At a Glance
A Catholic, Dominican-heritage school dedicated to educating blind and visually impaired children from early childhood through young adulthood.
Best suited for
Families of blind or visually impaired children — particularly those drawn to a faith-based, independence-focused environment — who want small, specialized support from early childhood onward.
What stands out
- One of the few schools in the New York region exclusively serving blind and visually impaired students from ages 3 through 21.
- Founded on the Catholic tradition and ongoing mission of the Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt, with an emphasis on compassion and whole-child development.
- Receives New York State Education Department approval and is funded through the state's 4201 and 4410 programs for students who are blind or deaf.
- Offers distinct programmatic tracks — Preschool/Early Childhood, Life Skills, REACH, and Transition — designed to evolve as students grow older.
- Rolling admissions, with a Summer Program supplementing the academic year.
Things to consider
- This is a specialized school, not a general education option — it exists specifically to serve blind and visually impaired children.
- The listed tuition reflects the cost of services; families typically access the school through state funding mechanisms rather than paying privately.
- Public parent reviews are scarce, so it can be harder to gauge day-to-day family experience from outside.
- Subway access requires a substantial walk (11–17 minutes), so families without cars should plan commutes carefully.
- The school spans ages 3–21, so the experience at the elementary level is quite different from the adolescent and transition programs.
Identity
A New York State-approved specialized school founded on the Catholic tradition of the Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt, serving blind and visually impaired students. While the listed grade band covers pre-K through 5, the school's programs extend well beyond elementary, running through age 21. The approach combines developmental and functional strategies aimed at fostering independence and educating the whole child.
Community
Lavelle serves a uniquely defined population — blind and visually impaired children — rather than a neighborhood catchment, so families travel from across the region. Public demographic breakdowns for the student body aren't available, and reviews on major platforms are limited. The school's Catholic Dominican heritage shapes its culture, though it welcomes students of all backgrounds.
Neighborhood
The school sits on Paulding Avenue in Williamsbridge-Olinville, a residential Bronx neighborhood where the median household income is around $55,600 and about one in five adults holds a bachelor's degree. It's a working- and middle-class area — modest but stable — and the campus itself is part of a quiet residential block rather than a commercial strip.
Getting there by subway means a real walk: the 225 St (2 5) stop is about 12 minutes on foot, 219 St (2 5) about 11 minutes, and 233 St (2 5) about 17 minutes.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Limited parent reviews available; one source has no reviews, while another shows a 3.7 rating
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is LAVELLE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for LAVELLE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in Williamsbridge-Olinville.
- What grades does LAVELLE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND serve?
- LAVELLE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into LAVELLE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND?
- LAVELLE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is LAVELLE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND public, charter, or private?
- LAVELLE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND is a private school.
- What neighborhood is LAVELLE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND in?
- LAVELLE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND is in Williamsbridge-Olinville, Bronx.