Greetings MVCSD Community,

Next Tuesday, May 6, there will be a budget hearing held at 6 p.m. at the Board of Education. I encourage community members to attend to hear more about the budget and ask any questions they may have. The proposed budget creates a path toward sustainability, continues investments in education and increases fiscal responsibility within the District with responsible spending. The budget vote this year will be held on Tuesday, May 20, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Click here to visit the budget webpage to learn more. You can also find your polling place and check registration status by clicking the “Find Your Polling Place” button on the page. To learn more about the breakdown of the budget, view the latest episode of "Conversations with Dr. Kim", where I speak with Assistant Superintendent of Business, Jose Formoso.

This week, we honored Autism Acceptance Day with a wonderful celebration at Benjamin Turner Academy. Hundreds of parents and students from throughout the District came out for an afternoon of fun. Parents were also provided with information and resources to help them support their children with autism and other disabilities. Thank you to the Mount Vernon Special Education PTA and the event's co-sponsors, which included the Mount Vernon Federation of Teachers and the Daisy Dream Project. This was such a valuable event for our students and families!

Orchestra majors at Denzel Washington School of the Arts had an opportunity to learn from and collaborate with the Terra String Quartet, a group of professional and accomplished musicians. The quartet visited DWSA through a grant-funded initiative at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, where they are the quartet-in-residency. After visiting the school in November, the musicians came back to teach students more and see the progress that they have made. Thank you to the Terra String Quartet for providing our students with such an enriching experience!

On our Senior Spotlight Series, we are featuring Dianna Salgado-Sanchez from Mount Vernon High School. With a 4.0 GPA, Dianna has spent her entire high school career as a high-achieving student. She is on track for an International Baccalaureate Diploma, which is a prestigious distinction that very few high school students are able to earn. Congratulations Dianna! Keep the same work ethic you have shown thus far, and you will do amazing things in the future.

Kindest Regards,

Dr. K. Veronica Smith

Acting Superintendent of Schools

Please be Advised that the 2025-2026 School Budget Public Hearing will be held on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at 6 p.m. at the Mount Vernon Board of Education.

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After school on Tuesday, hundreds of Mount Vernon parents, students and staff gathered on the field of Benjamin Turner Academy, clad in their rainbow shirts, and engaged in activities to celebrate Autism Acceptance Day. This marks the third annual Autism Acceptance Day celebration thrown in the Mount Vernon City School District, held by the Special Education Parent Teacher Association (SEPTA) and co-sponsored by the Daisy Dream Project and the Mount Vernon Federation of Teachers.

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Denzel Washington School of the Arts Orchestra majors were visited by the Terra String Quartet, the Yale School of Music’s fellowship ensemble-in-residence, on Monday morning. Learning directly from professionals provides students with enriching first-hand experiences that give them a deeper understanding of their classroom learning by seeing, and practicing, the methods in which experts use their knowledge.

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Dianna Salgado-Sanchez is a Mount Vernon High School senior who has shown great growth and educational success throughout her four years of high school. With a strong 4.0 grade point average, Dianna is finishing high school with pride and confidence in her future.

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