NJ Jewish News | Supporters raise funds at events promoting special-needs program

by Norm Oshrin
Special to NJ Jewish News

Supporters of the Special Education Academy of Deal (SEAD) pledged $250,000 for the program at a July 9 breakfast fund-raiser at the Elberon home of Moe and Shelly Sutton.

The 150 guests heard presentations on the school-based program, which serves children with a variety of neurological challenges — from learning disabilities and developmental delays to Down syndrome.

“As we enter our fifth year,” said Morris Sutton, Moe’s nephew and the school’s founder and director, “many in the community still do not know about the program serving them. So we had a breakfast to raise awareness of our school and to ask people for their support.”

Sutton’s 14-year-old twin sons, Alfred and Lenny — whom he described as “mentally developmentally delayed” — are among the 20 children attending the school, housed in the Torah Academy of Monmouth County in Eatontown.

“It’s an oasis in the desert,” he said. “A warm, safe school providing for their education and special needs — as well as a social environment in the mainstream.”

The school staff comprises five special-ed teachers and seven assistants. The children — who are assigned into different grades according to age and need — attend for a full school day, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Diana Kuessos’ 10-year-old twins, Nechama and Batya — both with Down syndrome — have been in the program since its founding four years ago. Kuessos, who lives in Long Branch, characterized it as “very valuable.”

Bonnie Nahama of Elberon was more expansive in her praise for the school. “My seven-year-old son, Isaac, has a speech problem,” she explained. “He had a very hard time speaking until he was three.” Unfortunately, she said, “I didn’t see him getting the help he needed in the public school system.”

After one year in SEAD, however, “he sat down and did his homework,” she said. “He’s reading Hebrew and knows all the letters in the alphabet. His vocabulary — I can’t believe how much he’s learned.

“If I had a scale of one to 10,” she added, “I’d give it a 10. This program is amazing.”

A major feature of the July 9 breakfast meeting, according to Mashy Gutterman, SEAD’s educational director, was the showing of a video presentation depicting the services offered by the school.

“It’s very powerful,” said Gutterman. “You can talk and talk, but when you see it, you really get a picture of the kind of kids we’re talking about.”

Morris Sutton said he was excited about the results from the July 9 breakfast meeting — the first of several planned awareness events.

“We did well. I think we got at least 50-75 percent of our budget [$500,000] pledged. Word is getting around,” he said, adding, “Honestly, it’s sort of reaching a point where people are becoming more aware of what we’re doing.”

So much so, he said, “we are looking for more space within the existing yeshiva building and having additional classes.”

For the first four years, school tuition was $12,000 per student. But, looking ahead to next year, Sutton explained on July 20, it has been raised to $26,000 — a steep increase, he acknowledged.

“We wanted to be fiscally responsible and in line with other special-ed programs,” he said. “We are setting up a system to make sure parents can work with our tuition committee” and devise other means “to help support the school gap between tuition and costs.”

The goal, he emphasized, is to assure that no child is ever turned away.

For information, visit SEAD | call 732-438-5573.