History
St. Francis Children’s Center was founded in 1968 by Sister Joanne Marie Kliebhan, then head of the Special Education Department at Cardinal Stritch University and Eli Tash, a Jewish businessman and the father of a son with special needs. In those days, the general feeling was that children with special needs should wait until they were “ready” to go to school. However, Sister Joanne Marie and Mr. Tash strongly believed that the earlier these children received services, the more opportunities there would be for them to achieve success. Their shared vision was to someday create a unique learning center that would stimulate the early development of children with special needs…a place where the philosophy and programs would reflect their belief that, “all children can learn if we can learn how to teach them.”
Today, St, Francis Children’s Center provides education, therapy and family support to over 1,200 children and their families each year in the Milwaukee area. Throughout our 50+ year history, we’ve never lost sight of our mission, and we remain as committed today as we were then to maximizing the learning potential of every child we serve.
2010-Present:
2023
In February of 2023, to support our incredible teachers, social workers, therapists and staff, we create a new staff lounge and relaxation hub in the lower level of our building. With multiple seating areas, a kitchenette, a resource library, and charging stations, it’s a place where our hardworking team can get away for lunch, meet with a book group, or focus on quiet work and planning.
2022
St. Francis Children’s Center opens our newly renovated Outdoor Playground which features universally-accessible walkways and play equipment, garden beds, and sensory equipment, ensuring that all children are able to learn and play together in the beautiful outdoors.
At the end of 2022, St. Francis Children’s Center creates a new therapy department to support our Birth to Three Program, with highly-credentialed and highly-regarded Occupational, Physical and Speech Therapists.
Our Family Activity Center takes its programming on the road with a new Dine & Learn series. Partnering with community and faith-based organizations in the City of Milwaukee, we help families who have children with special needs learn about resources and programs that are available.
2020
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, SFCC ensures our classrooms are open, children in our Birth to Three and CLTS programs continue to receive services, and children and adults who participate in our Family Activity Center continue to find friendship and support. Our courageous and dedicated staff served during a period of uncertainty and even in the most difficult circumstances, brought stability and compassion to our families.
2019
For the fifth time, St. Francis Children’s Center was selected as one of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Top Workplaces, which recognizes the best places to work in southeastern Wisconsin.
2018
St. Francis Children’s Center celebrates our 50th Anniversary! With a new logo, new website, and a new vision for the future, we join together with families, alumni, volunteers and staff to reflect on our history and look towards the next 50 years.
2016
Our newest program, the Family Activity Center, opens to serve families of children with special needs throughout the Greater Milwaukee Area. Programming is free and designed to reduce isolation while helping families connect with one another.
2014
Our Early Childhood Education Program receives accreditation by the National Accreditation Commission for Early Care and Education Programs (NAC).
2012
The Exceptional Learning Initiative for Special Education (ELISE Initiative) was dedicated to provide support for special education services for children with special needs younger than three.
2011
We redesigned and built a brand new outdoor play/therapy area designed specifically for our 1-3 year olds. Not only is the new space bigger, but it is now fully accessible to all children.
2010
St. Francis Children’s Center goes green! With the addition of solar panels on our roof, we are able to generate more than 10% of the electricity we use.
2000-2009:
2009
We added bilingual service coordinators to our Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) program to better serve our growing number of Spanish-speaking families.
2008
To accommodate the rapid growth in our CLTS program, we remodeled an underused storage area in our building to create more space for staff.
2007
We remodeled all of our Early Childhood Education classrooms and opened a second Kindergarten classroom to accommodate more families on the waiting list.
2006
We expanded our CLTS Program in Milwaukee County to include children with other severe disabilities including developmental, physical, emotional or sensory impairments.
2004
Our CLTS Program began providing case coordination and support to children with autism over the age of three who are receiving intensive or ongoing in-home therapy services in Milwaukee, Ozaukee and Washington counties.
2003
St. Francis Children’s Center expanded our Early Intervention/Birth to Three services into Ozaukee County to serve an additional 55 children with special needs and their families.
2002
We opened First Friends, a new infant and toddler classroom with part-time schedule options for children with and without special needs.
2001
We started a Center for Autism Resources and Education (CARE) school program to serve children with severe challenges of autism, ages three years through third grade.
1990- 1999:
1999
Early Intervention/Birth to Three services moved more toward the natural environment for each child and family. We visited children in childcare centers, in their homes, or wherever their normal routines took place.
1998
We added a five full-day Kindergarten class to our Early Childhood Education program.
1994
We started an infant childcare program for children with and without special needs.
1996
We changed our name from the Wisconsin Society for Brain-Injured Children to St. Francis Children’s Center, Inc.
1995
State legislation changed…allowing non-city agencies, such as St. Francis Children’s Center, to serve children from Milwaukee Public Schools.
1994
St. Francis Children’s Center hosts our first ever Wine, Beer & Chocolate Tasting Event.
1968-1989:
1989
Our classrooms became integrated to include children with and without special needs.
1988
The south addition to building was completed, almost doubling classroom space.
1974
The new (current) building was dedicated at 6700 North Port Washington Road. Eighty-five children with special needs up to age twelve started receiving services.
1972
We moved to a space at Bayside Middle School to accommodate increased enrollment.
1970
Our first infant class began.
1969
Our first class was held in donated space at Congregation Sinai for seven children ages 2-6.
1968
Parents met at Nicolet High School to discuss the educational options for their children with disabilities. St. Francis Children’s Center founders, Eli Tash and Sister Joanne Marie Kliebhan were present at that now historic meeting.