Who could have known that what began with one student and one teacher in a church building, would grow into the nationally recognized organization known as Ivymount? From the beginning, we have stayed true to our founding mission to meet unmet needs in the community and to help individuals live their best lives. Each of Ivymount’s six decades is distinguished by new programs, educational innovation, investing in staff excellence, and a commitment to supporting student and client outcomes.
“The history of Ivymount is unique because it spans the history of special education as a legally recognized need in the United States,” wrote the authors of No Other Place – Ivymount, the First Fifty Years. “The evolution from almost no special classes and no laws in 1960, when the idea of the school took form, to the vast array of programs and laws that we see today is a remarkable tale – a tale of institutions and legal mandates and, especially of students, parents and teachers.”
Founded in 1961 as the Christ Church Child Center, Ivymount now serves more than 250 families and employs 240 staff as the non-profit Ivymount Organization. Across six decades, we have created intensive, evidence-based programs and services to meet the changing needs of a neuro-divergent community that is evolving its own definition and advocacy.
Excellence, Partnership, and Caring
The Ivymount Organization now includes the Ivymount School, The Maddux School, Endeavors Outreach, Community Outreach & Services, and the Professional Collaborative. Ivymount shares the expertise of our schools with the wider community through therapeutic and recreation programs and services, partnerships with leading universities and organizations, plus professional consultation, and products.
“We continue to meet our mission by ensuring student progress, staff excellence, and community leadership,” says CEO and Executive Director Susan Holt, who was a longtime director of the Autism and Outreach programs before becoming only the third Executive Director in our 60+ year history. “Each day, I see the compassion and attention that our staff put into each interaction at Ivymount. When families tell us we’ve transformed their lives, we know we’re doing our best work.”
To support Ivymount in moving forward with momentum and transforming the lives of students and families, click here.
