News & Events

Debbie School Recieves 2007 Excellence Award from The Children's Trust (November 2007)

It is our pleasure to inform you that the Debbie Institute has been selected by The Children's Trust to receive their 2007 Programs for Children with Disabilities Excellence Award. This recognition by The Children's Trust is a tremendous honor for the Debbie Institute. The award will be presented to the Debbie School at the third annual "Champions for Children" Awards Ceremony on November 9. For more info, click here.

Debbie School Featured in University of Miami Medicine Magazine (May 2007)

The Debbie School is featured in the Spring 2007 issue of the University of Miami Medicine magazine. To read the article "For Kid's Sake", please click here.

The Children's Trust Program Spotlight on Debbie School (March 2007)

The Debbie School is featured as The Children's Trust program spotlight for the month of March. You can read the article "Technologies Help Children with Special Needs Keep Pace with Peer's at UM's Debbie School," by clicking here.

Fundraising for Playground Renovations (Winter 2005)

The new playground will be a playground where children and adults, with and without disabilities, can play side-by-side, laugh, grow and learn together.

The Debbie School needs to replace its minimal playground and we are actively seeking donations to create a new playground in our backyard. The total amount needed to build this innovative playground is $150,000. The University of Miami Citizens Board has started the funding with donations from their generous members. We have a total now of $11,000, a wonderful start on this project.

To contribute to this innovative project, please call Yolanda Alvarez at (305) 243-8000. You will be rewarded with much appreciation for your generosity.

This new playground will feature swings with high back supports and arm rests with unitary rubber surfaces below. Brightly colored sidewalks can have sound embedded in them and some surfaces are designed for assistive walkers, some for softness to protect inevitable falls. The new playground play spaces are not just about wheelchair access. They are designed to address the needs of children with sensory and developmental disabilities and the predictable play behaviors of all children, regardless of ability or disability. They are configured to be fun, rigorous and challenging, as well as developmentally appropriate and sensory-rich.

Play matters: experts in pediatrics and early childhood education note that through play, children develop language skills, decision-making abilities, social interaction strategies and physical, sensory and cognitive strengths.

Fundraising for Playground Renovations (Fall 2005)

The new playground will be a playground where children and adults, with and without disabilities, can play side-by-side, laugh, grow and learn together.

We are excited to report that The University of Miami’s Citizens Board, led by the dynamic Joyce Galya and President Brian Hart, has decided to help the Debbie School raise the funds needed to build a new playground in our backyard. Members Steve and Sylvia Sommers, Ena Diaz, Al Cohen, Irv Waltman, Alan Weiselberg, Ed Shumsky and Julio Ramirez have already made pledges toward the Playground Fund. Thanks so very much to each of them.

This new playground will feature swings with high back supports and arm rests with unitary rubber surfaces below. Brightly colored sidewalks can have sound embedded in them and some surfaces are designed for assistive walkers, some for softness to protect inevitable falls. The structures offer cozy spots and tunnels, places for friends to gather at ground level or on elevated platform that wheelchairs can access; add some climbing, sliding loops with points of transfer where those with chairs or assistive devices can leave them behind and slide down, then get back up and slide down again. There are child sized playhouses accessible at ground level and places good for balancing for those with developmental delays to practice on walkways, stools of varying heights and low beams. Some structures offer imaginative ways to travel, imaginary things to do or interesting places to pretend to be. Waist high sand tables enable assistive chairs to get close up, and a ramp - accessible tree house that only “seems” high up are great fun for all.

Although designed for the visually impaired, who would not want to find the wall embedded with musical chimes and compose an inventive tune. A new playground would combine rigorous, challenging, developmentally advantageous and sensory-rich activities with full integration and universal accessibility. Best of all, they remove the barriers that limit childhood exploration and development.

Our thanks to the Citizens Board for their pledge of support!