Message from the Co-Heads Our Team Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

 

Celebrating 40 Years
Serving the Whole Child

 

Leslie Thorne and Albina Miller
Co-Founders of The Parkside School

 In 1986, two visionary educators—Albina Miller and Leslie Thorne—opened The Parkside School to a single five-year-old child in a modest six-room space on West 100th Street. Their goal was simple but profound: to create a place where children with language-based learning differences could thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, supported by integrated therapeutic services and a nurturing community.

Forth years later, Parkside has grown into a vibrant school of 82 students and 55 dedicated educators, therapists, and staff. From those early days, our mission has remained constant: to serve the whole child and ensure that financial barriers never prevent access to specialized education.

 

In our 40th Anniversary year, we celebrate the lives transformed at Parkside and look ahead to the future with gratitude and pride. Throughout the 2025–2026 school year, we will mark this milestone with events, programs and gatherings that honor our past and inspire our next chapter.

 40th Anniversary Events

Featured
Parenting Workshop Series: Self-Regulation

Understanding Emotions and Developing Strategies for Success with Lauren Baker. Lauren Baker is a pediatric occupational therapist with over 15 years of experience in clinical, consultative, and supervisory roles and over 20 years of experience working with children.

Parenting Workshop Series: Multisensory Reading at Parkside

In this session, we will explore the power of multisensory approaches to reading instruction at Parkside. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of how integrating visual, auditory, and tactile strategies can enhance your child’s reading experience. We will share practical tips and techniques that you can use at home to support your child’s literacy development.

40th Anniversary All-Alumni Reunion

In honor of Parkside’s 40th Anniversary year, we’re bringing together our alumni community for a special reunion! Join us for an unforgettable afternoon of fun, games — think giant slide, bowling, ski ball, ping pong, board games, and more — and connection as we celebrate 40 years of The Parkside School! This special reunion welcomes all alumni—students, parents, teachers, therapists, and staff—past and present.

Parenting Workshop Series: Introduction to Woodin Math

Join us for an engaging overview of the Woodin Math approach, where we’ll highlight the dynamic activities, hands-on materials, and interactive games that foster numeracy skills in our students. This session will provide you with valuable insights and strategies to help reinforce your child’s mathematical learning at home.

Parenting Workshop Series: Collaborative Problem Solving

Strategies for Resolving Conflicts in Your Home: Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) with Dr. Dominic Auciello. The CPS model is based on the premise that challenging behavior occurs when the demands and expectations being placed on a kid exceed the kid’s capacity to respond adaptively.

40th Anniversary Gala

Save the date for Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Capitale for The Parkside School’s 40th Anniversary Gala. This milestone evening will honor founders Albina Miller and Leslie Thorne for their 40 years of passion and dedication, while raising critical funds to strengthen Parkside’s endowment for future generations.

Parenting Workshop Series: Executive Functioning Skills

Unlock Your Child's Potential: Everyday Strategies to Strengthen Your Child's Executive Functioning Skills with Carly Furino and Randall Klein. Learn how you, as parents, can help strengthen your child's executive functioning skills, foster independence, and obtain resources for further learning.

In Conversation: A Parkside Podcast

Launching in October 2025, our new podcast will feature monthly conversations with educators, therapists, parents, alumni, and experts in the field of special education. Through meaningful dialogue, we’ll explore best practices, challenges, and opportunities in supporting children with language-based learning differences. Episodes will be available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts, and shared on our website and social media.