Cypress Place

Board of Trustees Back to Home Marian Center School and Services Mission The mission of the Marian Center is to educate, train and serve persons with a developmental disability and assist them to wholeness, pursuant to the dictates of the Gospel and of the Church's call to love, charity and Justice.Founded and incorporated in October, 1963 the Marian Center began its first school year in the Fall of 1964 with the goal of providing a quality education to students with developmental disabilities, at the highest individual level each was capable of achieving. Coleman F. Carroll, then the Bishop of Miami, asked The Sisters of St. Joseph Cottolengo to start a school specifically to serve this population. Eleven Sisters traveled to Miami from Italy on October 21, 1963: Sisters Lucia, Consolata, Enrichetta, Giuseppina, Carla, Paola, Ada, Enrica, Maria, Giovanna and Giulana. Today there are four highly trained, qualified and experienced Sisters. Three have been here since 1963 ( Sister Lucia, Sister Carla, Sister Paola ) and Sister Lidia, who came from Italy in 1996. There is also a specialized and caring staff of professional teachers, aids, therapists, and support staff.