A New School Year Brings Excitement and Butterflies

MOUNT VERNON – With a mix of excitement and a few butterflies, Mount Vernon City School District students ended their summer and returned to their schools Wednesday – albeit for a half day, which was mostly devoted to finding their classrooms, meeting their new teachers and reconnecting with friends.

The day across the District set the tone for the year ahead: a fresh start filled with new beginnings, a lot of enthusiasm, and the promise of growth, friendship and learning.
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Superintendent Dr. Demario Strickland, a teacher at heart, was in his element as he visited Mount Vernon High School and Rebecca Turner and Benjamin Turner academies, where he spoke with students and staff, as well as took a hands-on role in some classrooms.
Also joining him for the tour of schools on opening day was Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard.

“We are excited to start a new year of renewal in the Mount Vernon City School District, where we are shining a light on standards,” Dr. Strickland said. “Seeing the exuberance of our students back in school and our teachers and teachers’ assistants in action was a welcome sight.

“I’m a teacher first, and it was great to get into classrooms and begin my work with our fantastic faculty,” he said.

The schools chief also gave a shout-out to District workers who worked hard all summer to prepare the buildings for the big day.

“It was amazing to see how beautifully our head custodians, custodians and cleaners did to get our schools ready for students to return,” Dr. Strickland said.

Liam Jay Nunez, a seventh-grade student at Benjamin Turner Academy, is looking forward to “learning new stuff and making new friends.”

He said he is looking forward to Spanish class because “I am Dominican, my mom is Dominican, so I want to learn Spanish so I can speak to my family more.”

Deja Lovitt, a second-grade teaching assistant at BTA, said: “I’m just looking forward to getting to know the kids and building a bond with them.”

Fifth-grader Nadia Williams was primed for the new year.

“I’m excited to see my friends, and I’m excited to see my teacher this year. I’m just excited for fifth grade,” Nadia said. “I want to try to do science projects; that’s always my favorite, the projects.”

The students were not the only ones who were excited.

“I’m excited for the new adventures because I know they closed a few schools and had to migrate some students to this school,” said Kimberly Fagan, the mother of a seventh-grader and second-grader at BTA. “So, hopefully I’m looking forward to a safe, smooth, productive school year for all the kids.”

Principal Dr. Colleen Seivright-Crawford called it a “new beginning.”

“I’m looking forward to coming together as a community,” Dr. Seivright-Crawford said. “I look forward to engaging with the families and the students, building community, building relationships, and ultimately it will lead to academic success.”

At Lincoln School, Sofia Weinhardt held tightly to her parents, Thiago and Thalia, before heading off to kindergarten. She had a tough time saying goodbye, bursting into tears briefly as her parents offered hugs and reassurance.

“She’s a bit nervous but she’ll be fine,” Mr. Weinhardt said after kissing his daughter and waving goodbye. “She is also excited about going to kindergarten.”

Meanwhile, seventh-grader Louis Soto began a brand-new chapter at Lincoln after recently arriving from Puerto Rico. His uncle, Carmelo Luna, escorted him to school, offering support as Louis prepared for his new environment.

“He is very excited but everything is very new to him,” Mr. Luna said, noting that Louis speaks little English but is eager to learn.

For eighth-grader Khadijatou Jaiteh, the morning was filled with laughter and hugs as she reunited with friends Sophia Valdovinos and Victoria Lee. Her mother, Amie Balajo, stood by proudly.

“I’m so excited for her,” Ms. Balajo said with a smile. “I feel so happy. This is such a good school and the teachers are so good.”

Over at the Mount Vernon STEAM Academy, the hallways buzzed with energy as students tried to find their way to the right classrooms. Some found themselves sitting in the wrong seats before realizing they had to move elsewhere.

By mid-morning, the jitters eased, and one social studies class turned the short school day into a celebration with a lively game of bingo and plenty of snacks.

At Rebecca Turner Academy, parent liaison Dardane Prelvukaj was pleased to see the students back in school and ready to learn.

“I’m happy to support families and provide them with information and help them find resources to ensure a successful and happy year for their children,” said Ms. Prelvukaj, who also is the liaison at the Mount Vernon STEAM Academy.

And at Mount Vernon High School, ninth-grader Allan Bruce already had a solid plan.

“I want to pass my classes, get on the basketball team, and pass the Regents,” he said. “I want to make my mom proud, make myself proud, and make myself better.”