Southern Westchester BOCES Center for Special Services

News from our schools

• An in-depth look into Speech and Occupational Therapy

  The Southern Westchester BOCES Special Education Parent Teacher Association and the Westchester Institute for Human Development will present a parent information session: "An in-depth look into Speech  and Occupational Therapy" on Thursday, Jan. 26, at 6:30 p.m.

  Join us for this virtual event, featuring Occupational Therapist Nikoleta Alijaj and Speech Language Pathologist Marissa Stuck, LEND program trainees.

  See the attached flyer for Zoom meeting information.

  Ms. Alijaj is pursuing a master’s in occupational therapy at Mercy College and has a bachelor’s in psychology from SUNY New Paltz, where she was a member of the SUNY Honor’s Program and was awarded Student of Excellence.

  Ms. Stuck is a master’s candidate in Speech Language Pathology at New York Medical College. She holds a master’s in Deaf Education, and bachelor’s degrees in Speech Language Pathology & Audiology, and Deaf Studies. She is a Graduate Student Clinician at New York School for the Deaf.

  The LEND Training Program—Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities—is one of 60 such programs nationwide funded by the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). LEND Program Trainees graduate with competencies required by family leaders and advocates in the field of developmental disabilities. 

  • SEPTA Event 1-26-23 2.pdf

  SEPTA

• Holiday Sing-a-Long gets students and staff into the holiday spirit

  There was no doubt the holiday season had arrived at the Southern Westchester BOCES Tappan Hill School on Dec. 22! Students and staff gathered for a rockin’ good holiday time. Leading the fun was Emmy award winner Donald Stevens from the Westchester Conservatory of Music who belted out several seasonal songs, “Jingle Bells,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” and “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel,” among them as students clapped and danced along. All the action was capped off by a visit from Santa Claus (played by Errol Rivera) who took a few minutes to dance with students and wish them all “Happy Holidays!” Wishing you and your families a happy and health holiday season!

  News Feed - Tappan Hill

• Tappan Hill Connected Learning Team collects holiday meals for families

  Tappan Hill School's Connected Learning Team organized a food drive for families in need this holiday season. Staff donated non-perishable items to be delivered to 17 families to make delicious holiday meals. Thanks to the Falens Project, two beautiful baskets were donated in memory of Falens Bruno, a former Southern Westchester BOCES employee, and will be shared with two families. Thanks to all who participated in the food drive for these grateful families. Special thanks to the Connected Learning Team members for organizing this event and to Maryann Smith, Elizabeth Fay and Dwayne Welcome for putting together gift bags for the families. The entire Tappan Hill School team wishes everyone a very happy holiday season!

  News Feed - Tappan Hill

• 'Mail' to the Chief

  President Biden replies to SWBOCES student's letter calling for unity

  After penning a letter to numerous public figures and media outlets, Jason Wellington, an eighth-grader at Southern Westchester BOCES’ Irvington High School location, this week learned a lesson in patience and received words of encouragement from an unexpected source. “I never got anything back until Tuesday, when I got a letter from the White House,” Jason said.

  “I was giving up on it," he added, "but then my heart kept telling me don’t do that because it may take a while."

  News Feed - Irvington High School

• Bowling outing a welcome return for Tappan Hill students

  Tappan Hill School students in Teacher Linda Liebman’s class recently visited Homefields Bowling Alley in Yonkers.

  "This happy and welcome tradition is one of many ways our students take part in community activities, reinforcing a range of social and motor skills, all while enjoying their time together," Principal Phyllis Rizzi said. "Thank you to Homefields for welcoming us. We look forward to returning as well as to making other in-person field trips that are part of our learning curriculum."

  Ms. Liebman added that her students had a wonderful time on their class trip. "It was wonderful to be back out in the community as a group making amazing memories," she said.

  News Feed - Tappan Hill

• Tappan Hill community collects 512 pounds of food for Westchester families in need

  The annual Tappan Hill Food Drive for Feeding Westchester was delivered Tuesday to Feeding Westchester in Elmsford. The Tappan Hill School Connected Learning Team organized the food drive and with the help of Operations & Maintenance staff were able to collect and pack 512 pounds of donations. In all, 14 boxes of food was collected from students, families and staff for those in need in Westchester. Thank you to all who contributed. Happy Thanksgiving!

  News Feed - Tappan Hill

• Scarecrow contest sparks Halloween fun at Tappan Hill

  Students at Tappan Hill School enjoyed a frightfully fun Halloween, replete with a Scarecrow contest judged by Director of Special Services Andrea Byrne. Students practiced their motor skills last week by designing classroom scarecrows using available and up-cycled materials. The contest was the creation of  the school's Connected Learning Community committee, which plans events to increase a sense of connectedness, build morale, and reinforce academic, fine and gross motor skills and speech/language building concepts, and to practice social skills.

  News Feed - Tappan Hill

• Tappan Hill scarecrow contest continues Halloween tradition

  Students in Teacher Adriane Lomupo's class at Tappan Hill School are pictured here preparing for Monday's Scarecrow contest. Tappan Hill students had the chance Friday to practice their motor skills and have a bit of pre-Halloween fun designing their classroom scarecrow. All 10 scarecrows are homemade, using materials in the classroom and up-cycling items that would otherwise be discarded, such as water bottles and plastic bags. On Halloween the school will have a guest judge — Center for Special Services administrators Andrea Byrne or Jessica Walker — pick the best scarecrow. Such contests are becoming a Halloween tradition at Tappan Hill, which held a door decorating contest last year. The school's Connected Learning Community committee plans events like this to increase a sense of connectedness between classes and students and the community and to build morale among staff and students. The activities are also used to reinforce various academic, fine and gross motor skills, speech/language building concepts. They also serve as opportunities for students to practice social skills.

   

  News Feed - Tappan Hill

• Tappan Hill alumni surprise students with 100 pumpkins, and donuts!

  Tappan Hill School received a lovely donation Oct. 27 of donuts and 100 pumpkins from our alumni Michael (known affectionately to us as Mikeymo) and his mother, Justine Riordan, and the D'Ercole family as gifts for our students. "This thoughtful and generous act made many children very happy," said Principal Phyllis Rizzi, "and we thank them along with the Mikey Mo supporters for their generosity."

  News Feed - Tappan Hill

• Parents welcomed, invited to get involved at Tappan Hill Open House

  Tappan Hill School hosted a well-attended, in-person parent Open House the morning of Oct. 14. Some 30 family members turned out to meet the teachers, administrators and service providers who work so closely with their children daily. The annual event has been held remotely in recent years. “The staff here at Tappan Hill are so dedicated to the students here," said one parent, "so we’re very lucky.” 

  News Feed - Tappan Hill

• SEPTA virtual Fall Meet & Greet draws 35 families

  Nearly three dozen families turned out for the SWBOCES Special Education PTA fall Meet & Greet Thursday, Oct. 13. 

  The virtual event featured speakers  Matthew Faulkner from the Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health, to discuss the OPWDD process and transition to adult services; Ellie Arnemann, Executive Director of North East Special Recreation to share information about their programs; and  Lisa Sandagatta, Director of Outreach at Music Conservatory of Westchester, who spoke about their music therapy programs. 

  Families are encouraged to join SEPTA, which hosts events and programs throughout the school year to provide support, information and networking opportunities. Please reach out to your child's teacher or principal for information about how to become a member. 

  SEPTA

• Back to School Morning

  Tappan Hill is looking forward to welcoming parents to Back to School morning on Friday, October 14! Please join us at 9 AM to meet your child's teacher, related service providers, nurses, clinicians and Principal/ Assistant Principal. We look forward to seeing you soon!

  • DOC.pdf

  Tappan Hill

• Tappan Hill School Gardening Committee plants ideas for year ahead

  The Garden Committee at Tappan Hill School in Tarrytown got off to a fast start, holding its September meeting to map out plans for planting, improvements and community connections for the 2022-23 school year. Pictured, from left, are Francesca Fernandez, Adriane Lomupo, Phyllis Rizzi, AnnMarie Ross, McKinley Gregory, Jerrilyn Goldstein, Linda Liebman, Leah Harris.

   

  The eight-member committee discussed maintenance of the elaborate vegetables and flower gardens that greet visitors to the school. Other matters on the agenda included ways to bring what students are learning directly into the community, one possibility being planting bulbs in honor of those serving in the armed forces. Members also talked about what and when to plant, with an emphasis on sustainability.

   

  The gardening initiative is a joint effort with SWBOCES Special Services programs at the Rye Lake Campus in White Plains, with the support of the Special Education Parent Teacher Association. 

  News Feed - Tappan Hill

• Back to School 2022-23

  Tappan Hill welcomed staff back on Thursday, September 1 for Superintendent's Conference Day. The day featured professional development and opportunities for classroom set up. The faculty of Tappan Hill was joined by Deputy Superintendent/ COO Dr. Brendan Lyons, Director for the Center for Special Services Andrea Byrne and Assistant Director for the Center for Special Services Jessica Walker to kick off the start of the new school year. We can't wait to see our students on September 7!

  Tappan Hill

• Extended School Year students' work featured in Gallery Walk

  Ms. Janeelia Henry's Extended School Year Only K-2 class celebrated the end of the summer by inviting families in for a Gallery Walk. Artwork completed by the students over the summer was on full display.  Ms. Henry's classroom Teaching Assistant, Ms. Patrice Barrett, a talented artist, was behind all the projects. These included straw art, toilet paper art, finger painting, as well as displays related to ELA and science curriculums.

   

  In addition, from reading, social skills and Science, School Counselor Jennifer Ardisana worked with students on the life cycle of a caterpillar, then retold the story of the Very Hungry Caterpillar. For the book the Rainbow Fish, Ms. Ardisana focused on friendship and sharing.  

   

  Following the gallery walk, parents were invited to the gym to view a beautiful slideshow displaying all the fantastic experiences the students engaged in this summer, including pictures of the students completing the artwork, trips to the Maritime Aquarium, Muscoot Farm, Kensico Dam, and Rye Playland.  When students were on the Rye Lake Campus, they enjoyed the playgrounds, gymnasium, upper basketball court and the very popular sprinklers and water play area.  

   

  To end this memorable event, Ms. Henry invited families to have refreshments and take their child's artwork home.  

  News Feed - Center for Special Services