January 19, 2022

LAKE PLACID – St. Agnes School has received a grant of $80,000 from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation for the school’s Growth Achievement Program (GAP), which provides programs in the areas of health and wellness, kinesthetic and sensory learning, and other therapies. This is the second year the school has received this award, one that enables it to better serve students’ specific learning and health needs, beyond what is offered to those who qualify for special education services.

“We are honored to be recognized by the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation for our work with children. The results from the first grant – in terms of student growth and achievement – are remarkable. Receiving funding for a second year allows us to continue to offer expanded services, both to current and next year’s students,” said Catherine Bemis, the school’s principal. “GAP is designed to offer targeted remediation and intervention strategies at a crucial time in children’s development, the primary grades. When young children receive specialized instruction and specific support, like counseling or speech therapy, well before they lag behind their peers later in elementary or middle school, the results can be transformational.”

Since 2017 the school has extended enrichment opportunities to students in need of accelerated learning, as well as to those who previously struggled but did not qualify for special education. The GAP program was formalized in early 2020 and benefits all students enrolled in the school.

The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization with the mission to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable New Yorkers, bolster the health outcomes of targeted communities, eliminate barriers to care, and bridge gaps in health services.

St. Agnes School enrolls 115 students age 3 to grade 3. As Lake Placid’s only early elementary learning center, it sets high academic expectations for young students and offers an intentional curriculum that meets the academic, social, and developmental needs of children from diverse cultural, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds.