Community Message: Welcome Address from Dr. Demario A. Strickland, Superintendent of Schools

Greetings Mount Vernon, 

Thank you for entrusting your children’s education to me as Superintendent of Schools for the Mount Vernon City School District. Over the past few weeks, I have spent time getting to know the community of Mount Vernon, and I am impressed with the pride that fills the city. I am looking forward to making sure that residents are filled with that same pride for the schools that their children attend. I am excited to step in and get right to the important work of improving our District and achieving our shared vision of success. 

I call myself “the teaching and learning superintendent” because I am intensely focused on making sure that the education happening in our classrooms is rigorous and beneficial to our students. My goal is to make sure that all students are learning at a high level. Whether it is in general education, English as a New Language or special education, the success of our students is my number one priority.

To improve student outcomes, I have already begun work on my 90-day plan, which will be shared on our website. This transformative plan will begin the work of setting our District up for short-term and long-term success in the coming years. We will provide continuous updates, so stakeholders can keep track of our progress on the plan and hold us accountable. We have also begun the process of developing a strategic plan that will take us through the 2029-2030 school year. This plan will guide our decision making and ensure alignment throughout the District as we work towards our goals.

I also want to make sure that I am acknowledging the great news throughout the Mount Vernon City School District as I move through this transition. While we have a lot of work to do to improve our schools, there is still so much to celebrate!

Our first benchmarks will be making sure that schools are ready to open on September 3 and that the building reconfiguration is conducted as smoothly as possible, with all affected parties receiving the support that they need to have a successful school year. We will analyze repairs, upgrades and compliance needs to ensure that students are learning in a safe environment that is conducive to learning. When our teachers return, I will also work to align our administrators and our schools, so that teachers and staff are supported and we are all working towards the same goals. 

Thank you again for your trust, and I look forward to collaborating with the entire community for a school district that works for everyone, with students at the forefront. My next community forum, Let’s Talk: Conversations with Dr. Strickland, will be at Denzel Washington School of the Arts at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 12. I encourage everyone to attend and learn more about me, my vision for the District, and how I plan to achieve that vision.

Sincerely,

Dr. Demario A. Strickland

Superintendent of Schools