Debbie Ellenbogen, Day School Parent of Child Served by Gateways
Voice from the Gates: Recognizing Sue Schweber

Good afternoon.

I’m Debbie Ellenbogen, and my husband Hershel and I are the parents of five day school students and one day school graduate.  Eight years ago, when our son was born, we were thrown into an unfamiliar world.  We became parents of a child with special needs. 

But we and he were very lucky. 

Only a few months after he was born, we enlisted the support of the newly formed Jewish Special Education Collaborative, with the goal of ensuring that our son would be able to attend the Striar Hebrew Academy of Sharon. 

When JSEC and Etgar L’Noar merged forces four years ago, and created Gateways, the support they offered to Binny’s Jewish educational experience only became stronger.
Let us be clear about this.

Without the Gateways team and the willing partnership of the Striar Hebrew Academy, our son COULD NOT receive the Day School education that we as parents want for him.   For him to succeed – and to thrive - in his school environment, it takes the work of two dedicated classroom teachers, two talented instructional assistants, one busy special education coordinator, two amazing therapists, one enthusiastic learning specialist, an eager and funny student – and one visionary leader to bring them all together. 

That person is today’s honoree, Sue Schweber. 

Sue is a visionary in the most basic sense of the word.  Because Sue can SEE what others do not. 

Where medical professionals see a diagnosis, Sue sees a person.
Where the educational system sees deficits, Sue sees potential.
Where teachers see complications, Sue sees solutions.
Where people see a child who can’t communicate easily, Sue sees a boy with remarkable stories to tell.
Where society sees what can’t be done, Sue sees only what can. 
Where a community might see Jewish education as a luxury, Sue sees it as a necessity.
Where a traditional outlook can only see differences and separation, Sue sees similarities and integration.
Where the financial bottom line shows only what a student takes from a class, Sue sees what he can give.

As a parent, when confronted with the barriers that impede my child’s access to the education he deserves, I sometimes want to approach the situation with a chunk of c-4 explosives and a detonator. 

Sue knows how to break down those barriers; how to change those closed minds; how to open up the gates. Sue works quietly.  But make no mistake.  She is determined.  Logical.  Knowledgeable.  Passionate.    Tireless.  And her methods are far more effective – and less messy – than anything involving explosives.

This is the way that Sue makes changes – one school, one administrator, one class, one teacher, ONE CHILD – ONE CHILD at a time.

I’d like to close with a comment from our son .
Sue.
I like to make a dog book with you.
It was so crazy.
There was a dog on a motorcycle.  And the dog fell down!! 
I like when you take a movie of me. I want to do it again.
I love you Sue.