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Norwich Free Academy details special‑education services as Brooklyn board weighs sending options
Summary
Norwich Free Academy presented academic and special‑education programming to the Brooklyn Board of Education on May 27, 2026; NFA serves 257 special‑education students across four signature programs, has a post‑pandemic soft 4% tuition cap, and proposed a Canterbury pickup to address transportation concerns.
Nathan Quesnel, Head of School at Norwich Free Academy, presented to the Brooklyn Board of Education on May 27, 2026 about NFA’s academic offerings, extracurricular programs and special‑education services as the district considers high‑school sending options.
Quesnel said NFA serves 257 students in special education and described four signature program tiers ranging from full inclusion with push‑in supports to off‑campus alternatives. He identified program names and purposes: a least‑restrictive inclusion model, a blended “Thrive” program combining general and self‑contained instruction, a life‑skills “Functional” program, and an off‑campus “Atlas” program for students with intensive emotional needs. He said NFA provides occupational therapy, physical therapy, Board‑Certified Behavior Analyst services and medical support and that special‑education tuition is reviewed every two years.
Board members raised practical concerns about transportation and scheduling. Mrs. Lyons noted that if Brooklyn designates NFA as a sending high school the district would be required to provide transportation; Quesnel proposed beginning with a partnership that uses a Canterbury pickup location and said any such transportation arrangement could be structured at no cost to Brooklyn Public Schools. Mrs. Lyons also asked about dismissal time; Quesnel said NFA dismisses at 2:10 p.m., a schedule some board members said could complicate parent pickup in Canterbury. Mrs. Wasstrom‑Evans asked about travel time; Quesnel estimated about a 30‑minute ride from NFA to Brooklyn.
Quesnel described the districts’ post‑pandemic master agreement approach to tuition: nine districts negotiate collectively through a five‑year contract and agreed to a soft 4% tuition cap after the pandemic. Board members recalled a prior multi‑year arrangement with NFA that lasted four years after an initial two‑year agreement. Several trustees said they want broader community engagement and additional review of secondary‑school options during the upcoming school year before any formal decision.
The board did not take a formal vote on designating a sending school at the meeting; members agreed that additional discussion and community outreach will be appropriate next year.
