It’s been an exciting few weeks for our Matheny School students!
For the first time in four years, we were able to gather for our Prom. The community was thrilled to come together in our Robert Schonhorn Arts Center for a night of dressing up, dancing to good music, and enjoying the company of our friends, colleagues, and wider community. Thank you to all who worked hard to make the Prom possible! See our photo album below – special thanks to photographer Keith Bratcher!
To see videos from our graduation ceremonies earlier this week, check out Matheny’s Facebook page or follow @mathenymedical on Instagram!
Please join us in congratulating our Matheny class of 2023! We can’t wait to see what’s next for all of our students.
Thank you to all who have already registered for our 26th Annual Miles for Matheny! There’s still time to register and join us on Saturday, June 3rd!
At Miles for Matheny, you can choose from one of five different cycling routes (specially designed by our friends the Bedminster Flyers), our USATF-sanctioned 5K, a high-energy Kids Fun Run, or our beloved and traditional Wheelchair Walk.
Know a friend who likes to cycle or run and would resonate with our mission? Spread the word!
Please join the Matheny Team in congratulating Anne Bruno on her recent appointment to the position of Assistant Principal and Director of Curriculum at the Matheny School!
From a young age, Anne knew she wanted to be a teacher. After high school, she worked to make that dream a reality. She graduated from Rowan University in 2011 with a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education with a Teacher of Students with Disabilities certification, as well as a Bachelor’s in History. Upon graduation, Anne began a nine year teaching career in Special Education with placements as an inclusion teacher in a general education classroom, a resource classroom teacher, and teaching students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Behavioral Disorders. After being a part of a few different schools, Anne began to search for ways she could help more than just the students in her classroom get the services and programs they needed, and decided to go back to school. Anne graduated from Montclair State University in 2020 with her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and certifications for School Administration and Superintendent. She joined Matheny in June 2021 as the Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction and is excited and honored to now be in the position of Assistant Principal and Director of Curriculum to better serve our students and staff.
Matheny’s students and community are deeply grateful for Anne’s passion, experience, and expertise!
Halloween landed on a Monday in 2022, but that certainly didn’t dampen the spirits of those participating in our Matheny Halloween parade!
Highly anticipated by Matheny students and patients, the Halloween parade is an amazing reflection of our community’s passion and creativity. We were blown away by many of the costumes this year, including pirates, Ken and Barbie, Catwoman, and characters from Stranger Things, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, and many other shows and movies. Which costume is your favorite?
We’re grateful to our Recreation Therapy team for their hard work coordinating this event. We can’t wait until next year!
We love our Fall and Halloween traditions here at Matheny! Thank you to all who joined us on campus today for Trunk or Treat 2022 – everyone enjoyed a very festive and fun afternoon!
On Thursday, October 13th, we were thrilled to be joined up on the hill by parents, supporters, and community members to celebrate 75 years of Matheny magic! It was wonderful to reconnect with old friends, see some new faces, and share both our history and the exciting plans on the horizon.
Thank you for your support! We cannot wait to continue telling the Matheny story – for the next 75 years, and beyond!
If you were able to join us on Thursday, we hope you had as much fun as we did! If you were unable to attend, we hope you enjoy these video and photo highlights!
It was no ordinary first day of school on Wednesday morning in Peapack! For the first time since March of 2020, the Matheny School is back to operating fully in-person five days a week.
There was an excited buzz on campus as school leadership, teachers, paraprofessionals, and other school staff awaited the students’ arrival. And as the students entered and greeted staff, the halls quickly filled with the welcome sounds of a bustling school building – sounds that have been very missed over the last two and half years. For Director of Curriculum and Assistant Principal Katie Hardgrove, the best part was the smiles on everyone’s faces.
“The resiliency of students and staff has just been so amazing – through virtual learning, and then a hybrid period, as well as quarantines and other hurdles”, she said. “As you go around the classrooms today, you can see how excited and engaged the students and staff are. Everyone is just so excited to see one another.”
The Matheny School currently has 39 students enrolled. The community is also growing, thanks to the recent addition of five new school staff who are eagerly getting to know their new students and colleagues.
When asked what she’s most excited about for the school year, Hardgrove emphasized the re-establishment of a routine. It will certainly take time and patience to fully adjust to this new normal. But as always, the Matheny School maintains its fundamental belief in the students’ talents and potential, as well as its commitment to encourage growth and maximize independence. We can’t wait to see the great work the students will do this year!
David Karner, Vice President of the Lord Stirling School, and board of trustees members, Michael Hecht and Joe Garlayda recently presented a check in the amount of $60,000 to Matheny. The board of the now closed Lord Stirling School disbursed funds to several charities. Their donation to Matheny is earmarked for the Matheny School and life enrichment.
Pictured from left: Anne Bruno, Matheny School Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction; Michael Hecht; Matheny President and CEO Bill Kent; David Karner; Joe Garlayda; and Aimee Hunnewell, Chief Development Officer at Matheny.
Matheny, headquartered in Peapack, NJ is a special hospital and school providing exceptional care and an optimal quality of life for children and adults with special needs and medically complex developmental disabilities.
Somerset Shell gas station raises funds to help people with disabilities
Restas Car Care is participating in Shell’s The Giving Pump promotion. One gas pump at the station will be specially branded as The Giving Pump. Fill up at that pump and part of the purchase will be donated to support Matheny. The promotion runs through September 30th.
Owner Frank Restas has participated for many years in a holiday party hosted by the CARS auto enthusiasts’ organization at Matheny. “Making Matheny the beneficiary of this promotion was an easy choice,” says Restas. “My family and I have enjoyed celebrating the holidays at Matheny for many years.” Matheny’s Chief Development Officer, Aimee Hunnewell, thanked Mr. Restas for his generosity, “We are so lucky that Mr. Restas chose us as a recipient. He is a longtime volunteer and friend to the people we serve and for that we are extremely grateful.”
Restas Car Care is located at 1873 Amwell Road in Somerset, NJ. A family owned business, it is a full service automotive repair shop providing quality car care. Restas Car Care recently celebrated its 75th anniversary.
a special hospital for children and adults with medically complex developmental disabilities
a special education school providing academics and functional life skills for students, ages 3-21
a comprehensive non-profit organization serving people with different abilities from New Jersey and beyond.
Our main campus in Peapack, NJ is home to 101 children and adults with developmental disabilities. Our five group homes, located in Somerset and Warren counties, provide a residence in the community for an additional 30 adults.
Each and every day, our mission is to provide exceptional care and an optimal quality of life for all of our residents, patients, and students.
Matheny offers a comprehensive benefits package along with competitive pay. Benefits include:
Check out our full Miles for Matheny 2022 Photo Album! Thanks to everyone who helped make this wonderful event happen! It was great to gather with our community and supporters.
