The
KNIGHT TIMES
Mount Vernon City School District Newsletter
Volume XI: November 2017
PARENT LIAISONS BUILDING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILIES Deeper parent involvement creates environment for better student performance With a plan to forge even stronger relationships and create deeper ties between parents, educators and all district stakeholders to ultimately assist in student success, each school in the Mount Vernon City School District now has a parent liaison on its staff. While New York City schools have parent liaison positions, the role is the first of its kind in any Westchester County school district. Each parent liaison will work in two schools, ensuring that all 16 buildings have a dedicated staff person for assistance. “Mount Vernon is a trailblazer,” said Dr. Waveline BennettConroy, Mount Vernon Assistant Superintendent for School Improvement.
working with different community agencies to see how they can collaborate on services, if required.
The District’s Office of School Improvement took the lead in creating the new positions. It used a state grant to hire Scholastic Corp. to train the parents for their new roles using Harvard University Graduate School of Education Senior Lecturer on Education Karen Mapp’s model called the Family Engagement Building Framework.
“We’re looking to create relationships and equip parents with tools to deal with their own children,” said Bennett-Conroy. “We don’t want them to be afraid to reach out for support.”
An outcome of Mapp’s model is that districts and schools will cultivate and sustain active and effective partnerships with families, strengthening one of the identified essential supports – parent and community ties – needed for school improvement.
“Parents are hesitant to participate in their child’s education because they don’t know what they bring to the table,” said Lightsy. “We value parents’ talents, and we want to find an integral and important role for parents to help with the success of their students.”
Frances-Ann Lightsy, Scholastic Executive Consultant and Grimes Elementary School’s past principal, agreed.
“The training taught them how to interface with the community Sandra O’Connor, a parent liaison for Mount Vernon High and diffuse tough situations,” said Bennett-Conroy. “Parents School and Lincoln Elementary School, felt the training must work together with teachers and principals, and each liaison was given will help to ensure their success. the collaboration starts with the superintendent and the “If we can bridge the gap between child and community and administration.” change perceptions at young ages, this will help students in Bennett-Conroy said parent liaisons are there to assist their future success,” said O’Connor. “We’re looking to help and advocate for what a child may need. Parents will see parents get involved by providing an open pathway between them at workshops, attending Parent University, reaching parents and schools. Then their students will be involved. out to help with securing tutoring services, if needed, and Passion breeds passion.”
Mount Vernon City School District Newsletter
Dear Families, Our nights have grown longer; the days shorter. The leaves have finally fallen, and the air has grown chillier and crisper. Indeed, the weather has turned, and winter is upon us. Our school district too has changed, for the better. Today, our schools are vastly different than they were only a few years ago. Over the last four years, our teachers and administrators have embraced our commitment to change, to improve outcomes for ALL students and to ensure that our students graduate high school, college and career ready. We have seen a marked increase in our students’ performances on state assessments, while simultaneously witnessing a dramatic decrease in school suspensions and an increase in community confidence in our schools. Our recent successes are proof positive that our work is credible and effective. To that end, we are pleased to announce that the strategic goals that have guided our efforts since the 2013-2014 school year have been met. It is an extraordinary moment in our profession to be able to retire these goals to make way for even more ambitious goals. As educators, though, our work is never complete. It is an ongoing process that builds upon previous successes and continuously changes to meet the ever changing needs of our children, our schools and our community. On November 7, 2017, the Board of Education adopted new strategic goals, designed to expand our efforts and build on our success; to raise the bar for students, staff, parents and our community and, most importantly, to preserve the momentum we have achieved. The creation of these goals included an open opportunity for input from all community stakeholders. Over the next phase of our transformation, all of our efforts will be directed toward not only meeting, but exceeding the expectations set forth in the following goals: 1. Ensure the successful implementation of the 20/20 educational vision, which includes district reconfiguration to a PreK-8 model and creation of three high schools of excellence to promote student achievement through an innovative whole school reform initiative. 2. Assess and evaluate existing systems designed to measure student progress for all students. 3. Ensure the successful implementation of the 2016 Bond referendum designed to improve buildings, grounds, facilities and infrastructure to enhance technology. 4. Improve communication and engagement among all stakeholders in an effort to enhance partnerships towards building a stronger school community. We hope that these goals will guide our work as we continue to implement the 20/20 Vision. They will be used to ensure our work is on target and focused on our collective efforts to build a stronger, more distinguished school district. In closing, we thank you for your continued support and confidence in our leadership and our school system. We know that together we can continue our upward momentum and ensure that our students have ALL the tools and support necessary to be successful and continue our transformation. We wish you and your family a happy and healthy holiday season. Sincerely,
Dr. Kenneth R. Hamilton Superintendent, Mount Vernon City School District 2
Adriane G. Saunders President, Mount Vernon City School District Board of Education
Volume XI: November 2017
NEW SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS AIM TO BUILD TRUST WITH STUDENTS Superintendent Dr. Kenneth R. Hamilton’s 20/20 Vision for the Mount Vernon City School District goes beyond the walls of the classroom and the hours in which students are there. He believes that a true measure of this District’s progress is the success of its students out in the real world. That’s why he sees community partnerships as critically important, and none more so than the recent partnership with the City of Mount Vernon to place eight city police officers as school resource officers (SROs) in the District’s buildings. “There’s no question that this partnership supports the 20/20 vision. In addition to improving academic outcomes, the District is committed to empowering students and families through community engagement,” said Dr. Hamilton. “Supporting positive relationships for our students in the community after school hours is critically important, and police officers are among the most important stakeholders in the community.”
DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES NAMED NY SPECIAL EDUCATION ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR Felicia Gaon, Mount Vernon City School District’s Director of Student Services, was recognized as Special Education Administrator of the Year by the New York Council of Administrators of Special Education (NYCASE) at the organization’s Summer Institute in Saratoga. “I am honored to have been nominated for this award for work that I find so fulfilling,” said Gaon. “Working to provide the best education possible for students with disabilities is my passion, and I’m fortunate to have the support of outstanding teachers and administrators in the Mount Vernon City School District.” Gaon was nominated by Superintendent Dr. Kenneth R. Hamilton and was selected for this career achievement from a pool of highly qualified and regarded special education administrators statewide. “Ms. Gaon engages with other departments and administrative leadership to create a cross-collaborative environment for educational excellence,” said Dr. Hamilton. “Her conscientious work and diligence has greatly benefited the special needs students in our district.”
The SROs, whose salaries are funded by the city, began working in the schools on September 1. But contrary to what some may expect, their job isn’t to discipline the students. Instead, the goal is for students to get to know these men and women in uniform in non-confrontational situations so they can develop trust. “If we focus on the success of children, working in collaboration is critical,” said SRO Sgt. Jennifer Carpenter. “It is really to lessen the gap between the community and police. Hopefully, everyone will not only develop new skills but develop new relationships.” The SROs will provide peer mediation, de-escalate volatile situations and act as community liaisons between the school, parents and the police department. “In the light of what’s going on around the country, some of our students grow up in households where there is a negative perception of police,” Dr. Hamilton explained “This program aims to redevelop those relationships.”
Gaon has spent her career serving students with disabilities. After graduating from college, she worked as a school counselor for alternative and special education programs in Nassau BOCES for 18 years before moving into an administrative position as the Supervisor of Pupil Personnel Services in the Lawrence Union Free School District. Later, she became the Chief District Administrator for Special Education and Pupil Personnel Services in the North Babylon Union Free School District. She also worked for Rockland BOCES as an Assistant Principal in the Jesse Kaplan School. Her commitment to education doesn’t end with her students. In addition to having a bachelor’s degree in communication studies and a master’s degree in guidance and counseling, both from New York University, Gaon also has a master’s degree in school psychology from Touro College, a professional diploma in administration and supervision from Queens College and is in the process of obtaining a research doctorate from Manhattanville College. 3
Mount Vernon City School District Newsletter
BOND CONSTRUCTION WORK CONTINUES IN EFFORT TO FULFILL ACADEMIC MISSION
The Mount Vernon City School District is continuing to work quickly and efficiently through its schedule of projects funded by the 2016 $108 million bond that are enabling the school district to accomplish its 20/20 academic vision over the period of four years. The projects will help the District create pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade neighborhood schools from the existing schools and restructure the three high schools. When the projects are completed, the District will have seven elementary schools with full-day pre-kindergarten classrooms on-site. Demolition work was recently completed on the old cafeteria at Pennington Elementary School, and steel work is in progress. The school will feature a new middle school addition, which will include 12 classrooms. The classrooms will include science laboratories/classrooms, and a library/ media center. To create a second floor above the cafeteria, the District demolished and reconstructed the cafeteria, installing steel support beams to carry the weight of the second floor. The project, as well as a renovated auditorium, new ball fields, basketball courts and updated parking, will be complete by September 2018. Nellie A. Thornton High School is undergoing a transformation for its new role as the District’s performing arts high school. All aspects of the project, which include a complete restoration of the school’s Broadway-quality theater, a black box theatre, accessible elevators and renovated bathrooms, are under way and will be complete by next September. (continued on pg 7)
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A.B. DAVIS MUSIC TEACHER INTEGRATES TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE LEARNING Today’s technology brings people together and opens lines of communication in ways that could never have been imagined decades ago. Teachers realize that students are often leaders with technology, which they exhibit though the use of apps and games. Audrey Rome, the music teacher at A.B. Davis Middle School and “technology link” for her building, understands the importance of embracing technology and all it has to offer. “While we may enforce a ‘no cell phone’ policy for much of the day to prevent Snapchat from interfering with learning, it is also our responsibility as educational professionals to connect with our students effectively by remaining current with these constant shifts in technology,” Rome said. “Acknowledging the benefits of devices in schools is essential in preparing our students for career demands in our ever-changing society.” As a music teacher, Rome creates hands-on learning experiences that incorporate technology ranging from electronic guitar tuners to midi keyboards and multitrack recording software. “I’m grateful to work in a district that values and provides these resources so our students can proudly show off their musical accomplishments in the form of a recording on our classroom website,” said Rome. In her role as tech link, Rome recently led the first workshop in a year-long series for her colleagues called “Beginning Effective Integration of Technology in the Classroom for 6-12th grades.” This workshop included an overview of apps for collaboration within Office 365 and the District’s newest addition of Schoology, a learning management system and a “one stop shop” for professional growth, monitoring student performance and working with colleagues. Rome stressed that Schoology and other educational technology serve as proven methods of bringing people together and making students confident and successful. “Translation apps and multi-modal interactive displays like SMART Boards make it possible to differentiate instruction to reach every learner,” Rome said.
Volume XI: November 2017
STUDENT ATHLETE OVERCOMES CHALLENGE TO EXCEL ON AND OFF THE COURT Mount Vernon High School junior Cheyenne Talbot runs the Lady Knights’ offense by controlling the ball to make sure it gets to the right players at the right time. And Talbot does this while wearing a cochlear implant. A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf, severely hard of hearing in both ears, or as in Talbot’s case, acquired deafness after learning how to speak.
“There is no longer a hearing issue on the court,” Talbot said. “Before, I wouldn’t get out of bed and go to workouts. Now, my world is good. I love this game.” Talbot has aspirations to play college basketball for UConn or Iona College. “If basketball doesn’t work out, for me, I would like to become a doctor,” said Talbot, who is enrolled in the high school’s certified nursing program. And, she has this advice for anyone dealing with adversity. “Don’t give up, because there may be better days ahead of you,” Talbot said. “I kept trying, and trying is what made me who I am today.”
Dr. Kenneth R. Hamilton brings the community together for
For Talbot, who lost her hearing at age 6 and regained it with the implant at age 9, the implant has returned the 17-year-old to the hearing life she’d missed and wanted back. “I was totally deaf,” she said. “I used sign language. Now, I don’t use it anymore.” Talbot was always a huge basketball fan and played on a local recreational team at a young age. When she lost her hearing, she still insisted on playing. But it was difficult. “My coach spoke to me in hand gestures,” said Talbot. “But, I couldn’t hear my teammates say, ‘Pass the ball.’ Everyone (on the team) would be mad at me because I wasn’t passing, but it was because I didn’t know to pass. I wanted to stop playing.” Once the procedure was done, Talbot said it was like her world was returned to her.
HOLIDAY CONCERT
“Before, it was totally frustrating,” she said. “After the surgery, I felt like I was the ‘old’ Cheyenne again. I got the opportunity to play more, and everyone said that I was now a really good basketball player.”
The Mount Vernon All-City Choir and Orchestra
Her teacher/advisor Erica Naughton more than agrees with Talbot’s self-assessment.
Featuring the debut performance of
Special celebrity guest reader Wendy Williams, and music by The Jenkins Brothers and songstress Valerie Adams
“She’s a phenomenal player,” said Naughton. “Her momentum to the basket is swift. It’s really hard to stop that drive. When coaches see her talent, they want to enhance that talent.”
Saturday, December 9, 2017 Mount Vernon High School 7 p.m., Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Talbot said no one realizes she plays with her cochlear implant. The equipment is comfortable, and past challenges of the external piece slipping off during a sweaty game are gone.
No charge for admission. Please bring a canned good or unwrapped toy to benefit hurricane victims in Puerto Rico.
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Mount Vernon City School District Newsletter
GRAHAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESENTS ESSENTIAL SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO 50 FIRST GRADE STUDENTS
DISTRICT WELCOMES PARENTS FOR CURRICULUM NIGHTS Parents in the Mount Vernon City School District attended “Bridges to Success: Welcome Back to School Curriculum Night” in September to learn how to support their children in navigating this year’s curriculum. Parents of students in pre-K to grade 5 attended workshops at Rebecca Turner Elementary School that explained what their children would learn in the upcoming school year and how they would learn it. Parents also obtained library cards from the Mount Vernon Public Library. A curriculum night event for parents of students grades 6-12 was held at Mount Vernon High School. Parents gained an understanding of graduation requirements, the District’s course catalog, Regents exams and how to prepare their children for post-secondary success. At these curriculum nights, parents had the opportunity to become familiar with the New York State elementary, middle and high school curriculum requirements, meet district instructional leaders and ask questions related to their children’s education. The curriculum nights included breakout sessions on topics including: the mathematics curriculum, the District’s use of i-Ready technology, special education and English language learners. District Literacy Coach Hope Kornell-Weinberg facilitated a breakout session with parents of students in pre-K through grade 5 about building readers and writers at home. She discussed the importance of children reading at home, noting that students who spend 20 minutes reading each day typically score in the 90th percentile on standardized tests, while students who read just one minute a day typically score in the 10th percentile.
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“Curriculum Night is an opportunity for the District to open its doors so parents are truly part of the process of educating and supporting their children at home,” said Claytisha Walden, Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction.
The Graham Elementary School Alumni Association provided 50 first-graders with backpacks filled with school supplies such as notebooks, crayons, glue sticks, folders and pencils in mid-September. This is the second year the association has provided students with these essential items and is a way for its members to give back to the community and acknowledge the school’s efforts to ensure a high-quality education for children in kindergarten through grade 6. “You always give back, that’s how I was raised by my parents,” said Dino Young, a member of the Graham Class of 1970. “Graham school was my first school. I started first-grade there. When I finished there, I was definitely prepared for the next step.” The backpacks and school supplies were purchased with proceeds from the recent Graham Heights Community Barbecue, where many members of the association lived as children. “They graduated from our school many, many years ago,” said Principal Dr. Natasha Hunter-McGregor. “But it’s clear when they come into the building that they have very, very fond memories of their time here at Graham. That’s how we want all of our students to feel. A positive early education experience sets the stage for future success. Not too many elementary schools even have an alumni association. The fact that Graham has an alumni association committed to giving back each year is fabulous. On behalf of the entire Graham community we say, thank you for caring about our first-grade scholars.”
Volume XI: November 2017 BOND CONSTRUCTION WORK (continued from pg 4) robotics labs, field renovations and a new library/science center. It will be ready by next September. The school installed new sod with a sprinkler system on its football field and a new asphalt track. Science rooms, which include both laboratories and classroom learning space, will be created at the Traphagen, William H. Holmes, Lincoln, Parker, Columbus, Hamilton and Edward Williams elementary schools to accommodate the needs of seventh- and eighth-graders. The two pre-K rooms in each school will each get a bathroom and sink. Graham Elementary School is getting a new main entrance way to the building, which will include a bridge from the Bedford Avenue sidewalk to the building. The District is relocating offices and some classrooms to accommodate the new entrance. Students will no longer have to walk down stairs into a small doorway into the building.
New auditoriums will be created for Williams and Columbus schools and will be ready by next September. Williams will also have an updated library/media center along with the gymnasium and cafeteria. Columbus has also seen renovations to its parking facility, playfields and grounds.
There is also more work being done at Graham Elementary to repair the failed exterior building cornice, walkways, existing fencing and sidewalks. This project will be done by next September.
New sod was installed at Mount Vernon High School’s football field over the summer in preparation for the fall season. A new asphalt track under layer will be complete this fall and the new softer top surface will be installed in spring. New tennis courts will be completed shortly.
To be as efficient as possible when the District is doing construction inside the schools, it is also upgrading IT infrastructure. Current upgrades are happening at Graham, Pennington and Thornton, to be followed by Grimes Elementary, Nelson Mandela High School and A.B. Davis Middle School. The remains of the dilapidated, unused annex building on the Grimes site will be demolished and replaced with a new addition that will feature middle school classrooms, science labs and faculty offices. The school will get new playgrounds as well. Work is scheduled to be complete by September 2019.
Additionally, the baseball fields will be reconfigured so batters will face less sun glare and balls will fly away from the highway. These updates should be complete by spring 2018. The school has also undergone improvements, such as full window and exterior door replacements, new sidewalks, bathrooms, classrooms, gymnasium, pool, cafeteria, kitchen, loading dock, locker rooms, roofs and HVAC. Additional projects will be scheduled in 2019-2020 for Parker, Rebecca Turner, Benjamin Turner, Hamilton, Traphagen and Holmes schools.
Mandela will be transformed into a pre-K-8 building and will be a complete renovation, converting it from a high school. A new addition will be created and house a gymnasium, cafeteria, auditorium and special education classrooms. The older gym and auditorium were converted into new classrooms that will allow for neighborhood schools and to increase enrollment at these grade levels. It will be complete by September 2019. Davis will see renovations that will accommodate the necessary infrastructure to create the District’s new STEAM Academy (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). It has already received interior corridor renovations and cafeteria and kitchen upgrades. Construction work will also create a new science lab and 7
Mount Vernon City School District 165 N. Columbus Avenue Mount Vernon, NY 10552
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Board of Education Adriane G. Saunders, President Wanda White, Vice President Serigne M. Gningue Rosemarie Jarosz Micah J.B. McOwen Stanley Russo Arlene Torres Israel Williams
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FUN IN THE SUN AT MIND, BODY AND SOUL FAMILY FUN DAY Elementary – Yennai Castillo, sixth-grade, Sai Sherwood, fourth-grade, and David Sherwood, kindergarten. “The school district needs to come together more because I think it’s important the school district become more accessible to parents,” The event was paid for through sponsorships and grants. Sponsors included Peter Gisolfi Associates, Ingerman Smith LLP, Focus Media and RENU Contracting and Restoration.
More than 2,000 parents and children enjoyed a day in the sun at the District’s second annual Mind, Body and Soul Family Fun Day in September. Mount Vernon residents were invited to Mount Vernon High School’s athletic fields to climb a rock wall, run an obstacle course, jump in a bounce house, participate in a Zumba class, take a ride on a zip line, play games or just enjoy the sunshine. In addition to the activities, there were tables with representatives from each school present to meet parents and talk about healthy activities. The event included a scavenger hunt where children got a card punched for each of the 16 tasks they completed relating to the mind, body or soul (such as signing up for a library card, jumping rope or striking a pose with a principal, for example). The District also raffled off 26 Amazon Kindle Fire HD tablets, a Polar Express Lionel train set and the grand prize – a laptop computer. Additionally, 300 backpacks were given away, courtesy of Verizon. “I think there should be more events like this,” said Aleida Castillo, who brought her children – all students of Lincoln