Our Students Now: Crisis Intervention Counselor and Mount Vernon Councilperson Derrick Thompson

Derrick Thompson began working in the Mount Vernon City School District immediately after graduating from the Class of 1995. He has worked as a substitute teacher, a teaching assistant, then as an English teacher and a math teacher before becoming a crisis intervention specialist at Edward Williams School. Mr. Thompson also serves as a councilperson for the City of Mount Vernon. 

His philosophy when working with students is listening to them and making sure they always have a voice. As a crisis intervention counselor, he works as a connection between teachers, parents and students. No matter what the reason for their visit, he communicates with the parents of every student that sees him to ensure that they know exactly what is happening with their children at school and how they can support their children.

“Mr. Thompson serves the children of Mount Vernon in more than one way as an educator and a councilperson,” said Acting Superintendent Dr. K. Veronica Smith. “We are so grateful for the work that he has done to give back to the city and school district he grew up in. He has been such a positive influence on the students he works with and the City of Mount Vernon as a whole.”

View the Q+A with Mr. Thompson here!

What inspired you to come back and work for the District right after graduating? 

Mount Vernon City School District has poured so much into me, so I didn’t want to go anywhere else. I’m born, raised, educated, and still living here in Mount Vernon. This is the place where I wanted to continue my work as well.

What inspired you to become a councilperson?

What inspired me to become a councilperson was that a lot of people complain when they see things happening in their community, but they never actually do anything about it. I said, I’m not going to be one of those who bicker and complain. I want to actually be a person who gets a seat at the table and tries to effect some change.

Are there any teachers or mentors that stood out to you, and what lessons did you take from them?

One of my favorite teachers, Bettye Bracey, was at Holmes Elementary School. She just instilled so much in us, and she held us accountable for everything. She was one of our favorite teachers. A lot of us didn’t like her when she was chastising us and making sure we did everything we were supposed to do, but as we grew older everyone just loved her and came back to visit her. She just really stood out. One of the teachers that stands out to me also is Ms. Fine. She was a math teacher, and that’s how I excelled in math. My masters degree is in business, and I think she played a major part in preparing me for that. They played major roles in who I became.

Is there anything you take from them when interacting with students today?

One of the greatest things they always did was listen to us. I make sure that I listen to students even if they are having behavior problems. The first thing I always ask them is, “Did you eat this morning? Is anything happening that you want to talk about?” Because we can’t just say that they’re bad kids; that’s not the case. You have to get to the root cause of what’s happening. So always being here for the children, and if you listen they’ll tell you exactly what’s going on. But you have to treat them like people, and that’s always been my goal. My mother always instilled that in me. She always called us little people and said, “Little people are just like big people.” You have to make sure you listen to them because they have feelings just the same. It’s just the way you treat kids. I speak to them, and they know I care.

What was your favorite part of attending this school district?

I would say community. Mount Vernon has always been like one big happy family. You didn’t have to be related to feel like you were related to everyone. When I grew up in this District it was so different than it is today, but we’re getting back to where we were, so that's a great thing. It was always about community. Every parent looked after you; every adult in the community always made sure you were ok. They just made sure you were doing what you’re supposed to do at all times.

How does it feel to be able to give back and work in the District?

It’s a great feeling. Implementing some of the things that you learned from this community and trying to bring it back. I’m sitting in the perfect spot because not only am I still in education, I also work as a councilperson. I get to try to bring that triangle back that we used to have. We used to have the school district, City Hall and the Mount Vernon Public Library all working together to make sure that the kids of this community had everything they needed. We’re getting back to that now. You have the superintendent, the mayor and the library doing things that are collaborative. I think it’s a great thing, so we’re on our way back to how our community should look and feel.

As someone in education and public service, what would you say to a student who might want to pursue education or public service in the future?

I say learn as much as you can while you can. Never take no for an answer. Stay at it. If you can get a seat at the table, get a seat at the table so you can try to understand everything that is going on before you make judgment. Try to understand, listen, read and do whatever you have to do to understand what the process is and see how you can make this process beneficial to everyone you serve. 

What advice do you give to students in terms of their education or careers?

My model with them is that every day is another chance to make a positive impact on your life and the people that you wish to serve. So, just stay at it, make sure you are the best human being that you can be. You’re an asset to your community, so show what kind of asset you can be and move forward with that.

What are some unique ways you try to reach students or make students comfortable?

You make it fun for students. You just make sure that you meet them where they are. You have to make sure that you talk to and not talk through them. I created my room as a safe haven for them. You make them comfortable enough to sit down with you, ask them how their day is going. Every time you interact with people, it should not be trying to chastise or shun them. You should always do a check-in, and when they’re doing well give them praise. I do my best to praise every student that I come across no matter how big or small their achievement is. Just give them praise to make them feel good because you never know what they’re going through in their lives when they’re outside of this building and when they’re at home. You never know what their living situation is. So, you have to make sure that you try to reach them where they are and let them know that they have the support that they need.