Schools
PCCD Names Day School in honor of co-founder
Executive Director Emeritus, Veryl D. Anderson led the Professional Center for Child Development for 44 years
The Professional Center for Child Development (PCCD), an organization that provides a wide-range of educational and therapeutic programs to meet the needs of children of all abilities throughout Northeast Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire, announced today it is renaming its Developmental Day School in honor of the school’s trailblazing co-founder and longtime leader, Veryl D. Anderson.
The newly renamed Anderson School honors Ms. Anderson’s legacy, who co-founded what was then known as Christ Church Professional Nursey in Andover alongside Cynthia B. Stocking in 1973, then went on to serve the organization for 44 years as an Executive Director before retiring in 2017. During her career, Ms. Anderson oversaw the transformation of the school into an internationally recognized leader in special education. Today PCCD serves more than 2,000 children annually with a $7.5 million annual budget and 120 employees.
“The Professional Center for Child Development would never have become the leader in special education we are today without Veryl’s vision, energy, and commitment,” said Chris Hunt, executive director PCCD. “She devoted her entire career to creating programs maximizing opportunities for children with disabilities and special needs to fulfill their potential. Naming the school in her honor grounds us in our history, officially recognizes the inspiration she provided, and the enduring foundation she built for our programs.”
Steve Smith and Kristen Smith are parents of Avery Smith, a former student at PCCD who graduated in 2014. Steve and Kristen Smith said: “The PCCD that Veryl built is a wonderful facility and an amazing collection of people to bring its vision to life. It is hard to put into words how much we appreciate the PCCD and its staff for being there for Avery and our family at a time where it felt like life was quicksand under our feet.”
The Anderson School at PCCD is the organization’s longest running program and is located at 32 Osgood St. in Andover, MA. The school provides educational and therapeutic services for students ages 3-12 who have multiple disabilities, moderate to severe developmental delay, complex care needs or medical needs. The stimulating classroom setting is combined with an individualized learning approach to fit within the state’s framework of curriculum. In addition to speech, physical and occupational therapy there is room for individual therapy, music therapy, and pet therapy. The school has welcomed many guest speakers who volunteer to read to the students, including Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and his wife, First Lady Lauren Baker.
Through Veryl’s decades of leadership and conviction, she inspired others to provide compassionate care, support and education to all children and families, including those impacted by disabilities, developmental delays, or medical needs. These ideals were rooted in her professional training as a nurse and are modeled throughout the agency’s programs to this very day. As the Professional Center for Child Development approaches its 50th anniversary, the dedication of the Developmental Day School in honor of Veryl is the first step in remembering the school’s history.
About the Professional Center for Child Development
Located in Andover, MA, the Professional Center for Child Development places children of all abilities on a path leading to achievement by providing support services so they may remain in a secure environment, teaching parents and caregivers to be successful advocates for children, working to transition children into settings beyond the classrooms, and educating public organizations on how to provide continued community-based support for children with and without special needs.
