For Immediate Release

Contact: bowman.press@mail.house.gov

Dobbs Ferry, NY – Yesterday, Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (NY-16) toured one the Greenburgh-North Castle Union Free School District schools, which serves special education students, led by Superintendent Carolyn McGuffog and union President Anthony Nicodemo. Congressman Bowman was joined by AFT President Randi Weingarten and representatives from NYSUT. 

“Every single child in New York and this country deserves multi-faceted, holistic support in school,” said Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D (NY-16). “I was honored to visit the Dr. Kenneth B. Clark Academy and hear directly from students and teachers and see students engage in hands-on learning that incorporates the arts and sports. Every student in Greenburgh-North Castle UFSD has an Individual Education Program (IEP) and  comes from schools outside of the district where their needs aren't being fully met. At the Clark Academy, there are classes to serve autisic children across the spectrum, dog therapy classes to promote mental health, classes in the arts and a range of sports and extracurricular activities available. The Greenburgh-North Castle Union Free School District is a model for how our education system can work to center the needs of the whole child.” 

“This pandemic has exacerbated learning opportunity gaps in our schools. Studies show that our kids are behind in math and reading and that the Black-white and Hispanic-white achievement gaps persist. Our students deserve high-quality, effective instruction that goes deeper than teaching to the test and instead fosters curiosity and lifelong learning. We can achieve that by ensuring our classrooms are welcoming, joyous places to learn, and supporting mental health is a key part of that work. The U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory highlighting the urgent need to address the nation’s youth mental health crisis with groups across the country announcing a National State of Emergency in Children’s Mental Health. Our schools are so often first responders  to the crises our youth are facing. I commend the intentionality and dedication of resources that Greenburgh-North Castle has in place for their students’ mental health. I look forward to working with the DOE, our schools and our community partners further to effectively dedicate the remaining $1.6 billion ARP funds in our New York schools. In Congress, I will continue working to pass my bill The Green New Deal for Public Schools which would invest $1.43 trillion in our public schools over 10 years across the country - our children deserve nothing less.” 

“We are grateful for the opportunity to showcase the learning opportunities both academically and social-emotionally, that our school has to offer,” said Dr. Kenneth B. Clark Academy Principal Amy Kelly. “We appreciate Congressman Bowman taking the time to visit and personally engage with students and staff.”

“Congressman Bowman is a stout champion of public education,” said Anthony Nicodemo, President of Greenburgh North Castle United Teachers. “Watching him interact with our students was remarkable. The visit had a positive impact on our entire building.” 

“The hands-on learning opportunities and individualized mental health supports that Greenburgh-North Castle educators have dedicated themselves to creating and shaping offer so much promise for these students,” NYSUT President Andy Pallotta said. “To create the environment Greenburgh-North Castle has, in which students unlock their full potential, it requires resources and support from the halls of power. That’s exactly what Congressman Bowman and his colleagues in Washington have delivered through federal education funding and what they continue to fight for. When districts like Greenburgh-North Castle thrive, there’s a bright future ahead for not only this community, but also this state and nation.”

??“Safe and welcoming school environments with wraparound services, CTE and project-based instruction are crucial to helping educators meet the needs of the whole child,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “ I loved seeing firsthand the panoply of arts and sports programs at Clark Academy that engage kids’ innate curiosity and builds a lifelong love of learning. Right now, we need a laser-like focus on kids’ mental health, given the stresses of the pandemic and the continued negative impact of social media and big tech. Thank you to the educators and students who welcomed me this week—it was an absolute honor to visit this school in a district that is a national model for helping kids discover joy, both in and outside the classroom.”

###