New school slated for Mount Vernon to specialize in serving autistic students

MOUNT VERNON — A New York City-based special education school is expanding to Westchester to fill the gap serving students with autism, and families will have the opportunity to check it out for themselves March 13.

Rebecca School North, a 57,000-square-foot campus at 1 Bradford Road in Mount Vernon, is set to open in September. It has classrooms, two rooftop terraces for outdoor play and gardens, a library, sensory gyms, an art room, music therapy rooms and more.

The new school is located on a property that was formerly an office building.

A growing need prompted Rebecca School, which is independent and private, to expand into the Lower Hudson Valley. The school serves children ages 3 to 21 with neurodevelopmental delays.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 36 children were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in 2020 (compared to 1 in 150 children in the year 2000).

Program Director Tina McCourt pointed out that while the number of students with autism is continuing to grow, there is a lack of educational choices available in the area for families. McCourt says they plan to serve families in Westchester, upper Manhattan and the Bronx.

About 20 potential locations were looked at before the Bradford Road property was chosen, McCourt noted. The location is only a five-minute drive from the Pelham train station.

Rebecca School North can accommodate up to 14 classrooms and 112 students, and currently the plan is to open five classrooms with about 40 students for the first year, with a teacher-student ratio of 1 to 2.

The school has so far received inquiries from about 30 families, and an open house is slated for 5:30 to 7 p.m. March 13.

“It is very important to me that families have choices for their child's education," McCourt said. “Rebecca School North will be a school that understands each child's individual needs and will create a plan to support those needs." 

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The school makes individualized plans with each student and offers flexible schedule and therapy services. They're also actively hiring staff, including teachers, therapists, nurses and administrators. 

McCourt hopes both the school and students will be part of the community as she plans to partner with local school districts and community organizations.  

“It's about finding our place in the community,” said McCourt. “We’re new and we want to make sure we’re being respectful to the community.”