From the Principal

DR. COLLEEN SEIVRIGHT-CRAWFORD

Dr. Crawford is a first generation American who was born and raised by Jamaican parents in The Bronx, New York. At an early age, Dr. Crawford exhibited signs of being a natural educator. She would often round up the neighborhood children and would engage them in lessons for the day.  At the age of 12, her family relocated to New Rochelle, New York. She attended and graduated from New Rochelle High School and pursued an undergraduate degree from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

After graduating from Temple University, she entered corporate America and served as a claims auditor for a major accounting firm and as an auditor with a major health insurance company. Although these positions provided financial independence and exposure into corporate America, she could not ignore her innate childhood desire to teach. After seeing a teacher recruitment commercial one day after work, Dr. Crawford resigned from her corporate position and began the process and journey of becoming a certified classroom teacher.  

Dr. Crawford began her teaching career as a substitute teacher and worked towards becoming a certified teacher. She taught elementary school for many years and eventually taught students at the middle and high school settings.  Dr. Crawford was often noted as being a compassionate and dedicated educator whose lessons often made ‘real-world connections’. Dr. Crawford also underscored and relayed to her students the importance of ‘giving back’ through community service initiatives.  

In 2005, Dr. Crawford was appointed as a reading specialist at Davis Middle School and in 2007, she was promoted to an Assistant Principal at Mount Vernon High School, and in 2014 was appointed to the principalship at Columbus School. As a steadfast leader, Dr. Crawford led Columbus School from its designation by the New York State Department of Education as a school In Need of Improvement to a school In Good Standing. 

Dr. Crawford currently serves as the Principal of The Mount Vernon Leadership Academy. As a principal, she is true believer that education is pathway to secure success. It is therefore not to be taken for granted for its benefits will have generational impacts. 

Dr. Crawford earned a Bachelor of Arts from Temple University, a Masters in Science Degree in Literacy Education from Adelphi University, a Masters of Science Degree in School Building Administration from Mercy College and a Doctorate in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher College.