Special Needs School Fair FAQs

1. What can I expect to find at the Special Needs School Fair (SNSF)?
You can expect to find representatives from an array of special needs school programs for children from preschool through high school. Schools from the five boroughs, Westchester, and New Jersey will be represented. Additional family resources will also be present.

2. How can I best prepare for the Fair?
There is a list on this site of the schools that will be represented. Look through the list and choose a few schools whose representatives you know you will be interested in speaking with. You might bring some general questions to further refine your school search, such as “Is the building barrier-free?” or “How many children, or staff, are in each classroom?”

3. How is the Fair organized?
The SNSF is organized by the age of the children served by each school. It is situated on three floors at the JCC, roughly divided by the age of the children served.

4. How should I use my time at the Fair?
The SNSF will help you plan for your child’s future educational needs, beginning with this school year. It’s best to prioritize the programs you are most interested in. Often there is a cluster of people waiting to talk to school representatives. We suggest you take the time to wait so you are able to make contact with the representative and gather information according to your interests and your child’s needs.

5. How do I know which schools will be attending?
Click here for the list of participating schools in the 2019 fair. Participants also receive a list of the schools when you arrive at the fair.

6. Do I have to register for the Fair? Is there a fee to attend?
It is recommended that parents register for the fair. There is no fee for families to attend.

7. Should I bring my child?
The SNSF is extremely densely attended—there will be a lot of people. The atmosphere can be overwhelming to some children, and attending to your child’s immediate needs may distract you from acquiring the information you seek. For children who do attend, there is available babysitting.

8. Is there a likely takeaway from the SNSF?
As a parent, meeting the representatives from the schools often gives you a chance to get a feeling about a program that written material or a website cannot provide. Since conversations are brief, the SNSF is not a setting where you will be able to discuss your child in great detail. You may, however, get a sense of where you would like to attend open houses in the coming months.