The Nelson Mandela Dr. Hosea Zollicoffer School has a new school mascot – a falcon – as well as a logo and school colors, maroon and gold.
Two eighth graders at the Grimes School will have their artworks published nationally by Celebrating Art, a contest “devoted to the promotion and appreciation of student-created art.”
Make some time Thursday evening to be dazzled. The Denzel Washington School of the Arts has a treat for all with the premier of its Winter Showcase 2021, beginning 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 6.
For Chelsea Phaire, art was a way to ease sorrow at a difficult time. When her grandfather passed away, she was encouraged to create a drawing of him, which was inserted in the elder relative’s pocket when he was buried. Since then, she has drawn enormous benefits from practicing art, and they are gifts she shares with everyone she can. A former Mount Vernon resident who is now in the seventh grade, she visited Cecil H. Parker School bringing bags of art supplies for second and third graders, and then led 20 students in an art class.
Eight teachers from the Mount Vernon City School District are receiving training to take on larger roles as principals and other leadership roles in a two-year program. They are enrolled in the Partnership for Principal Preparation program, a collaboration among the District, the College of Saint Rose and the consultants REACH Educational Solutions and Just Inspire.
Dr. Natasha Hunter - McGregor , Principal
Dr. Hunter-McGregor is one of three siblings born into a loving military family. She received her associate’s degree in Liberal Arts and her undergraduate degree from Howard University where she graduated from the School of Business with a major in Management. She continued her educational journey to later receive two masters and the degree of Doctor of Education from St. John Fisher College.
Dr. Hunter-McGregor’s educational career began in Harlem, New York at the age of 21 where she lived, worshipped and taught young people in the community. She worked as a teacher in many capacities, a social studies school based coordinator, teacher of students with disabilities, gifted and talented teacher, literacy coach, AIS provider, curriculum writer integrating the arts, as well as a staff developer for a collective 10 years.
Dr. Hunter-McGregor later became an assistant principal in the New York City school system where she served for 8 years prior to becoming principal in Mt. Vernon, New York. During her service in the Harlem community, Dr. Hunter-McGregor trained staff from partnering agencies such as City Year of New York, Harlem Children’s Zone, coordinated service activities, instituted new teacher orientation programs in her school and helped to improve academic performance and teacher effectiveness.
She was an active member of the NAACP, Urban League and is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
Dr. Hunter-McGregor currently worships in the Mt. Vernon community and continues to put all of her energy into providing a high quality education for the students in her care by working collaboratively with families, staff, district staff, clergy and all key stake holders. She understands the superintendent’s 20/20 Vision and her immediate focus is to ensure that Graham School is taken off of the focus list and re-establishes itself as an institution of learning, whereby all families would like to send their precious little ones.
Dr. Hunter-McGregor loves sports and arts, traveling and spending time with family and friends. She adores her three children and strives to live her life with purpose, which she credits to the support of her loving parents.
