Sep 5, 2023, 11:55 AM

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Villa Maria School in Stamford on Tuesday celebrated its 50th anniversary.

The school, located on Skymeadow Drive, was founded by Bernadine Fransican Sisters in the early 1970s. Their mission was to teach students with learning disabilities.

"When I look at our kids, they struggle with language processing disorders and executive functions. Their diagnoses range from dyslexia to ASD to ADHD," Head of School Bill DeHaven said.

DeHaven said students' curriculums are determined based on their disorders. He said Villa Maria works with around 20 public school districts from Connecticut and New York. The school currently has around 60 students from grades 1-9 in attendance.

"Teach the kids so they can go back to their home school. Ultimately, that's our goal," DeHaven explained. 

"It's really a wonderful school with a wonderful tradition, and we're fortunate to have the school in our city," Mayor Caroline Simmons said.