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Virginia Beach City Public Schools Music Education Program Receives National Recognition for 16th Year

For the 16th time, Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation. Now in its 26th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement for providing music access and education to all students.

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Graduation 2025
2025 Graduation Information
Virginia Beach City Public Schools Music Education Program Receives National Recognition for 16th Year

For the 16th time, Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation. Now in its 26th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement for providing music access and education to all students.

2025 Citywide Volunteers of the Year

Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) values and promotes active engagement of the community in all our schools. The Office of Family and Community Engagement coordinates many volunteer opportunities for community members to interact and contribute to the academic achievement of our students and the overall continuous improvement of VBCPS.

2025-26 federal grant information presented to Virginia Beach School Board

The Virginia Beach School Board received information about proposed federal grant applications at its May 13 meeting. For the 2025-26 school year, Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) would receive approximately $21.6 million in formula grant funds through programs authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA).

Program Faculty

Teacher smiling at student

Training Directors & Primary Supervisors

Scott M. Bell, Psy.D., Training Director; Licensed Clinical Psychologist; Pupil Personnel Services License (School Psychologist). Psy.D., Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, 2002. Professional interests: treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents; children from separation and divorce; sexual abuse treatment, gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender/questioning issues, risk of violence assessment; clinical supervision; professional development and licensure; program development. Professional affiliations: American Psychological Association; National Association of School Psychologists; National Register of Health Service Psychologists.

Deborah M. Edwards, Psy.D., Assistant Training Director; Primary Supervisor, Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Psy.D., Widener University, 2000. Professional Interests: clinical supervision, learning differences, psycho-educational assessment, instructional and behavioral classroom interventions, childhood treatment of behavioral and emotional disorders (i.e., depression, anxiety disorders, and ADHD).

Stacie F. Simon, Psy.D., Assistant Training Director; Primary Supervisor & STEP Rotation/Site Supervisor; Licensed Clinical Psychologist; Pupil Personnel Services License (School Psychologist). Psy.D., Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology, 2009. Professional Interests: clinical supervision, supportive therapeutic educational program for students with emotional disabilities, adolescent and adult issues, HIV/AIDS, military families, gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender/questioning issues, risk of violence assessment

Lisa Conway-Sugden, Psy.D., Primary Supervisor & STEP Rotation/Site Supervisor; Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Psy.D. Florida Institute of Technology, 2001. Professional interests: Child & Adolescent Treatment Series; Play Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Interventions, Sand Tray, Sexual Abuse and Trauma Treatment, Supervision, Child and Adolescent Populations.

Suzanne E. Farley, Ph.D., Primary Supervisor & SECEP Re-ED Rotation/Site Supervisor; Licensed Clinical Psychologist; Pupil Personnel Services License (School Psychologist). Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2006. Professional interests: Assessment and treatment of children with ADHD and behavioral and emotional disorders; classroom consultation; parent training.

Ellen M. Kveton, Psy.D., Primary Supervisor & STEP Rotation/Site Supervisor; Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Psy. D., Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology, 1989. Professional interests: clinical supervision; school-based therapeutic educational program for students with emotional disabilities; individual psychotherapy and play therapy with children; psychological and clinical assessments of children.

Rotation/Site Supervisors & Training Faculty

Kara L. Branz, M.A. NCSP, BASE Program Rotation/Site Supervisor; Licensed School Psychologist-Limited; Pupil Personnel Services License (School Psychologist). M.A., La Salle University, 2009; Re-specialization in School Psychology, Oklahoma State University, 2015. Professional Interests: instructional and behavioral classroom interventions; autism spectrum disorders; response-to-intervention; positive behavior supports.

Kelli R. Good, Ph.D., Preschool Assessment Center Rotation/Site Supervisor; Licensed School Psychologist-Limited; Pupil Personnel Services License (School Psychologist). Ph.D. 2001, University of South Carolina. Professional interests: preschool assessment; parent training; group, individual and family therapy; emotional and behavioral disorders; ecological approach to prevention, assessment, and intervention; conflict resolution. Professional affiliations: National Association of School Psychologists.

Taylor J. Pauken, Psy.D., STEP Rotation/Site Supervisor; Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Psy.D., Adler University, 2020. Professional Interests: psychoeducational assessment using iPads; treatment of internalizing disorders in adolescents; sexual orientation and gender diversity issues; identity development (i.e., interests, values, intersectionality of identities, etc.); interdisciplinary team consultation. Professional Affiliations: National Register of Health Service Psychologists, APA Division of School Psychology, APA Society for the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity.

Jennifer G. Ward, Ed.S., N.C.S.P., Autism Assessment Team Rotation/Site Supervisor; Licensed School Psychologist-Limited; Pupil Personnel Services License (School Psychologist). Ed.S., Lehigh University, 2000. Professional Interests: assessment and intervention for students with autism spectrum disorders; response-to-intervention; positive behavior supports.