Work-based learning takes St. Matthew's students to DSW, White Plains Library

Ever-growing number of partnerships expands real-world learning opportunities 

Students in Southern Westchester BOCES programs at St. Matthew's School in White Plains began working with footware retailer DSW this month. Store Manager Liz Alvarez has been wonderful in accommodating students' schedules, creating valuable work for them to undertake, and ensuring that  the DSW team creates a welcoming and professional work environment.

Job coaches  Hazel Degree and Demetria Thomas, as well as teaching assistants and teacher aides, teach and assist students in increasing their skills and independence. Among the tasks they are mastering include learning to label, organize and appropriately display merchandise as well as check-in with the manger to assess their work and see what other tasks they need to complete.  

"As our number of Work-Based Learning Program business partners grows, St. Matthew's is so grateful to DSW for this  opportunity," Principal Diana Dinzey said. "Our students are increasingly exposed to their communities and learn essential work readiness skills in real-world environments beyond the classroom."

St. Matthew's students are also going to White Plains Library, where Kathlyn Carrol and Lauren Lichtenthal have been a tremendous support, not only structuring the program and assisting in developing work procedures, but in training our teachers, teaching assistants, teacher aides and students in their shelf-reading process: the organization and appropriate display of the books. Our students' work does not stop there. They also sanitize and dust tables and desks and organize and sanitize the library's sensory/playroom. 

We encourage all families to visit the White Plains Library as well all of our small business partners who have opened their doors to St. Matthew's School and its students.