The Facilitator Center, located at Pace University’s Briarcliff Campus, was established as a resource to nonpublic schools in New York State. The Center offers services pertaining to staff development, information dissemination, and implementation of exemplary programs to elementary and high schools throughout the state. Since its inception in 1984, the Center has worked closely with New York State Education Department and Nonpublic School leaders to support local goals and objectives, and uphold the Commissioner’s efforts to raise learning standards in New York through capacity-building and staff development. Efforts are ongoing to assist schools to meet state and national standards and to educate teachers and administrators regarding alternative assessment models and State initiatives.

Through their years of experience providing service to educators, the Center’s facilitators have gained expertise in how to present professional development programs of high quality to nonpublic school teachers in the cities, suburbs, and rural areas of the State. The facilitators’ strengths lie in their ability to:

• Link appropriate professional development opportunities with schools that need assistance;
• Share relevant information with the nonpublic school community;
• Facilitate the acquisition of materials appropriate to the needs of the nonpublic school.

The Facilitator Center:

• Maintains a network of programs which are considered models of exemplary practices;
• Works consistently with school leaders to build capacity for continuous information seeking and self renewal;
• Helps teachers develop methods and strategies which support excellence in education;
• Assists schools in identifying needs and matching those needs with appropriate staff development programs;
• Coordinates nonpublic school consortium efforts to maximize resources; and
• Enjoys a reputation of recognition and credibility with nonpublic schools in New York State.

Through the establishment of regional nonpublic school consortiums, The Facilitator Center assists school leaders and classroom teachers in strategically utilizing resources to support professional development, drug awareness and prevention programs, promising practices, and technology implementation. Such consortia have allowed nonpublic schools to maintain a positive voice in deciding the best way to continue the exemplary work they do to educate young people in body, mind, and spirit.