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History of New Perceptions, Inc.
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| Group of early supporters standing outside of the "Retarded Children School". |
New Perceptions was founded by a group of concerned parents in 1952, because
appropriate services for their special needs children did not exist at that time.
It began as Riverside School in the basement of the First Presbyterian Church in
Covington. A similar school, Good Counsel, opened soon after in two locations:
Corpus Christi Church in Newport and St. Aloysius School in Covington.
Both schools were successful and, to better serve their clients, merged in the
mid-1960s. Then, due to growing public demand, Riverside-Good Counsel built its
own school in 1972 that offered kindergarten through high school classes and
related programs to children with special needs.
During the next years, Riverside-Good Counsel brought developmental education
into the home, allowing families to participate in preparing their children for
the future. It also opened an Activity Center that engaged adults in meaningful
employment.
Societal shifts, focusing on inclusion for all, came in the 1970s. It was federally
mandated that school-aged students be transitioned into public school programs by
1976. The focus became the expansion of adult employment programs and offering
more pre-school education to individuals with mental retardation or a wide variety
of developmental disabilities.
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| Staff members from the Riverside-Good Counsel school, taken in the mid 1970's. |
Riverside-Good Counsel officially changed its name to New Perceptions, Inc.
in 1985.
Today, New Perceptions serves over 700 children and adults with developmental
disabilities by providing opportunities for education, growth and employment in
a normalized setting. What began as concerned parents wanting the best that life
had to offer for their disabled children has become an organization driven by the
success and passion for those individuals who at one time were lost within a system
that did not understand their "special needs". Since our doors opened in 1952, we
have been pioneers in developing services and programs to ensure that these individuals
are not lost in a system, but treated as individuals as we specialize in their confidence
and success!
Historical Highlights of New Perceptions:
| 1952 |
After many years of effort and preparation by parents and volunteers, Riverside School opens in the basement of First Presbyterian Church on West Fourth Street in Covington moving the next year to 430 Garrard Street and opening an Adult Activity Center also. |
| 1953 |
Riverside School moves to 430 Garrard Street and an Adult Activity Center opens. |
| 1955 |
Msgr. John Elsaesser, Superintendent of Schools, Diocese of Covington, opens Good Counsel School at two locations: Corpus Christi Church in Newport with Sr. Josephine Marie, C.D.P.; and St. Aloysius School with Sr. Wendeline Burkhard, O.S.B., five years later moving to St. Patrick School. |
| 1961 |
St. Patrick School and Corpus Christi School combine to form Good Counsel School in their own building at Mother of God School. |
| 1966 |
Riverside School and Good Counsel School merge to promote construction of a new building for all school-age programs. |
| 1969 |
Kenton Adult Work Activity Center opens at Riverside-Good Counsel. |
| 1970 |
Riverside Good Counsel officially dedicates the new building in Fort Wright, offering classes for students kindergarten through high school. |
| 1973 |
Home based developmental services begins for school age children and young adults in order to include their families in this developmental education process. |
| 1974 |
Campbell Adult Work Activity Center opens at Ft. Thomas Armory beginning an exciting journey into contracted sale of assembly and packaging services. |
| 1974-1976 |
All school age students transition into public school programs with Kenton County Schools. Riverside Good Counsel continues to offer developmental education programs for pre-school age children and employment programs for adults. |
| 1978 |
Home based services expand to include infants and toddlers with developmental delays. |
| 1983 |
Separate preschool classes close and children transition into community preschools with Riverside Good Counsel teachers providing help in developmental skills and full inclusion. |
| 1985 |
Riverside Good Counsel changes its name to NEW PERCEPTIONS, INC. Supported Employment begins and helps adults learn and keep jobs in community businesses. |
| 1990 |
New Perceptions, Inc. moves to present location on Sperti Drive in Edgewood bringing adult site based programs, and all staff of children and adult programs and administration to one location. Programs continue to expand for both children and adults in the community. |
| 1997 |
Adult Life Skills program begins and helps adults participate in community activities. |
| 1998 |
New Perception's building becomes fully accessible with the addition of automatic doors and an elevator, opening up the second floor to program use. |
| 1999 |
Sensory Integration group program begins for babies with sensory dysfunction. Collaborative employment project officially starts between our Supported Employment department, Kenton County School to Work Transition Program and St. Elizabeth Medical Center "Project Employ" - placing and training adults and senior high school students in jobs in the medical field at St. Elizabeth Medical Center. |
| 2001 |
Adult site-based employment expands with three new staff and ten new clients. Created Division IV. |
| 2002 |
Celebrated 50 years of service to children and adults of northern Kentucky. NPI received certification by the Social Security Administration as an Employment Network provider for the Ticket-to-Work and Self-Sufficiency Program. |
| 2003 |
Therapeutic Massage training for infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities is offered for parents and caregivers. |
| 2004 |
"Closing the Gap" summer program for 3 year olds, held for 12 weeks to prepare toddlers with disabilities for school. |
Mission Statement:
To promote the welfare of children and adults with developmental disabilities (and their families) by providing opportunities for education, growth and employment in a normalized setting, in order to facilitate each individual's achievement to their maximum potential.
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