To continue our 50th Anniversary Special, our Marketing Intern, Katie G., interviewed our Executive Director to discuss his experiences at The Calais School, a leading special education school in New Jersey.

As Calais celebrates its 50th birthday, we are thankful for everyone who has made our school and its programs possible! Among these people is our Executive Director, Mr. David Leitner. Mr. Leitner has a Masters of Science in Social Work degree from Columbia University and has been at Calais for a remarkable twenty-six years. Before stepping into his current role of Executive Director, Mr. Leitner served as School Social Worker and Assistant Director.  A fun fact that you may not know about Mr. Leitner is that he used to be in a rock band and write music.

Mr. Leitner’s responsibilities at The Calais School include developing and overseeing school operations, therapeutic supports, and academic programs. Additionally, he volunteers with The Calais Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides grants, programming, and special needs awareness initiatives to Calais’s students and families as well as to the surrounding community.

The Calais School is a private special education school in New Jersey. For 50 years, we have been providing  innovative academic, clinical, and transition programs led by a dedicated team of professionals and administrators. 

 

 

Katie G.: What led you to join The Calais School?

 

Mr. Leitner: I was asked to organize and offer group therapy sessions to middle and high school students by the previous administration.

 

KG: What do you enjoy the most about working at Calais?

 

DL: I love seeing our students smiling when participating in concerts, plays, athletic events, and other [extracurricular] activities, including proms.

 

KG: Over the years, what has been your favorite development or program added to Calais, and why?

 

DL: Without question, my favorite program added to Calais is Animal Assisted Interventions because it helps students succeed with reading, speech, occupational therapy, social skills, and management of anxiety.

 

KG: Of all the positions you’ve held at Calais, which one has been the most interesting or the most fun?

 

DL: Believe it or not, I most enjoy the opportunity to work on multiple projects with multiple people… and dogs. There is no “one thing.”

 

KG: How has working at Calais been beneficial for you?

 

DL: Working at Calais has been immensely beneficial for me because I’ve had many opportunities to make a positive difference in the lives of our students and faculty. The opportunities for camaraderie and growth with such wonderful faculty, staff, and board members have deeply enriched my life.

 

 

We leave you with some words from our Executive Director about his hopes for the future of The Calais School and the community:

“It is my hope that Calais will remain a leader in the special education community for students with multiple disabilities and play a significant role in helping them to exceed expectations. I also hope that Calais will continue to develop, implement, and lead in the creation of programs such as Animal Assisted Interventions and Transition Programs for young adults.”

To learn more about our programs or about referring a student, consider attending a Virtual Open House. Register now for our next one, which will be held on Thursday, May 13 at 1:00 PM.