Family Resources
IDEAL families, this is your landing spot for a variety of helpful resources. We encourage visitors to look into the ways we support our families, especially the IDEAL Speaker Series, free webinars that are open to the public and of interest to families of children and adults with disabilities. We record the meetings and store them here.
The IDEAL Speaker Series
The IDEAL School of Manhattan begins its fifth annual speaker series. The information is relevant to the families of students with IEPs in Grades K-12+. These online or in-person webinars feature experts in fields related to services, employment, therapies, housing, benefits, and financial planning for children and young adults with disabilities. All presentations are open to the public and held on Google Meet.
- Google Meet link: https://meet.google.com/inm-vrsw-fvp or dial: (US) +1 219-238-6575 PIN: 260 423 943#
- RSVP for a Google Calendar invitation and updates
The IDEAL Speaker Series Season 5
Enrolling for Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) Services and Other Benefits, presented by Dr. Sara Jo Soldovieri
October 16, 2025, 5-6 PM • Recording
For families of students with disabilities of all ages, highly recommended for all IDEAL families who are not currently enrolled in OPWDD or have questions about benefits
The IEP Process and IDEAL Support for Families of Children With IEPs, presented by Tara Slinn
November 11, 2025, 9-10 AM • Recording • Slide deck
For Lower School families of students with disabilities
Planning for the Future of a Child with a Disability: Utilizing Special Needs Trusts & ABLE Act Accounts, presented by Stephen Ehrens
January 22, 7-8 PM
For families of students with disabilities
Changing Bodies, Growing Lives: CP Through Adolescence and Beyond, presented by Dr. Lisa Yoon
Thursday, February 5, 2026, 5:30-6:30 PM
For people with cerebral palsy, parents, caregivers, and professionals working with people of all ages
Inclusive Postsecondary Programs, presented by Dr. Katie Ducett
Spring 2026, Date TBD: March 12, April 9, or April 16
For Upper School families of students with disabilities
How to Carry Over Therapy Goals at Home Over the Summer, presented by Amanda Corneau and IDEAL Speech and Occupational Therapists
May or June 2026, Date TBD
For families of students receiving related services
Resources and Recordings from Season 4
Special Education 101: A to Z of Special Education -- October 24, 2024
Thanks to speaker Francesca Antorino from Cuddy Law for sharing her presentation slides
For families of students with disabilities of all ages
How to Carry Over School and Therapy Goals at Home -- December 17, 2024
Speakers: IDEAL Therapy Team led by Amanada Corneau and Rachel Feinberg
For families of students in Grades K-12+ • Recording
College and Postsecondary Alternatives for Students with Disabilities -- January 15, 2025
Speakers: IDEAL College and Postsecondary Counselor Brooke Wiese and representatives from various college programs
For families of students in Grades 8 through 11 seeking accommodations in colleges and support for students with disabilities
Recording
Intro to Adult Services and OPWDD -- February 20, 2024, 5-6 PM
Speaker: Kevin Crooks of Job Path
For families of students with disabilities of all ages • Recording
Self-Direction Funding -- March 4, 2025
Speaker: Susan Golkin of Shivoo
For families of High School students with disabilities who are enrolled or plan to enroll in services from the Office of People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) • Recording
Supported Decision-Making as an Alternative to Guardianship -- April 3, 2025
Speakers: Joan Cornacchio and Gina Riley of Supported Decision-Making NY
For families of students with disabilities who are seeking more information on guardianship versus supported decision-making • Recording
What Comes Next: Employment, Postsecondary Education, and Life After High School for People with Disabilities --April 14, 2025
Speaker: Amy Shuman, Professor Emeritus at The Ohio State University, co-founder and director of the Disability Studies Program
For all families of students with disabilities • Recording
OPWDD Housing -- May 15, 2025
Speaker: Cayle White
For families of students with disabilities of all ages • Recording
Uniform and Dress Code
Uniform and Dress Code guidelines
The IDEAL School of Manhattan requires students in Grades K-8 to wear a school uniform. The guidelines for the uniform are as follows:
- A polo or collared shirt, embroidered with the school’s logo. Shirts must be one of the school-selected colors (red, white, navy, black, gray)
- Khaki, black, or navy pants, shorts, skirt, or jumpers (jumpers need to be embroidered with the school’s logo)
- Solid colored tights or leggings (navy, black, gray) may be worn under a skirt or jumper, but not as pants alone.
- A solid-colored sweater, sweatshirt, or fleece in red, white, navy, or gray, with no writing or decals other than the school logo
- Rubber-soled athletic shoes appropriate for stairs, PE, recess, class trips, and active learning
IDEAL clothing and uniforms can be purchased through the Lands’ End website. To order school uniforms, go to: landsend.com/90011984. If you are searching by name: The IDEAL School of Manhattan
Adaptive Uniform Options
Several clothing companies feature inclusive lines of adaptive clothing designed for easy dressing. Please contact your child's teacher or download this document for more information.
Further uniform information
- Each day, students should wear sneakers or shoes that are appropriate for physical education class as well as recess and class trips outside of the school. Clogs, crocs, sandals with open toes, shoes with heels, winter boots, and shoes with wheels are not allowed for safety reasons
- Each month, the first Friday that school is in session will be a dress-down day. On these days, students are not required to come to school in uniform. The school does require that students wear clothes that are appropriate for a school setting, recess, art, and all other activities on these days.
- If a student comes to school out of dress code, they will be provided with a uniform shirt to be worn over their clothing and returned at the end of the day. If a student is consistently sent to school out of dress code, this will warrant a conversation between the school and the student’s family.
- Students in kindergarten through third grade should have a complete change of clothes at the school (including shoes and underwear) in case they need to change. Please make sure that the clothing is appropriate in size and for the particular season. All clothing should be marked with the student’s name.
Guidelines for the High School dress code
High School students are not required to wear uniforms. All clothing must be appropriate for a school setting. Final decisions on the appropriateness of clothing rest with the Middle or High School Head. The following guidelines should be observed:
- Undergarments should not be visible
- No bare midriffs on boys or girls
- No low cut shirts where cleavage is visible
- No off-the-shoulder shirts or tank tops with spaghetti or narrow straps
- Pants may be baggy, but underwear should not be visible while sitting or standing
- Head coverings may be worn for religious or medical reasons or formal head wraps such as scarves. Casual hats, bonnets, hoods, etc. are never permitted.
Summer Work
2025-26 Upper School Summer Work
The files below are for students entering the noted grades in the 2025-26 school year. Note: Lower School teachers share summer work directly with parents via email.
Middle School Standard Summer Work Letter
Middle School Foundations A Summer Work Letter
Middle School Foundations B Summer Work Letter
High School Standard Summer Work Letter
High School Honors Summer Work Letter
High School Foundations AB Summer Work Letter
High School Foundations C Summer Work Letter
Bookshare will become available when students receive their IDEAL gmail account. Downloading books with other digital platforms as an adjunct to a paper copy is a good option.
DOE Reimbursement
Tuition Reimbursement for Placement Made by Parents in a Private School
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You have the right to a free appropriate public education for your child.
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If you are the parent of a child who previously received special education programs and/or services through the school district and you place your child in a private school, you are responsible for the cost.
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However, if you can prove at an impartial hearing or State-level court appeal that the school district did not provide your child with a free appropriate public education in a timely manner prior to that enrollment in private school and that the school you choose is appropriate to meet your child’s educational needs, the school district may be required to reimburse you for the cost of the placement.
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Your reimbursement may be denied or reduced if you do not:
a) Inform the school district at the most recent CSE or CSPE meeting you attend that you are rejecting the placement proposed by the school district and state your concerns and that you will be placing your child at a private school at public expense, or
b) Provide the school district with written notice of at least ten business days prior to placing your child in the private school. Note that there are exceptions for special circumstances. -
If the school gave you written notice prior to your removing your child from public school that it wants to evaluate your child, you must make your child available for the evaluation. If you refuse to make your child available, any request for tuition reimbursement may be reduced or denied.
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If you do not inform the school district or make your child available for the evaluation, or if there are other unreasonable actions on your part, an impartial hearing officer or court may reduce or deny the reimbursement of costs of the private school for your child.
Source: The University of the State of New York
The State Education Department
VESID
Albany, NY 12234
The IDEAL School of Manhattan does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial assistance, and other school-administered programs.