Benjamin Turner Academy December 2024 Newsletter - The Bulldog Beat

Fifteen Benjamin Turner Academy students were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society on Thursday, January 9, 2025. Families heartily gathered at the media center to watch their loved ones’ achievement. Acting Superintendent Dr. K. Veronica Smith and principal Doris Dapaah conferred awards to students during the event. 

Click here to view the December edition of Benjamin Turner Academy’s newsletter, The Bulldog Beat! This edition features Santa’s visit to BTA, the Marking Period 1 Awards Ceremony, literacy activities with Principal Dapaah and more! 

The faces of scholars at Benjamin Turner Academy lit up with joy as they saw Santa Claus sitting in the main lobby of the school, ready for a photo opportunity with students and their families on Friday, December 13, 2024. 

Click here to view the November edition of Benjamin Turner Academy's newsletter, "The Bulldog Beat."

Scholars at Benjamin Turner Academy made their way down the red carpet in the gymnasium to receive their awards for their accomplishments during the first quarter on Tuesday, December 10, 2024. Families gathered to cheer on and watch their loved ones' faces light up as they were recognized for their achievements and character. 

Scholars at Benjamin Turner Academy signed the No Place for Hate pledge after listening to an impactful assembly about the power of words, specifically online, on Wednesday, December 4 and Monday December 9, 2024. The goal of this presentation was to empower students to stand against hatred in an effort to promote a culture of kindness, tolerance and mutual respect.

Selected seventh-grade students at Benjamin Turner Academy visited the Holocaust Human Rights Education Center in White Plains, NY, on November 21, 2024. They discussed why everyone should be treated with dignity, learned about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and discussed how to be an upstander.

Dr. K. Veronica Smith, Acting Superintendent of Schools:  

This morning, a white substance was found at Benjamin Turner Academy, prompting the school to enter a hold-in-place safety procedure. Students and staff were isolated from the substance as soon as it was discovered, and no one was harmed. The Mount Vernon Police and Fire Departments were immediately called to the school to investigate the incident.  The fire department determined the substance was not harmful and removed it from the school premises. Benjamin Turner Academy and District staff acted swiftly to ensure students and staff were safe prior to resuming instruction. Normal school procedures resumed after the hold-in-place safety procedure was lifted.