A Message from our Superintendent
A Message from our Superintendent - Dr. Emily Hersh
Welcome to the Mt. Pleasant Blythedale website that belongs to a district responsible for educating patients of Blythedale Children’s Hospital. Mt.Pleasant-Blythedale UFSD was chartered by the New York State legislature as a Special Act Program in 1971. In 2004, SED approved a 4410 Preschool Program to provide educational services to medically fragile children. We are the only public school district in New York created to educate a hospital population. Our students are inpatients and day hospital children and adolescents receiving rehabilitation and medical services through Blythedale Children’s Hospital.
Education is a vital component of the rehabilitation program. This multidisciplinary approach is used to ensure that students receive coordinated services. Attending a full day of school every day sends a very important message. Even though they are patients in a hospital, our students are encouraged to pursue the primary tasks of childhood and adolescence: having fun and growing emotionally, socially and academically.
I am proud and honored to have been granted the opportunity to serve this district as Superintendent commencing the 2016-2017 school year. I have served children as a teacher and school leader for over twenty five years. After spending 16 years a Special Education elementary and secondary teacher at the Mt. Pleasant Blythedale School, I became an assistant principal at Peekskill High School. I returned to the Mt. Pleasant Blythedale Union Free School District in 2011 and was named Principal. In 2016, I was appointed as Superintendent of the Mt. Pleasant Blythedale UFSD.
MPB is a special place with a very special students and faculty. I hope you find our website informative. For further information please do not hesitate to email at ehersh@mpbschools.org.