Dear Friend,
At Kennedy Krieger Institute, education is a pathway to possibility. Each day, our educators at our five schools meet students where they are and help them grow into the people they are meant to become. Through highly individualized approaches, our schools support the educational needs of publicly funded students from Maryland and Washington, D.C., who are among the most challenging to educate. Our students typically have intellectual disability, medical and psychiatric complexity, and behavioral challenges. Our approach, which is highly successful, is intended to ensure that every student receives the depth of understanding and the opportunity to achieve that they deserve.
What makes education at Kennedy Krieger so powerful is our commitment to the whole child. Our interdisciplinary teams of educators, classroom aides, therapists, and clinicians work together to create environments where students feel seen, included, and empowered. Progress is celebrated in all its forms because every step forward matters.
In this issue of Kennedy Krieger Magazine, we highlight the future of this work through plans for a Center for Specialized Education Innovation. As you will read, this initiative reflects the insight of one of the nation’s most respected education leaders, Dr. Nancy S. Grasmick, who served as Maryland’s state superintendent of schools for two decades, making her the longest-serving state superintendent in the country. Throughout her distinguished career, she has been a passionate advocate for high standards, along with equity, and innovative approaches in education that help to ensure all students have every opportunity to succeed. Her perspective helps underscore the importance of advancing a precision approach to education through tailored, data-informed strategies designed to meet each student’s unique strengths and challenges.
We are energized by what lies ahead, and we’re excited to bring this vision to life in the years to come. Kennedy Krieger is where students discover what is possible, and where hope happens for every child, every family, and every future.
Warmly,
Bradley L. Schlaggar, MD, PhD
President and Chief Executive Officer
The Zanvyl Krieger Faculty Endowed Chair