Superintendent's Report for April presented at the Board of Education

Superintendent of the Mount Vernon City School District, Dr. Demario Strickland, presented his April report to the Board of Education and community members Tuesday evening, highlighting accomplishments and announcements from the District.

The presentation started off with Dr. Strickland praising Lincoln School monitor Cynthia Hudson, who swiftly jumped into action to perform the heimlich maneuver on a choking student last month. 

“I want to thank Ms. Hudson from the bottom of my heart for stepping up and taking action,” Dr. Strickland said. “Our students are precious to us, and it is great to see the lengths our staff members will go to support them.​”

Dr. Strickland then went on to discuss the multiple community forums the District has held to engage with Mount Vernon residents about the 2026-27 school budget. Here, he discussed details of the budget, and how it will support students in a fiscally sound and efficient manner. He highlighted key areas of investment including special education, bilingual education, Gifted, Talented & enrichment programs, athletics, CTE, safety & security, and facilities.

He also encouraged community members to attend his next two community forums to learn more about the budget. The District will present the budget and field community feedback and questions on Monday, May 4,  at 6:30 p.m. at Greater Centennial A.M.E. Zion Church and on Thursday,​ May 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Hamilton School. The Districtwide budget hearing will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5, at the Board of Education.

Dr. Strickland touched upon Autism Acceptance Day, with the District hosting the event at Graham School and inviting families to celebrate inclusion. 

Diving into academics, Dr. Strickland discussed New York State math testing for students in third through eighth grade, which will start next week. He highlighted the hard work throughout the year, and how education is a collaborative effort between schools and families.

“Thank you to all our teachers and families who have put in so much effort to ensure that our students are prepared for their tests,” Dr. Strickland said. “After a long year of amazing instruction, I am confident that our students are ready to achieve great things.”

Mount Vernon STEAM Academy’s Mock Trial team finished their season on a high note, placing eighth in the county in just their second year of competition.

“Mock trial is a fantastic way for students to learn and practice rhetorical skills that will help them throughout their lives, and I am proud to see them already having great success,” Dr. Strickland said. “First place is in sight for next year!​”

Benjamin Turner Academy fifth-graders recently celebrated their achievement in I-Ready and Math Common Assessments after receiving effective scores on the tests. Dr. Strickland noted that a top goal for the District this school year is to increase achievement by at least 5% across core subjects. The districtwide goal is 44% proficiency in fifth grade math, and the entire fifth grade at BTA managed to reach 52%.

To celebrate seniors graduating this June, the District has launched the “Shining on to Graduation” series, highlighting graduates from all three high schools. To view the weekly segment, visit the District website and social media.

Dr. Strickland went on to thank the PTA Council for doing a phenomenal job putting together the annual Edith Kaplan Scholarship, which honors individuals for their impact in Mount Vernon schools. So far, the PTA has raised $20,000 towards scholarships for the Class of 2026. Donations are still accepting donations here. 

The next part of the presentation touched upon the Superintendent’s Advisory Council, where last month students took a deep dive into the code of conduct. 

“Input from students on the Code of Conduct is so important because it affects them on a day-to-day basis, and they can see exactly how it is implemented on the school level every day,” Dr. Strickland said. “This discussion will help guide us as we rework our Code, and students are encouraged to join our Code of Conduct Committee to ensure that their voices are represented fully in our policies.”

In regards to community connections, Dr. Strickland highlighted the many events going on throughout the District that bring families together, including literacy night at Graham School and Pasta Night at Hamilton School. 

He also discussed preschool families at Rebecca Turner coming to participate in a butterfly activity, students at various schools creating thoughtful cards for patients at Burke Rehabilitation and the generous book donations from the Mount Vernon Public Library.  

The next part of the presentation proudly displayed Food Service Manager Donna Jackson, who was recognized by New York State's Office of General Services this month for her outstanding work throughout the District. Ms. Jackson leads the team of staff that ensures that every student in the District is fed with healthy, nutritious meals.

To wrap up the presentation, Dr. Strickland thanked Assistant Principals for their hard work, as they were celebrated at the beginning of the month during Assistant Principals Week. He also reminded families that May 22 will be a snow make-up day for in person instruction.