Accredited Private Special Needs School in Northern NJ for Students Ages 5-21

Based in Nutley, NJ The Phoenix Center is an accredited private special needs school serving the educational, behavioral and therapeutic needs of students ages 5-21 with autism, multiple disabilities, behavioral and intellectual disabilities. Our customized programs are built around the whole child and anchored by a hands-on, real-life, community-based instruction model.

A Message From the Executive Director

Welcome to The Phoenix Center. I invite you to explore our website to get an understanding of the scope of programs and services we provide to our students. Our Core Values and Mission illustrate our primary purpose – to serve our students and their families and to provide cutting-edge and highly customized educational, therapeutic, and transition services and supports.  Our parents have entrusted me as the Executive Director to develop and oversee programs that will uncover their children’s full potential. It is my honor to continue to serve this community, which has provided 32 years of educational excellence.

At TPC, we embrace the FISH Philosophy, which centers on being kind to one another. As educators, we specialize in extending kindness to our students, their families, and each other, every single day. This collective effort contributes to our ultimate goal of making a lifelong positive impact.

Unwrapping the many gifts and talents our students have is at the heart of what we do at TPC. Together with our dedicated staff and our partnerships with our parents and school districts, we prepare our students for life beyond the classroom.

I invite you to browse our website and like us on social media. My door is always open, so feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. Take care and be well.

With gratitude,

Julie Mower, M.A.Ed.
Executive Director

PS Please remember that you can support the initiatives and programming not covered by tuition dollars by donating through our DONATE page here.

FRIDAY, APRIL 26th 6:00 – 10:00 pm Get ready for an unforgettable night at The Phoenix Center’s Casino Night! Roll the dice, spin the wheel, and join us for a fun evening of gambling, passed hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine, soda, dessert and fabulous prizes!! Don’t miss out on TPC’s most highly anticipated event of the […]

TPC's Casino Night 2024

Transition and Recreation Fair For parents, caregivers, advocates, district case managers & child study teams-anyone working or living with students ages 5-21 that may need transition & recreation services in preparation for life beyond the classroom. NO REGISTRATION NECESSARY DATE: Friday, March 22, 2024 TIME: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM LOCATION: The Phoenix Center, 16 […]

Transition and Recreation Fair at The Phoenix Center - Fri, March 22nd 2024

Celebrating the Return of a Remarkable Educator to The Phoenix Center: At TPC, we have been highly regarded as a school that grows great educators. Recently, we witnessed a heartwarming homecoming. Lisa Lyons, who started her career as a teacher at TPC (in the mid-90s), and is now an an educational consultant and a sought-after […]

A Journey of Kindness: From The Phoenix Center to Motivational Speaker

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