At Cardinal McCloskey, we prioritize equipping youth and adults with the skills and resources needed to achieve educational success and independence. Through our Preparing Youth for Adulthood and Fair Futures initiatives, we offer mentorship, job exploration, and career readiness training that pave the way for smooth transitions into the workforce. Participants receive personalized guidance and support as they build essential life skills, explore career options, and set achievable goals for their professional futures.
Cardinal McCloskey Community Services Charter School is committed to providing inclusive, high-quality educational programs that promote growth and development for children and families. Our offerings include Home-Based and Center-Based Programs, which support learning and family engagement, as well as a Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program that nurtures early childhood development. Through our holistic Strategies for Success, we address the unique needs of each child, helping them build a strong foundation for academic and social achievement.
The Early Childhood Education section of this website is supported by Grant Number #02CH011001 from the Office of Head Start within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Neither the Administration for Children and Families nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of Cardinal McCloskey Community Services and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Administration for Children and Families and the Office of Head Start.
Full daycare for working parents.
The Cardinal McCloskey Community Charter School focuses on recruiting students in foster care, families of students receiving preventive services, students from ECED, and students with disabilities who live in School District 10. The charter school addresses the needs of these students by providing a rigorous academic program in a trauma-sensitive environment that gives students comprehensive wraparound services and support. The school is open to all students from kindergarten through 5th grade.
The newest addition to the Connect to Success program has been expanding to the community outside of the foster care children and youth and offering a School based mental health initiative in the Charter and Catholic Schools. The charter school has opened an Article 31 satellite clinic where a licensed clinician provides individual and family therapy while the Catholic Schools utilize school psychologists to work closely with both selected elementary and high schools to provide individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, social emotional learning, behavioral management and assessments. The plan is to reach more schools and to open satellites within the Catholic schools.
Cardinal McCloskey Community Services’ Fair Futures program also has 4 youth coaches who worked more effectively with adolescents who are grappling with the complex effects of trauma. As many lack the initiative or drive needed to apply for alternative educational or vocational programs, these adolescents benefit from a coach with a small caseload that dedicates the needed time to help them develop new skills and take healthy risks and new steps towards their future. Youth Coaches focus not only on educational and vocational goals, they also guide youths in developing goals in the areas of housing and permanency. Tutoring has already been an element of the educational advocacy for several years, and we have continued investing in 1:1 home tutoring. Youths in elementary school are referred to Faculty Tutoring. Through the Fair Futures Model, we partner with NY Foundling Road to Success tutoring for youths in middle school and high school.
Finally, CMCS Connect to Success Program has a dedicated housing specialist who has assists youth with obtaining NYCHA housing vouchers, CityFephs vouchers and supportive housing. Several youth since fair futures was implemented have obtaining their own apartments and have maintained them long term through the programs support.
CMCS is committed to achieving increased outcomes in the four identified goal areas of the Fair Futures Model: education, employment, housing and permanency. Through the Fair Futures staffing modeling, including youth coaches and housing specialist, the youth have highly benefited from the support offered to achieve goals in the outcome areas. CMCS has seen increased progress in these areas, particularly for those youth aging out of care.
Our Preparing Youth for Adulthood (PYA) program currently services youth 14 years and older, assisting them with developing independent living skills necessary for a successful transition to adulthood. Our PYA model utilizes trips and activities to teach, model and internalize independent living skills through a variety of modalities. Our program also utilizes opportunities for internships with our Children’s Services programs and helps youth develop skills needed for college and the world of work. The PYA program staff, specifically our College and Career Specialist, diligently works with youth on fostering college success, applying for supportive programs such as the Administration for Children Services (ACS) Dorm Project and on ensuring youth are able to finance college through free resources and/or state financial aid.
Since 2008, CMCS has secured private funding to fully fund educational advocacy program for children in foster care, known as Strategies for Success. This program works with youth to build a foundation in preparation for entering and graduating high school. An educational coordinator works with children in foster care from Pre-K through 5th grade ensuring their educational needs are met, including advocating for services and a change in education setting, if needed. Strategies staff assist with a range of education-related services such as transportation, securing of support services, and the Pre-K, Kindergarten, and middle school application process. Because of the increased need for advocacy in his area, we also have a Middle School Specialist to conduct the 1:1 intentional work with Middle School youth through the Fair Futures model. Middle School Specialist ensures that the youth are connected to the supports they need to succeed in middle school and be prepared for high school.
Cardinal McCloskey Community Services is committed to achieving successful futures and positive outcomes in the areas of education, employment, housing and permanency for our youth placed in foster care. Our current Youth Development Program, “Connect to Success” program incorporates a continuum of service delivery including services provided by the Preparing Youth for Adulthood (PYA) program, Strategies for Success, our educational advocacy program, Fair Futures and our work in the Cardinal McCloskey Community Charter School and Bronx Catholic Schools. Cardinal McCloskey’s goal is to ensure that all of children and youth are benefitting, according to their needs, from the continuum of Youth Development Programming.
A comprehensive Early Childhood Education program serving low-income families in the Bronx by providing high-quality preschool education for children aged three to five years old. Our program aims to prepare children for success in school and life by focusing on their physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development. In addition to Early Childhood Education, CMCS also offers family support services, including health screenings, nutrition education, and referrals to community resources.
These programs are established to provide early, continuous, intensive, and comprehensive child development and family support services year-round. Classrooms are colorful, clean, and provide a safe and nurturing environment for infants and toddlers to grow and develop genuine relationships with caring and responsive teachers/caregivers. Pregnant women, infants, and toddlers, are served through our Early Head Start programs. Early Head Start programs are available to families from birth to 3 years old.
Center-Based programs offer full day, year around care for children, education and child development services. These services are a safe, positive learning environment for children ages 6 months to 5 years old. They play, and build the skills that get them ready for kindergarten and beyond.
Education and child development services are delivered to children primarily in a private home or family-like setting. Six family childcare providers operate sufficient hours to meet the childcare needs of families. Department of Education (DOE)/Family Child Care Network (Birth to 4 years old) DOE Family Child Care Network is a comprehensive program that is affiliated with more than 34 licensed Family and Group Child Care Providers that provide quality childcare to children.
A high-quality program funded by the New York State Department of Education that provides learning experiences that are grounded in children’s interests and development. Offering a safe, positive learning environment for children to learn, play, and build the skills that prepare them for kindergarten and beyond.
Please contact us with any questions you may have about those we serve or the work that we do at Cardinal McCloskey Community Services.
