Community Nursery School

Abilities First School at LaGrange in Poughkeepsie serves ages 5–21 with intellectual or developmental disabilities, autism, Down syndrome, or cerebral palsy. Students receive academic instruction and can access speech-language, occupational, and physical therapy, adaptive communication and physical education, and transition services. Older students use those transition services to prepare for life beyond school.

Dutchess BOCES is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and supportive educational environment for students with diverse needs, including those with language-based learning disabilities and twice-exceptional learners. The school's core mission is to empower these students, typically ranging from early childhood through high school, by providing tailored educational programs that emphasize collaboration, innovation, and excellence. Key programs at Dutchess BOCES encompass a range of therapeutic methodologies designed to enhance learning outcomes and promote personal growth. The Extended School Year (ESY) program plays a vital role in helping students maintain their academic skills over the summer months, ensuring they do not experience substantial regression. Additionally, the Career & Technical Institute offers hands-on experiences that prepare students for successful futures in various vocational fields. What sets Dutchess BOCES apart is its commitment to maintaining a low student-teacher ratio, allowing for personalized attention and support. Strong partnerships with families are emphasized as critical components of student success, fostering a community where collaboration flourishes. Unique community events and celebrations further enrich the school experience, reinforcing the value of resilience and achievement among students and staff alike.

Hawk Meadow Montessori School opened in September 2008 on a 6.5-acre wooded campus in the Town of LaGrange and is a full member of the American Montessori Society. We teach children from 18 months to 15 years in a toddler class, two Primary classrooms for ages 3 to 6, Lower and Upper Elementary, and a Middle School program for grades 7 to 9. All of our head teachers have completed in-depth Montessori training. Classrooms use the full range of Montessori materials across practical life, sensorial, math and language, with music, art, Spanish, French, geography and culture woven in. Elementary students ski and snowboard at Butternut on winter Fridays and play tennis and golf in fall and spring. Upper Elementary adds literary analysis, chemistry, a restaurant lunch math project and Montessori Model United Nations. Our Erdkinder middle school pairs Regents math, hands-on science and running a student business with farm work caring for animals and tending crops. Families choose half-day (9 a.m. to noon) or full-day (9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) programs, with before care from 8 a.m. and after care until 6 p.m., plus a summer program.