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April Superintendent's Advisory Council meet at the Board of Education

Dr. Strickland with students during his advisory council.
April Superintendent's Advisory Council meet at the Board of Education

Fifth and sixth graders throughout the District gathered at the Board of Education for their monthly Superintendent’s Advisory Council meeting Wednesday afternoon. During this, Superintendent Dr. Demario Strickland discussed the importance of making hard decisions and setting priorities so that students could understand the budgetary and decision-making processes that affect their schools.

The Superintendent’s Advisory Council consists of primary and secondary students throughout the District, who meet with the superintendent to discuss a variety of topics related to their education and schools. This month focused on priorities for the 2026-27 school budget.

The meeting began with Dr. Strickland explaining to students how a school district is funded and receives their revenue each year. He talked about the importance of making fiscally sound  choices, and how those choices have significant trade-offs, before going into detail about the 2026-27 budget. 

You can visit our website to learn more about the budget.  

After breaking the budget down for students, Dr. Strickland then put their decision making skills to the test. Using real scenarios and numbers 2026-27 budget, students worked in pairs to make a decision based on actual tensions in the budget, and built their case. Scenarios included:

  • More security or more field trips? 
  • New computers or fixed bathrooms?
  • Utilize the fund budget now or save it for later? 
  • More nurses or more counselors? 

Students then discussed the choices they made and the reasoning behind their decisions with the rest of the group. Dr. Strickland listened attentively as the group debriefed and asked thought provoking questions about the budget. By the end of the session, students left with a better understanding of how decisions are made in the District to give them the best education possible. 

“I want to talk about how funding can support a lot of stuff and you have to make hard decisions for each individual school,” said Kenneth Oduro, a fifth grader at Edward Williams. “To make hard choices, you need to talk about what’s the most important and valuable thing before you work on the small stuff.”

Two students writing on paper.
Students talking during advisory council.
Student speaking to Superintendent during advisory council.
Students listening to peers speak.

 

Dr. Strickland outlines 'Excellence by Design' priorities for the new school year
Dr. Strickland outlines 'Excellence by Design' priorities for the new school year

Mount Vernon City School District Superintendent Dr. Demario Strickland is putting literacy, attendance and student voice among the district’s top priorities for the new school year, while rolling out new technology, expanding access for families and pledging continued transparency about district finances. Dr. Strickland laid out those priorities in his Aug. 25 Superintendent’s Report, describing a districtwide effort to strengthen instruction and the systems that support students. The work is being framed by a new theme, “Excellence by Design,” which he said reflects a deliberate approach to improvement.

Three women stand behind a table with baby manikins in the foreground, while a colorful bulletin board is visible in the background.
Mount Vernon City School District lunch monitors trained in CPR, first aid and AED response

Thirty-eight Mount Vernon City School District lunch monitors returned to school this week with an important new set of skills: the ability to respond when a child or adult faces a potentially life-threatening emergency. The monitors, along with two Central Office staff members, were trained Wednesday in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, first aid and the use of an automated external defibrillator during the District’s first Superintendent’s Conference Day of the 2026-27 school year.

 

A server in an apron offers a sample of food to a woman wearing a lei, while a cafeteria setting with other people is visible in the background.
MVCSD food service staff get a taste of year ahead during professional development retreat

Mount Vernon City School District lunch monitors, head chefs, managers and other food service workers kicked off the new school year with their annual professional development retreat, which served up valuable training, teamwork and a taste of what’s ahead for 2026-27. Staff members from Sodexo – the District’s K-12 food services provide -- gathered at Mount Vernon High School for the various activities, including food tasting, as they prepared to welcome students back from summer vacation. The annual professional development sessions help employees review procedures and regulations while strengthening the teamwork necessary to provide exceptional service to students.

Mount Vernon's Jewel Box
Mount Vernon's Jewel Box - Welcome Back to School!

Welcome back to school! This week, The Mount Vernon City School District greeted students and staff with warm smiles for another exciting school year. Teachers quickly began diving into curriculum, starting off the academic year strong. You can also view Mount Vernon’s Jewel Box on our Facebook, Instagram or YouTube! #ExcellencebyDesign