Dr. Sally L. SoverChanging Lives. Building Futures.

A Message from Dr. Sally L. Sover, Executive Director

The Cove school 70 YearsFor 75 years, Cove has served as a vital stepping-stone in our community, helping children with learning disabilities develop the skills and self-confidence required to successfully transition to community schools or post-secondary education. We provide a comprehensive, individualized approach to learning. At Cove, we recognize the complex learning needs of students with learning disabilities, and we provide the integrated specialized services that contribute greatly to their success.

Cove parents, teachers and specialists work hand-in-hand to ensure the best possible educational plans for our students. When students arrive at Cove, they immediately feel the difference that comes from a nurturing, supportive environment. They feel safe, yet challenged, to reach their fullest potential, and they often make new friends, establishing the social relationships that are so important in life.

If you know a child who could benefit from an enhanced learning environment, we invite you to explore our website and visit our school for an in-depth personal tour. We look forward to sharing our vision for a world where every child finds the tools they need to adapt, to learn, and to grow.

Sincerely,
Dr. Sally L. Sover

Executive Director

Our History

Making Waves

Dr. Laura Lehtinen RoganThe Cove School was the nation’s first school founded exclusively for the education of children with learning disabilities. To this day, it remains the premier school in the field.

The school was founded in 1947 by Dr. Alfred A. Strauss, a child psychiatrist-neurologist, and his research assistant, Dr. Laura Lehtinen Rogan, a teacher and educational psychologist. Together, they opened a residential facility for children between the ages of six and twelve. The school’s name comes from its original location on the sleepy cove of Lake Michigan in Racine, Wisconsin, on property owned by the DeKoven Foundation, an Episcopalian religious group.

In 1950, while Dr. Strauss and his wife Marie maintained the Racine facility, Dr. Lehtinen Rogan opened the first Cove day school in Evanston, Illinois. After a couple of local moves, the school’s Board of Trustees purchased an historic mansion at 1100 Forest Avenue using funds donated by parents and benefactors. In 1973, after extensive remodeling, the mansion became the new home of The Cove School in Illinois.

Both the residential and the day schools remained operational until the residential facility in Racine was closed permanently in 1968. Eventually, as enrollment grew, a high school program was added and by the early 1980s, it became clear that the school required more space. In July of 1986, The Cove School moved to the historic Skokie School building, a former public school at 520 Glendale Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois, where it remained for the next 10 years. Finally, on July 15, 1996, The Cove School moved to its current location at 350 Lee Road, Northbrook, Illinois, completing a major property renovation in the fall of 2006.