School Bio

The John Cardinal O’Connor School is a Catholic elementary school for children with learning differences, and we welcome children of all faiths. A Catholic school for children who learn differently located in Irvington, NY, JCOS is dedicated to providing an affordable, language-based academic curriculum for children in grades 2-8 with learning disabilities (LD), speech or language impairments (SPL), executive function challenges such, or other health impairments (OHI). Multisensory teaching techniques are used throughout the set of courses including an Orton-Gillingham Methodology to teach phonemic awareness. Students are exposed to a full academic curriculum modified to meet their particular learning needs. In addition, social skills are directly taught through Catholic doctrine and a character development curriculum. The John Cardinal O’Connor School’s goal is to teach children the strategies they will need to become confident, productive members of society. The John Cardinal O’Connor School is a resource for children with learning differences. Students are taught by certified special education teachers, utilizing multisensory techniques, in small classes to help them succeed both academically and socially. The key to a student’s success is his or her ability to communicate. This extends beyond basic reading and writing skills. It also includes understanding and following directions, organizing information, building general and content area knowledge, solving problems, expressing ideas, assuming responsibility, assessing social interactions, and behaving appropriately. A trained staff and a consistently applied instructional approach that explicitly teaches these skills help students close the gap between their intellectual potential and their academic performance. We are always willing to answer questions from parents who are interested in enrolling their children in our school.