Rebecca School Mount Vernon
Rebecca School North is coming soon! Located in Mount Vernon, New York, this DIRFloortime® school will serve students 3-21 with neurodevelopmental delays in relating and communicating beginning in the 2024 school year.
Rebecca School offers a safe, nurturing environment for our students and families. We ensure that each student’s individual needs are met, and they are supported to move up the developmental ladder to become autonomous, relating, thinking, and communicating members of their community.
Rebecca School North is an expansion of the Rebecca School in NYC after 18 successful years of providing services to students with neurodevelopmental delays in relating and communicating, which includes students with an autism spectrum diagnosis.
Our Approach
The Rebecca School experience is one of respect, acceptance, and challenge. Using an interdisciplinary approach, a student’s core deficits of relating and communicating are addressed continuously throughout the day.
Whether in an individual, dyad or small group activity the focus of the staff is to support the students’ difficulties and challenge their strengths. To move them up the developmental ladder, our team works to help the student integrate all areas of development.
Every child is unique, so we build an individualized plan that includes strategies and interventions to promote success across all developmental domains.
Meet Our Staff
Bridget Walter
Program Director
With a rich background in Occupational Therapy and a deep commitment to supporting neurodivergent populations, Bridget currently serves as the Program Director at Rebecca School North. Prior to this position, Bridget was an integral part of Rebecca School in New York City, where she applied her expertise as an occupational therapist to develop and implement therapeutic approaches that addressed the unique needs of each student from a developmental perspective. Seeking to further her knowledge in sensory-informed therapy, Bridget transitioned to the STAR Institute in Denver, Colorado. There, she deepened her understanding of sensory processing differences and enhanced her skills in working with individuals with diverse needs.
Bridget holds a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy and is an expert training leader in the DIR/Floortime model, a certification that emphasizes her dedication to creating supportive, individualized therapeutic interventions. Her professional journey reflects a steadfast commitment to enhancing the lives of neurodivergent individuals through evidence-based practices and a compassionate approach. She believes in the power of empathy, relationships, and innovation to drive positive change in therapeutic and educational settings
Shira Bar-Shai
Assistant Director
Shira is dedicated to creating supportive environments for neurodiverse children and their families. As Assistant Director at Rebecca School North, she draws on over a decade of experience, including 10 rewarding years as a Clinical Social Worker at Rebecca School in New York City. There, she embraced the school’s collaborative culture and DIR methodology, forming lasting relationships with coworkers, students, and families. Shira holds a Master’s in Clinical Social Work from Hunter College and a postgraduate certification in Family Therapy from the Ackerman Institute, where she deepened her understanding of family dynamics, recognizing it as key to the success of both students and their families.
Shira is excited to bring her warmth, passion, and expertise to Rebecca School North.
Francine Powell
Operations Director
Francine Powell brings a rich and diverse background to her role at Rebecca School North. With a bachelor's degree in African and African American Studies from Lehman College, complemented by a Minor in Early Childhood Education, Francine initially spent over 15 years in hospitality, operations, events, and facilities management. During this time, she cultivated deep relationships and developed a passion for enhancing human experiences.
Transitioning from hospitality to education, Francine served as the Operations Director for a prominent NYC charter school network, where she played a pivotal role in managing operational logistics and supporting educational initiatives. Her move to Rebecca School North signifies a new chapter driven by her commitment to enriching the lives of students, families, staff, and our community.
Caroline Kaplan
Related Services Coordinator
Caroline is a dedicated and skilled occupational therapist with a commitment to working with neurodiverse children and young adults, and to the DIR Floortime model. She earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Occupational Therapy from Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY, and began her career at the Rebecca School located in Manhattan, NY, in 2015.
Caroline has continually advanced her expertise in child development, sensory integration, and the role of occupational therapy within therapeutic school settings. Her specialized training includes transition planning services to ensure that students and their families are well-prepared for future stages of life.
In addition to her clinical and administrative roles, Caroline is a certified DIR Floortime Expert Training Leader and teaches DIR training courses for professionals through the Interdisciplinary Council on Development and Learning (ICDL).
Caroline is embarking on an exciting new chapter in her career as the Related Service Coordinator at Rebecca School North where she will bring her extensive clinical knowledge and passion for DIR Floortime.
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