By Erica Schwartz
Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) and Assemblymember Gina Sillitti (D-Port Washington) announced additional funding for the Henry Viscardi School during a recent stop on the speaker’s annual statewide tour, bringing the school’s state funding to 1.25 million dollars, according to a press release from Speaker Heastie and Assemblymember Silitti’s offices.
At the July 11 visit, Heastie and Silitti announced $322,000 in general operating funds and $200,000 in capital funding to construct a museum. This is in addition to the school’s annual $903,000 that the Assembly majority has worked to preserve for the past eight years. Silitti says she has been pushing to increase funding for the Henry Viscardi School since she took office.
“Over the last few years, there has been an attempt to reduce the funding of our 4201 schools, jeopardizing the education of thousands of physically disabled children,” said Silitti. “My Assembly Majority colleagues and I remain committed to ensuring these schools have the resources they need to provide all students access to an incredible education.”
The $200,000 in capital funding the Viscardi Center received will be used to finish the museum the center has been developing in conjunction with the Museum of Disability History, a Buffalo-based museum that closed its doors during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the Museum of Disability History maintains a digital museum, the Henry Viscardi Center’s museum will provide a physical space to showcase disability history, including memorabilia absorbed from the original brick-and-mortar museum.
The Henry Viscardi School has operated in Albertson for over 60 years as part of the Henry Viscardi Center. It provides students K-12 with physical disabilities with a learning environment that uses adaptive technology, therapies, and medical support to prepare them to attend college, join the workforce, and make a difference in their community. The Viscardi School is one of 11 4201 schools in New York State that provides a traditional education to children with physical disabilities.
Sillitti says she wanted to bring Speaker Heastie to see the Henry Viscardi School as part of his annual state-wide tour because of how “special” and “unique” the school is. Silitti recommends everyone to check out the school for themselves in order to see the facilities and meet the children.
“It’s one thing to talk about it, it’s another thing to see it,” she said. “That’s why I brought the speaker down to see it.”
During the visit, Speaker Heastie and Assemblymember Silitti joined Dr. Chris Rosa, president and CEO of the Viscardi Center, to tour the Henry Viscardi School. Heastie spoke highly of the visit to the Viscardi School and emphasized the role Assemblymember Silitti played in supporting the school and making their visit possible.
“The Henry Viscardi School remains unmatched in its history of providing students with physical disabilities a space they can grow and learn with peers,” he said. “No one has fought harder for the funding of this incredible program than Assemblymember Sillitti, and I’m honored to join her here today to discuss how we can extend the Viscardi School’s services to the next generation of children.”
Rosa expressed gratitude on behalf of the rest of the Henry Viscardi School for Assemblymember Silitti’s advocacy work and the opportunity to host both her and Speaker Heastie at the school.
“We are grateful for Assemblymember Sillitti’s advocacy on behalf of the Henry Viscardi School, particularly on pay parity for HVS’ teachers and professionals who drive our inclusion mission. We were honored to host Speaker Heastie at our school – a true champion for equity and inclusion in education, especially for students with disabilities,” he said. “Moreover, we are heartened by his investment in critical services for HVS students and Viscardi’s efforts to preserve and amplify disability history and culture.”
Silitti has supported the Henry Viscardi School for years through advocacy for increased funding and active participation in events like wheelchair basketball tournaments. She says the school holds a special place in her heart, and she was very happy to have brought the speaker to see the school and meet some students.
“You fall in love with it the second you walk in,” she said.
