TPC Through the Years

Year 1
1991-1992

The Phoenix Center is co-founded and opened with 16 students and 12 staff in a 13,000-square-foot space in West Paterson. Enrollment as of June 1992 is 49 students.

Year 2
1992-1993

Home and School Association, Partners in Caring, is formed with the mission of supporting fundraising for the school.

TPC Milestone Year 2

Year 3
1993-1994

Approval for Supported Employment program received the first private school in the state.

TPC Milestone Year 3

Year 4
1994-1995

TPC Staff and enrollment continues to grow from original 16 students and 12 staff to where it is today.

TPC Milestone Year 4

Year 5
1995-1996

Community-Based Instruction (CBI) is introduced to allow students to learn how to use such local institutions as banks, bookstores, grocery stores, the public library, the post office, and restaurants.

Year 6
1996-1997

Interactive Restaurant Program is started with state-of-the-art kitchen equipment and furnishings (donated by Inserra Shop Rites of Mahwah).

Year 6 at The Phoenix Center

Year 7
1997-1998

Phoenix develops inclusion program to return students to their local public school districts.

TPC Milestones Year 7

Year 8
1998-1999

Percussion Ensemble is formed and cuts own CD.

TPC Milestones Year 8

Year 9
1999-2000

Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program starts.

TPC Milestones Year 9

Year 10
2000-2001

Phoenix purchases two additional vans to transport students into the community.

Year 11
2001-2002

School finds a permanent home in 44,000-square-foot former Catholic School in Nutley.

The Phoenix Center school sign with school building in background

Year 12
2002-2003

Drama Club is formed. To date, they have performed five productions including Hansel and Gretel, Wizard of Oz, The Holka-Polka, The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Lion King, Peter Pan, Little Mermaid, Annie, Beauty and the Beast, and Alice in Wonderland.

Year 13
2003-2004

Dance troupe is introduced to enhance participants’ rhythm, concentration, and team spirit.

Year 14
2004-2005

First Annual Student Art Show is held at the school for families and the community.

Year 15
2005-2006

Phoenix introduces a Sensory Motor Gym.

TPC Milestone Year 15

Year 16
2006-2007

Family Night Out program is introduced to parents.

Year 17
2007-2008

The Phoenix Center purchases its first 16-passenger school bus (donated by the Dorothy B. Hersh Foundation).

Year 18
2008-2009

Consumer Family Life Skills Program is introduced (funded by Columbia Bank Foundation).

Year 19
2009-2010

Bowling League is formed with other Private Schools (funded by Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation).

TPC Milestone Year 19

Year 20
2010-2011

Horticulture Program is instituted to give students hands-on gardening experience and enhance beauty of the school’s outdoor garden (funded by Ramsey Area Garden Clubs and Columbia Bank Foundation).

TPC Milestone Year 20

Year 21
2011-2012

SMART Boards are installed in 14 of 16 classrooms.

Year 22
2012-2013

Achieved NCASES Accreditation.

The National Commission on Accreditation of Special Education Services Accredited logo

Year 23
2013-2014

Multisensory Environment is opened thanks to a grant from Seton Hall University.

TPC Milestone Year 23

Year 24
2014-2015

Achieved Middle States Accreditation.

Middle States Association logo

Year 25
2015-2016

Pet Therapy is introduced.

Year 26
2016-2017

Provided supervision for eight graduate school student interns in Occupational Therapy, Physical therapy, Speech and Counseling, from Montclair State University and Seton Hall University.

Year 27
2017-2018

Our students engaged in 3,930 hours of CFL in the areas of cooking, laundry, kitchen organization, and living space maintenance.

Year 28
2018-2019

Columbia Bank Foundation funds the construction of a secure school lobby.

TPC Year 28

Year 29
2019-2020

Met MSA goal for 90% of our students in all grades to increase their access to technology weekly within Academic Content areas by 200%.

Year 30
2020-2021

Happy Birthday to The Phoenix Center!

Year 31
2021-2022

Achieved 1:1 student/staff tech ratio throughout the school community.

1:1 Student:Tech ratio

Year 32
2022-2023

Awarded two 3-year grants for IXL and Unique Learning System to further enhance TPC’s access to subscription-based online learning platforms.

Year 33
2023-2024

Fully renovated Teaching Kitchen that promotes life skills and helps prepare students for life beyond the classroom.

Year 34
2024-2025

Purchased new 24 passenger school bus, largely funded by a grant from The Bolger Foundation.