Music Therapy Internship

What Is Monroe #1 BOCES
The Board of Cooperative Educational Services, First Supervisory District of Monroe County (Monroe #1 BOCES)  is a county cooperative which provides special education and vocational opportunities for students enrolled in the ten school districts which comprise the eastern half of Monroe County.

Where Is Monroe #1 BOCES located?
Monroe #1 BOCES is located in Rochester, New York. Rochester, with a population of 385,000, is located in western New York in close proximity to Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes. Nearby cities include Buffalo (1 hour drive), Syracuse (1 hour drive) and Toronto in Ontario, Canada (2 1/2 hours drive). Although well known for snow (average snowfall is between 80 - 100 inches per winter), Rochester is also recognized for being the headquarters of Kodak and Bausch and Lomb. Higher education opportunities are available through many Rochester colleges and universities including Nazareth College, the University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, St. John Fisher College, Roberts Wesleyan College, the State University of New York at Brockport and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf.

What does Monroe #1 BOCES offer for students in special education? Monroe #1 BOCES offers a diverse array of services in a wide variety of settings to 1500 students ages birth to 21. The students' disabilities include autism, speech impairment, learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, visual impairment, orthopedic impairment, developmentally disabled, hearing impairment, or multiply-handicapped.

Special education services are delivered through seven center-based programs and through a district-based program which consists of self-contained classrooms located throughout the eastern half of Monroe County.

What Is the Philosophy of the BOCES # I Music Therapy Program?
The philosophy of the Monroe #1 BOCES Music Therapy Program is two-fold. First, music therapy is viewed as a related service under Federal and State Law which can be effectively utilized to help a student meet established Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goals. Through the therapeutic application of singing, playing instruments, moving to music, listening to music and creating music, a student can progress toward meeting established goals and objectives.

Secondly, music therapy provides students with the opportunity to develop needed music skills in a therapeutic environment. Since a center-based school is the least restrictive environment for some Monroe #1 BOCES students, music therapy provides the only opportunity to learn the basic skills and concepts usually taught by a music educator. In some instances the development of non-music and music skills has facilitated a student's integration back into their home school.

The Music Therapy Internship begins the day after Labor Day in September and ends in June.

What does Monroe #1 BOCES offer in terms of housing, meals, and stipend?
Monroe #1 BOCES   will pay each intern a stipend of $6,000 - $7,000. Each intern will be responsible for their own housing and meals. Additionally, each intern needs to have a car since travel between BOCES sites is an integral part of this internship. Reimbursement for mileage is currently being negotiated.

What's the application process for the Monore # 1 BOCES internship?Students who are interested in applying for this internship are required to complete an application, submit official academic transcripts from all Colleges/Universities attended, and send two letters of recommendation (one from the Academic Director and one from a practicum supervisor, employer or other professional). Additionally, an on-site interview with the Monroe #1 BOCES Music Therapy Staff and an audition of functional music skills is required.