture and environmental activities.

Vocational Education

Green Chimneys Students learn and practice a variety of employment and job skills as part of the “Learn and Earn” program, where they receive individual and group education, seek campus job assignments, and get paid—modestly—at an hourly rate. With assistance from a vocational counselor, classroom teachers and social workers, interested students voluntarily sign up for age-appropriate work assignments in various campus locations.

Peacock

Peacocks were the royal birds of Maharajas in India for centuries. Their beauty and impressive tail feathers make them an eye-catching addition to any landscape. At Green Chimneys, peacocks have roamed the campus freely for many years and the birds are a familiar and calming sight to students, staff and visitors. In late summer, the males shed their long tail feathers, an event eagerly anticipated by students who collect the feathers to decorate their dormitory rooms.