A Bayside hospital held a festive graduation ceremony for its preschool students with chronic medical conditions.
Teachers, nurses, therapists and families at St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital celebrated 34 students’ achievements on Thursday, Aug. 12. The graduates participated in a special performance of “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” along with an official graduation ceremony and arts and crafts activities.
Congratulations to our Pre-School Graduates! ?? #stmaryskids pic.twitter.com/CN9Q5N94ch
— St. Mary’s Kids (@StMarysKidsNY) August 12, 2021
According to the hospital, the preschool at St. Mary’s is one of the only public preschools in New York dedicated to educating special needs children with the most complex illnesses, from traumatic brain injuries to rare genetic conditions. The school adheres to all state learning standards and its team consists of special educators, speech-language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, a social worker, a psychologist and teaching assistants.
The school was forced to shut down during the pandemic but reopened virtually in September 2020 and in person in October 2020.
See photos below from the Aug. 12 graduation ceremony.
