Judith Simon Bloch, LCSW, founder of VCLC, pioneer and activist in the field of child development, was one of the first professionals in the nation to recognize the need for
early intervention in the field of Special Education.
Mrs. Bloch founded Variety Child Learning Center (VCLC) in 1966, with a small group of children, that had been excluded from typical preschools, establishing the first
therapeutic pre-school for children with learning, language and behavior problems, with
programs for families. She has been an advocate for national public policy changes that address the needs of children with developmental disabilities and their families since 1966.
Mrs. Bloch oversaw every step of the school's expansion and growth, from its one classroom beginning in Garden City to its current full service Learning Center in Syosset, providing services to thousands of children with developmental disabilities, their families and professionals, on- and off-site.
Today, VCLC features year-round special education and therapeutic services for young children and their
families, training programs for child development professionals through the prestigious
Lufrano Training Program,
Child Respite and Recreational Programs.
Featured at national and international professional conferences in Sweden, England, Russia, Budapest, Prague, Chicago, Atlanta, New York and Washington DC, Ms. Bloch frequently presented on the most current child development practices and trends, including her acclaimed
Home/School Collaborative Model (HSCM) and
The Five P's (Parent/Professional Preschool Performance Profile) System.
She created and produced numerous
teaching/training films, featured at major Universities and learning centers for development and sensitization training. A prolific writer, Judith Bloch's work was frequently published in professional and popular
publications.
Ms. Bloch has been the recipient of numerous awards and citations, including; July 2008, VCLC & Judith Bloch were inducted into
Thirteen/WNET New York & WLIW21’s Community Hall of Fame. She was named The Long Island Business News Top 50 Women in Business (2005), New York State Senate Women of Distinction Award (2000, 1998), the National Association of Social Workers New York State Chapter Lifetime Achievement Award (1999), and the Long Island Socially Responsible Entrepreneur of the Year Award (1994).
Judith S. Bloch,
founder of Variety Child Learning Center, was Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of VCLC until her retirement in December 2008. In June of 2009, The Board of Trustees of Variety Child Learning Center named the center-based school at Variety Child Learning Center the Judith S. Bloch School, in her honor. She currently maintains her seat on VCLC's Board of Directors. She continues to advocate for programs that will promote the development of all children. She lives with her husband, Dr. Milton Bloch, in Huntington, NY.
