Celebrating the past three years of MVCSD Special Education Department after-school programs for students with IEPs
The Special Education Instruction Team (SEIT), comprised of Special Education Supervisor Dr. Joyce Corpas and Special Education Instructional Coach Teyana Hawkins, had the pleasure of contributing to the planning, coordination and implementation of two Districtwide special education after school programs in recent years.
The Special Education Extended Day (SEED) and For Our Children’s Unique Social and Emotional Development (FOCUSED) are after school programs for students with individualized education programs (IEPs) and have been available for the past three years at several schools within the Mount Vernon City School District.
The Special Education Department is currently being led by Director of Special Education Michelle McKitty-Bromley and Director of Special Education Compliance Dr. Kellie Ramsey.
The SEED and FOCUSED programs were supported by a special funding grant. The themes of the programs for each of the past three years included “Let’s Have a Party,” “Food for Thought” and “Let’s Get Down to Business.” Ms. Hawkins and Dr. Corpas worked closely with the staff and students to assist and support them with all areas of the program.
The lessons and activities were aligned with the themes. This year’s theme was "Let's Get Down to Business." Students explored what it entails to think of and start their own business and to be entrepreneurs.
In the FOCUSED Program, designed for students in ungraded and cohort classes who are diagnosed with autism and/or significant delays, staff working with the students facilitated groups to increase social awareness, communication skills and daily living skills using project-based activities, cooperative play, problem-solving and academic activities.
In the SEED Program, designed for students in graded special classes (grades three to eight), staff focused on providing support through specialized instruction in small groups while meeting grade-level expectations and addressing their IEP goals. Students worked on English language arts (ELA) and math skills including “hands-on” projects and activities aligned to the curriculum, instruction and specific skills. Students were able to increase their time on iReady for math and ELA while attending the SEED Program.
Transportation and refreshments were also provided for the students. This is what also makes these programs so special for students with IEPs. Transportation Clerk Abby Nash-Hines and her team helped coordinate and provide transportation and refreshments.
“We all know that the unwavering support and commitment to our students’ education has a profound impact on their lives,” said Dr. Corpas. “A special thank you is extended to all the staff who were involved with the programs for being partners with us on an incredible journey. Our students participated in enrichment activities designed to be fun and educational, which was aligned with Dr. Veronica K. Smith, Acting Superintendent’s vision of ‘getting back to the basics and making education fun.’”
Faculty and staff held the responsibility with great reverence and are looking forward to more specialized programs and activities for students with IEPs.
A community forum was held at Mount Vernon Honor Academy on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, for District staff, parents and families, and other members of the Mount Vernon community to provide input that will help shape a desired profile for the next leader of the Mount Vernon City School District. Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA) will outline selection criteria for the District's next superintendent and leadership characteristics that align with the District’s needs. HYA will present a report to the Board of Education on Thursday, February 13.
Celine Buchanan, a senior and dance major at the Denzel Washington School of the Arts, maintains her spot in the top 10% of her school by staying extremely dedicated to her academics and artistry. Over the past four years, Celine has maintained a 4.0 grade point average, a consistent spot on the honor roll, and dazzled members of the Mount Vernon community with her excellent dancing skills.
Mount Vernon Knights Varsity Wrestling held Senior Night on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, and wrapped up the regular season earlier this week. Playoffs will start with divisional matches in Division A on Saturday, February 8, at the Westchester County Center.
Consultants from Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA) presented the process and timeline for the Mount Vernon City School District’s superintendent search at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, February 4, 2025.
Dear Mount Vernon City School District Community,
In recent weeks, there have been significant changes within the government and to decades long existing policies. Among those policy changes is enabling Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to carry out immigration enforcement actions in churches and schools. This is of grave concern for our school community [...]
The Mount Vernon City School District is launching a search for its next Superintendent of Schools. The Mount Vernon Board of Education hired Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA) to conduct the search. The Board is aiming to select a superintendent by May to start in the 2025-2026 school year.
As part of the superintendent search, the Board has authorized a community forum with HYA consultants on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at Mount Vernon Honor Academy from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The community forum will also be livestreamed at www.mtvernoncsd.org/superintendent-search.
Takisha Sales, school counselor at Mount Vernon High School, graduated from the school in 1989. This year, she is celebrating her 30th year in the District, committing her entire career to supporting Mount Vernon scholars. She values the opportunity to provide for students in the city she grew up in and where her parents met.