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Guidance on Safeguarding the Rights of All Students, Including Immigrant Students

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Guidance on Safeguarding the Rights of All Students, Including Immigrant Students

Dear Mount Vernon City School District Community,

In recent weeks, there have been significant changes within the government and to decades long existing policies. Among those policy changes is enabling Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to carry out immigration enforcement actions in churches and schools. This is of grave concern for our school community as this action threatens the sanctity of the safe learning environment that we seek to provide to all of our students, including noncitizen students. We seek to preserve our schools as a sanctuary for all our students. Every child, regardless of their immigration status, has the right to public education under the landmark Plyler v. Doe | 457 U.S. 202 (1982).

The Office of the New York State Attorney General (OAG), Office of the New York Governor and New York State Education Department, issued joint guidance in support of safeguarding the rights of all students, including noncitizen students.  The District is devoted to following these guidelines in order to protect all students and staff to the extent possible by the law. See link to the guidance below.

https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/bilingual-ed/2025.1-oag-go-sed-immigration-students-a.pdf

The Mount Vernon City School District is dedicated to ensuring all students have equal access to an education, no matter their immigration status, race or ethnicity.

The District is committed to keeping our scholars and staff safe while continuing to foster an environment that is inclusive to all.

Kind Regards,

Dr. K. Veronica Smith
Acting Superintendent of Schools

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Dr.DemarioStricklandSuperintendent
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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. 

Inductees during hall of fame ceremony.
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The Mount Vernon City School District inducted former State Senator Ruth Hassell-Thomspon, Congressman George Latimer and the late Elise Finch-Henriques into the Mount Vernon High School Hall of Fame Saturday morning. Families, loved ones, administrators, educators, colleagues and community members gathered at Mount Vernon High School to celebrate this prestigious induction.

Photo left to right: Dr. Smith, Trustee Lorna Kirwan, Trustee Adriane Saunders, In-House Counsel Royce Russell, Trustee Helene Thompson Njenga
Community Message: Thank you message from Acting Superintendent to outgoing trustees

Dr. K. Veronica Smith, Acting Superintendent:

As their terms as trustees of the Mount Vernon City School District come to an end, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Trustee Adriane Saunders, Trustee Lorna Kirwan, and Trustee Helene Thompson-Njenga for all they have done for our District during their time in office. They served as champions for education, always making decisions to better serve the children of Mount Vernon. Our District will wear the mark of the work they have done for years to come, and I am so appreciative of everything we were able to accomplish together for our scholars.

Valedictorian giving speech at graduation.
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Graduates from Mount Vernon High School and Rebecca Turner Academy walked the stage at Memorial Field on Wednesday evening, as 274 from the Class of 2025 received their diplomas. Students waved and smiled to their families and friends in the packed stadium as they took their places at the front of the ceremony, accompanied by percussion from the Ice Cold Performing Arts, a group made up of Mount Vernon students.

Click here to view the full photo gallery!