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.

“This is about how everything we do for our students is intentional,” Dr. Strickland said. “The systems we are building are all to foster excellence in our students, staff, and our communities.”

He said one of the top academic priorities is reading and, to that end, the district is undertaking a concentrated literacy effort aimed at getting students to meet or exceed expectations for their grade levels.

“We are making a concerted effort this year to improve student literacy,” Dr. Strickland said. “We want all of our students reading at or above grade-level, and that goal will take a serious effort to ensure our students are progressing.”

The District plans to support that goal with professional development for teachers throughout the year, while elementary schools will participate in curriculum pilots. Principals and administrators learned about the pilots during the District’s Leadership Summit.

Dr. Strickland expressed confidence in the District’s educators while emphasizing that they, too, need opportunities to develop their skills.

“We have fantastic teachers, and I know that our students are in capable hands,” he said. “We will also provide professional development throughout the year to ensure that our teachers are also improving and being provided with the right tools to help their students succeed.”

But Dr. Strickland also offered a simpler message about encouraging students to pick up books: “reading is fun.” He pointed to new student Trustee Timothy Jenkins as an example, adding, “you never see him without a book.”

Attendance will receive a similarly sustained push throughout the school year. The District is promoting the slogan “Present Every Day, the Mount Vernon Way” and asking families to familiarize themselves with its attendance policy.

“Attendance is so important!” said Dr. Strickland, adding that the District plans to reinforce the message throughout the year so students understand the importance of consistently being in school.

Students themselves will also have a larger voice in the District. Dr. Strickland’s student advisory council held its first meeting and adopted a new name, “MV Voice and Vision,” while students selected their own leadership.

Timothy Jenkins was voted in by his peers to serve as president of MV Voice and Vision and, because he was elected by his peers, will also serve as student trustee on the Board of Education. Elisheba Mattadeen and Vidhi Goel were selected as co-vice chairs, while Alistair Bell was chosen as secretary.

“I’m excited to work with these students and hear their perspectives as an entirely student-led advisory council,” Dr. Strickland said.
Families and students are also encountering changes in the District’s technology this year. Mount Vernon has transitioned from Schoology to Google Classroom, which students and teachers can access using their school email accounts.

Dr. Strickland said Google Classroom offers teachers a simpler and more efficient classroom management platform and comes at no additional cost through the District’s Google Workspace for Education subscription. Technology assistance is available through the District’s online help desk.

Another tool, Infinite Campus, allows families to view students’ progress reports and report cards. Families can also use the Infinite Campus app to check grades. The first progress reports are scheduled to be issued Oct. 2.

Dr. Strickland also reminded families to ensure students have completed a health examination in the past year and are current on vaccinations. He said there are no exceptions other than medical exemptions, and the District has additional information available through its Health and Wellness resources.

“Our students’ health is important to us, so it is important that everything is up to date,” he said.

The District is also preparing to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks with a remembrance project. School flag posts will be decorated in honor of the firefighters who raised the American flag at Ground Zero.

“Twenty-five years ago, we were all devastated by the tragic 9/11 attacks, and ever since we pledged to never forget,” Dr. Strickland said. “We want our students to understand the impact of that day so that they too won’t forget.”

The superintendent also highlighted Assistant Superintendent for Business  Joe Lin’s presentations detailing the finances of the District and the availability of financial reports online. He framed the effort as an obligation both to taxpayers and to public understanding of District finances.

“Our role as stewards of the public’s tax dollars is taken very seriously, and it’s also so important that the community understands how we are managing our finances,” Dr. Strickland said. Financial reports are available through the Transparency and Audits section of the District website.

The District has also launched a redesigned website with new features intended to improve user-friendliness and make the site easier to navigate on smartphones. The superintendent invited residents to provide feedback as the District continues refining the site.

Dr. Strickland’s report covered numerous operational changes, but his broader message centered on building systems around students — from getting them into school every day and improving their reading skills to giving them a voice in District affairs and making information more accessible to their families.

That approach is captured in “Excellence by Design,” the theme he introduced for the year. Rather than treating excellence as an abstract aspiration, he described it as something the District must deliberately build into its work.

“This is about how everything we do for our students is intentional,” Dr. Strickland said. “The systems we are building are all to foster excellence in our students, staff, and our communities.”