| Over thirty years ago, I stood at the counter in rented space in a church office on Almansor Street in Alhambra and welcomed four students to their first day in their new school, The Almansor Center. Their hesitant smiles and uncertainty matched my own. As a young teacher with no experience running a school, I was taking on a challenge without an “instruction manual”. All I could really count on was my determination to do my best for each one of these so-called “difficult to teach” students. Somehow I knew without a doubt that each child was indeed a “pearl” and that with dedication and persistence, we could illuminate the potential within each child.
Founded in 1974, today The Almansor Center, under the auspices of the Institute for the Redesign of Learning, reaches nearly 3,500 children and young adults annually as well as providing support to families from 37 communities in the greater Los Angeles area and the West San Gabriel Valley. Almansor’s 225 professional and support staff work collaboratively to offer a full-range of services in five program areas: Special Education Day School, Mental Health Services on 40 public and private school campuses, Early Education programs, Transition and Adult Services, and Community Outreach Services to 94 Head Start sites and the Juvenile Justice System.
Over the last 30 years, our mission has been simple and straight forward: to empower individuals to take charge of their own learning process and become competent, caring and contributing members of society. With the support of a committed group of students and consumers, parents and caregivers, professional and support staff, board members and community supporters, we have joined together in a profound endeavor…illuminating young minds, one pearl at a time. Please accept my heartfelt gratitude for your support.
Dr. Nancy J. Lavelle
Founder and President
The Institute for the Redesign of Learning is a multi-service, community based education and training facility for special needs clients and students, at-risk youth, and adults.
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