001[Music] Good evening everyone. >> Good evening. I'd like to call to order this public hearing for the New York State Monitor for the Mount Vernon City School District. This is the second of three public hearings. Today is Tuesday, July 29th, 2025. Please stand for the pledge. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. This evening's hearing will focus on the academics of the district. I will now open the floor to Superintendent Dr. Deario Strickland, who will be our monitor this evening, and to Dr. Kimberly Young Wilkins, our New York State Monitor. You have the floor. >> Welcome everyone. I am Dr. Deario Strickland and your moderator for today's public hearing of
002the monitor for the Mount Vernon City School District. Today's public hearing is on the subject of the duties and responsibilities of the stateapp appointed monitor and the academic status of the Mount Vernon City School District. In my role as moderator, I will explain how this hearing will be conducted. Call upon speakers who wish to make comments or ask questions during the this public hearing. ensure that the public comments that have been received prior to the hearing are entered into the public record and if time permits give the monitor an opportunity to answer questions that have been submitted. I am joined this evening by Dr. Kimberly Young Wilkins the monitor of the Mount Vernon City School District and Dr. Jamal Dogget the assistant superintendent for curriculum instruction and administration of the district. Next slide. Thank you.
003Our agenda for today's meeting is as follows. I will first explain how this public hearing will be conducted and how persons may participate in the hearing. Next, Dr. Young Wilkins will do a presentation on the academic matters that are covered in the legislation so that we can all have some common information about this topic. Next, I will provide an opportunity for persons who are participating in this public hearing to make comments regarding this topic. This will be followed if time allows by my summarizing public comments that we may receive we may have received prior to this meeting. Next, if time allows, Dr. Wilkins will respond to questions that were submitted prior to the hearing which were no none. Next slide. After Dr. Wilkins has finished her presentation. We will open it up for comments from
004everyone who signed up to speak today. That was no one. So, we will open the floor to individuals that would like to speak about the academics in the district. When the time comes for these public comments, I will call upon each speaker in the order that they signed up to speak, which that will be none. So if you want to speak what I will do is I will simply ask you to sign up sign your name and I will be sure that we call on you to speak. When I call your name you will come to the podium and be given four minutes to make your statement. When you have one minute remaining in your allotted time you will be informed. After four minutes I will thank you for your statement nicely. I will nicely
005thank you for your statement. Remember, I have to go to bed by 8:30 um and uh move on to the next speaker. If anyone wants to submit a comment who did not speak, you can still submit your comment to K. Young Wilkins at Mount Vernon City School District CSD.org and your comment will be made part of the record for this hearing. And with that being said, uh we would like to welcome up our state monitor, Dr. Kimberly Young Wilkins. >> Thank you, Dr. Strickland, and welcome to all who are participating in tonight's hearing. I am Kimberly Young Wilkins, a mantra assigned by the commissioner to the Mount Vernon City School District. I have more than three decades of experience in educational leadership and have served as a principal, a superintendent, assistant superintendent, um, assistant deputy
006commissioner, deputy commissioner, and I'm very familiar with academic and fiscal challenges faced by districts such as Mount Vernon. This hearing is being conducted to meet the requirements of New York, the new state law that directs commissioner of education to appoint a monitor to Mount Vernon City School District. The Mount Vernon School District is not unique in this regard. Similar provisions of law also require the commissioner to appoint monitors to Hemstead, Rochester, and Ween School District. A somewhat different provision of law establishes monitors for the East Ramapo School District. As Mount Vernon monitor, I am charged with providing oversight, guidance, technical assistance related to the academic and fiscal policies, practices, programs, and decisions of the school district and then the board of education and the superintendent. Next slide. So on July 1st, I was appointed by
007the commissioner, Betty Rosa, to be the monitor for the Mount City Mount Vernon City School District. The public hearing we're conducting today is required by state law that establishes the position of the monitor. We are doing hearings this month because by law they must be conducted within 60 days of my appointment. The purpose of the second hearing is to explain the role of the monitor in providing oversight and assistance in academic matters of the Mount Vernon City School District and to take public comment on the academic performance of the school district. The third hearing will be held next Tuesday, August 5th, and will be public comment on the fiscal performance of the school district. Next slide. Yep, there we go. All right, this is an overview and it's this year 2324 school year results for
008your ELA in math and graduation. So, we're going to begin briefly by reviewing the academic performance of the district. As you can see from this very simple table, in the 2324 school year, Mount Vernon underperformed the state on underperformed the state on key indicator academic indicators such as percentage of students proficient in 3 through8 ELA and math, four-year high school graduation, percent of students graduating with a region diploma with advanced designation and chronic absenteeism. and that is students missing more than 10% of of days of instruction at the elementary and middle school level. The only indicator on this table on which Mount Verden outperforms the state was the high school chronic absenteeism rate which is surprising given the substantial gap in the graduation rate between the district and the state. Again, remember this is a
009comparison to the state average versus Mount Vernon. The large gap in proficiency rate between the district and the state and 3A math 14% is especially noteworthy since many people believe that the math instruction is a better reflection of the efficacy than ELA scores. The reason being that math instruction is typically happens mostly in a school while language development of children happens everywhere they go. So math is usually an indicator. While there are districts that face greater academic challenges in Mount Vernon, obviously they have work to be done and that's in most every district. Now, an important as academicist for our children, I would be so neglectful not to mention the district's building reorganization that begins this school year of 2025 2026. And culture and climate is just as important as your academics. It'll be extremely
010vital for the district to be really monitoring and continuing to guide the reconfiguration to ensure a successful transition for all students. This is not just for the beginning of the school year. This is something that will have to be ongoing throughout this particular school year and monitoring to ensure that the district meets the needs of all students, staff, and faculty during this change. Next slide. Responsibilities of the monitor. I will by virtue of my position serve as a member of the school board with the right to attend meetings both public and executive sessions and to participate in decisions and discussions on all matters coming before it. I expect to be present at all board meetings. It should be noted that the mantra is not entitled to vote on matters coming before the board of education.
011Nor is my presence considered a and determine the quorum of a board of the board of education. Ensuring that no employee or board member has a conflict between their official duties for the school district and their outside interest is critical in maintaining fiscal and operational integrity of the district. Therefore, one of my first tasks will be the work with the board to ensure that the district's conflict of interest policy is upto-date and rigorous. It is crucial to the academic and fiscal stabilization of the school district that long-term academic improvement and financial plans be developed to guide the Mount Vernon schools in the future. This is the core work of a monitor. The academic improvement plan contains a series of programmatic recommendations designed to improve academic performance. The plan will also include addressing provisions contained in
012any corrective action plan set forth by the department, the education department. The draft academic improvement plan will be subject to public review and comment prior to being finalized. It is due to state ed by November 1st, hopefully to your board by December 1st and off out to you by January 1st. So those are the dates coming up. Should there be a disagreement between the monitor and the board on aspects of the plan, such matters would be brought directly to the commissioner for resolution. Once the plan is approved by the commissioner, the recommendations in the plan become binding upon the school district which is required to implement them fully in fidelity. If there are any issues in terms of plan of implementation, the district may seek to have the commissioner approve an amendment to the plan.
013Again the plan is a living document. There is also opportunity to update this plan annually. Now responsibilities of the monitor. So beginning in the 2627 school year, I would be responsible submitting findings and recommendations to the commissioner regarding whether the proposed district budget is balanced in terms of ex expected expenditures and revenue in align with the academic improvement and and financial plan. So those plans that'll be due in December and January become important for your budget moving forward. My role in the review of the proposed budget will be covered in more detail in a third public meeting to be conducted on August 5th. Overwhelmingly when disagreements arise between the superintendent and board members or among board members themselves, such disputes are able to be resolved internally. In such cases when these disagreements cannot be resolved,
014the monitor may be asked to assist in resolving a dispute that involves implementation of an element of the academic and/or financial plan. There are times when a monitor may identify ways that a district can save money. In such cases, the monitor may place a proposal before the board and require the board to vote upon the proposal. This will also be covered in more detail on the August 5th hearing. A violation of the five-year academic plan exists when a district fails to make good faith effort to implement the elements of the academic and improvement plan. For example, if the plan stated by April 1st, 2026, the district shall dis disseminate to all students and their families a secondary school course catalog and by that date the district has not taken any action to create the catalog,
015that would be reason for the monitor to issue a notice of violation. In such a case, the mantra would notify the board and the commissioner of the violation. The commissioner gives the board an opportunity to respond to the notice and then decides whether a violation exists and whether to order the district to take action to come into compliance with the plan. Next slide. So the plan that I de I hopefully will develop in collaboration with the district will contain goals, recommendations and evidence of implementation. The focus of this initial plan is likely to be a quick fixes that can be accomplished in 2526 school year as well as well as more in-depth recommendations that can be accomplished in 2627 school year. There may be recommendations for long-term projects that may take multiple years to implement
016fully. And with that, I turn it over to Dr. Strickland. Okay. Thank you, Dr. Dr. Wilkins for that overview of the state law and regulation and the monitor's role in working with the district to develop a long-term academic improvement plan. I have already stated at a prior board meeting my belief in the need for the district to have such a strategic plan. Um, and just a FYI, uh, I will begin, uh, developing a, a strategic plan, strategic planning process in which I will ask members from the outside community to join, uh, to help give your input or insight into this multi-year plan so that we are in a space uh, where we're in where we are bringing in your voice uh, to dictate where we need to go for uh, Mount Vernon City School District.
017Now that we have reviewed the key provisions of the state law in terms of the academic issues, I am going to ask those individuals that would like to speak uh to come forward. I have a sign in sheet. If you would like and uh then I will uh begin calling the names. So if you would like to speak, please sign your name for the record and then we will be in a space where I will begin calling your name. So, we will take about two minutes for anyone that would like to. >> Okay. So, this this is actually on our board docs and we will also be sure to make the presentation available on her website. uh that on her page on the Mount Vernon Vernon City School District website, but you want a physical
018one if I I understand what I'll I'll I'll find a way. I will find a way. >> So, if you would like to speak Oh, look. Okay. So, you know what? If y'all have questions, because >> Okay, you going to do budget next week? See you next week. Here you go. Here you go. >> Well, anyone Excellent. >> Thank you. >> All right. Um >> Okay. Yeah. >> The question was, "How can the community um be invited for input?" Um I'm going to be going to every single school um visiting. I thought they worked all summer. I was ready to go. Nobody's here right now. So, I'm dealing with district people. I'm going to each school. I want to work with the PTA as well as um the community as well as your politicians. I'm
019going to be everywhere because I got to get the culture of the district and the voices of the parents. So, I'm going to be trying to work through the schools. I'm a former principal and so the schools are very important to me. So, I want to be getting into the schools as soon as possible. So, really September. >> September. >> Yeah. Because no one's around right now. So, I'm like bothering these poor people all day. So, yeah. Yeah, I got I really do want to work with Dr. Strickland and um Dr. Dogget as well as the principles to get kind of a scheduling. I really would love to be able to get to the PTA and if I'm not get uh to individual school PTAs, maybe the district PTA and then get myself inserted into
020the school. So, I'm going to do my best to get to everybody way before November 1st when my my um stuff is due. So, but I got to wait till September. So, I'm a little angsty right now. are you part of a team or you alone >> the question was was I part of a team or I'm alone I'm a lone wolf right now but I have the support of SED and I have the support of other monitors in the other four districts and I had to be I had to cheat a little bit I actually developed the monitor program when I was a deputy commissioner at state ed so it's kind of unusual to have me on this side of the of the of the process right now, but I do have the support
021of SED um and I call in favors from the different agencies like New York State Board Association, New York State Commissioner, any our um school superintendents, anything I need, I can just get get a hold of somebody. So, >> concerned that you would be overwhelmed. >> Yeah, you can be concerned. Yeah, I'm not Listen, I am not, you know, superwoman, but um I am going to be calling in for reinforcements really around the budget and the fiscal. I'm going to be just really transparent on that because you the is it is around not just academics but the fiscal and the fiscal is to me large. Um so we really want to make sure we're wrapping around that appropriately. I'm going to have to call in some reinforcements for that. So I just want to be
022very honest with that. So >> um folks, we want to answer your questions. If you do have a question, we do have a microphone. We need you to speak into it because we are broadcasting this and we want them to be able to hear. So, if you have a question, I guess raise your hand. We can change the way the public hearing is going. >> And I'm going to be here. So, if you want to I'm not I'm not going anywhere. So, I'm going to be here to answer any questions till we get into the board meeting. So, >> but feel free to ask your question out loud. >> Okay. My last question. Um I know you said you want to be involved with the PTA. You have three schools that's no longer here. So
023would we be involved with that as the um part of the PTA because we don't have a PTA? >> Yes. >> Okay. I just want to make sure I'm not left out. Okay. >> The schedule is there and you want to go to school two or whatever. Just jump on that meeting and go. Why would you not go? >> Okay. >> Should be open to anybody whether you're a school community or just a district community. >> Okay. Yeah. All right. I want to make sure. >> No. No. No. You said we had and it might not be through PTA. It might be a school um open house or something that's going on that I might be able to tag on. So, I just need to get into the buildings and see the parents. So, >>
024just to be clear, too, I mean, so I'm I'm very familiar with the state monitor program. I work with the monitor as the interim superintendent of the Rochester City School District. Fantastic relationship. Uh they were really a huge support for our Rochester community at that time. And I definitely know Dr. Wilkins who knew me as a principal uh will be a big support uh for the Mount Vernon City School District. But you can uh solicit or she's soliciting any uh feedback that you may have. You send her an email directly. It might not make the plan. However, she will take your recommendations into account and that is uh K. Young Wilkins at mt v n o ncsd.org and that will be posted on her page on the website as well. So just wanted to put
025that out there. >> Go hit the button. >> I like this way. All right. So, I have two questions. In regards to AMC academic benchmarks, is New York State setting benchmarks for Mount Vernon School District for 2526 that we need to meet academically? No, just >> I mean there are there are benchmarks that are uh set because of ESSA, every student succeeds act that's um that determines the accountability status of our schools. Um but the recommendations that Dr. Wilkins will be given would be like for instance seeing that we are having a math problem. She may say I need a recommendation or she may make a recommendation that we enter into an RFP for a math textbook or math curriculum program. Okay, that's sort of how it works. And then my job is to uh
026get uh the staff in the district to make sure we submit evidence to the monitor and if she deems it satisfactory then we are clear for that quarter. >> Okay. >> Um in the in that plan >> and are there any plans in place as far as retention for teachers in you know in the crucial areas like English and math? like is there a retention plan to keep our high? >> That's probably going to be more part of the financial because I have to get a a hold of what the enrollment looks like, your numbers, the teacher teacher ratio, um who's retiring, who's natural attrition. I just had the discussion today with folks in the district and it's a tall order, but I need it ASAP, right? because you have to make decisions based on
027the academic um proudness of each building. It starts with the enrollment. It starts then with the teachers. It starts then with like um the school leaders. I don't ever forget the school leader because I'm a building principal by heart, but I need those numbers ASAP. But I'm going to go back to the other question you asked about the benchmarks. That's the comparison to the to the state for the whole entire state. So when your comparison is to the state over all and what um Mount Vernon it actually achieved. I have to be really honest. I'm going to say the same thing I said to Dr. Strickland. It doesn't look you're not hitting the benchmarks but you are doing amazingly well compared to the fiscal issues that are going on. So, I'm going to tell you
028right now, you're doing relatively well. Where I was at a district where more than half the district were receiverhip schools. They were the lowest 5% in the entire state. You're nowhere near that. Okay. >> So, whatever else is going on, um the academics, I said we got to take our, you know, got to take our bows while you can. You have some challenges that would could affect the academics, but right now you guys are maintaining, but we still have to reach those levels of proficiency for every child. But you're not in the hole. I just want to be real honest with that. I said it twice today. So, okay. >> Thank you. Thank you so much. Good evening. Um just to piggyback on her question, I just have a question regarding professional development for the
029teachers. Um how will you or how will the district ensure that teachers receive the necessary training and support to effectively support our students if there are any changes? Well, I mean within the plan that would be possibly one of the recommendations, but you should already have a professional development plan within the district um based on building professional development as well as content area professional development. And then there's also reg um should be some requirements per >> New York State that you have to do and also contracts as well. So I haven't I've been here about two weeks. I haven't delved into the PD yet, but we're It was one of the questions we talked about today when we talked about math and the um is it necessary to actually do a new math curriculum? Uh
030we talked about it this morning about No, we talked was it ELA? It was I'm sorry, it was ELA. Um but I said, are you really working the ELA system that you have right now with the curriculum and instructions to the best of your ability? Why do we have to look at a new system right now? So let's work out the professional development, the instructional practices, where kids are, the different um differentiation that's needed. So that was just one of the conversations that we had this morning, too. Hello. I know we had our little meeting, but I just wanted clarification of certain things. We have three schools that are closing, right? We have over a thousand children that have to be placed. I understand >> approximately a thousand children have to be placed in different
031areas of this city. How is your teaching model going when it comes to maybe helping teachers blend in with each other in different setting settings and different categories um throughout our school district. When we break that down a little bit better. >> Okay. through our school. Are you going to do um parent teaching or not parent teaching but teacher concepts where buddy teachings are going on? What what vision do you have with all these kids that are out there? I I just need to know, >> right? Um I addressed it in my academics because I talked about culture and climate being just as important about your ELA and math with the reorganization that you're doing right now. It's not um beginning of the school year issue. It's the all year issue when it comes to
032um smooth transition of children into buildings, making sure classrooms are there, making sure teachers are there, changing the culture of the building, accommodating the new students into the building. That's paramount starting out. And we talked about it with Dr. Dean. He was like he's already developing professional development around that for the buildings. So we actually discussed that because if a child's not comfortable in a setting and a and a teacher's not comfortable, you're not teaching, you're not learning. So that is par to start the school year out this much. Unless I miss something. >> No, I mean I would just say to further add. So um I am the teaching and learning superintendent. That's what I say. Um through and through. Started as a teacher, love teaching, then became a AP, then became a principal,
033so on and so forth. rose to the ranks the regular way. And what I will say is we want to get some continuity from school to school to school. Um I've already stressed that zip code should not determine the level of education that you receive and we have to make sure of that. We also have to stop with this um mechanism of meeting the kids where they are when we need to actually pull them up to where we are. And through those um professional learning planning, uh we are going to get some continuity across our schools in this district. >> As a grandmother, I as a grandmother with a child, my kids are all grown up now, right? But they're having babies. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. So, as as a grandmother, I'm worried about
034overcrowded in classrooms. I've been down that road before and it's not a pretty picture where children are sitting on radiators, they don't have enough um equipment and books. That is a is a problem >> that I see, okay, with 5,000 children out there that's going to be misplaced. >> So, so right now all of our general education students and students with disabilities that are in district have homes. Now, what I'm doing is I have to monitor this reconfiguration. That's what I'm spending this summer doing. So, when we say I can't meet, it's not to be disrespectful, but it's to make sure the babies have a a a school. And I am looking at that and we will consistently look throughout the year to make sure we true up any situations where we have overcrowdedness or
035where there may be underutilization. And that's a process that goes on throughout the year. And that's something that I actually was able to literally do in my previous district. We closed 11 school buildings, opened five true middle schools, moved over 11,000 individuals in the summer, and we were able to seamlessly ensure that everyone was comfortable for the start of the school year. However, we're behind here. So, we got work to do, but all I can say is that I am on it. That's a conversation literally every day with registration. I answer emails. I'm getting back because what is paramount is making sure that our children have buildings first, they're safe, and then we're going to hit the ground running with academics and ensuring that we are in a positive space. >> I apologize. So, what
036are we going to do about teachers being overwhelmed and our parents? I'm just asking a question. You can't answer that. But let me tell you one more thing. Let me tell you one more thing. My name is Kathy Bruins. This is my teammate. This is my teammate. We're here to make a difference. We're here to help you. We're not here NAACP all the way. Okay? We're not here to criticize you, hurt you, cause you any harm, but we are not looking to go backwards at the same time. Forward motion is where we're going to go. Okay. So, if you need us to hold you up, you need us to speak for you, you need us to stand for you, you need us to push you or whatever you need, ask. >> Yes. Thank you so
037much. And I'm again, I'm a teacher at heart. >> And I'm a parent at heart. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Grandmother. >> Par grandmother. Whatever. >> Let me ask you one more question. Um Doc, what is your um what is the average class size now that you perceive? >> So, it's it varies. Uh what we're trying to do is keep all classrooms under 25. uh prek there's a mandate for 18 and high school I believe can be upwards to it's it's by load by the um amount of students that that teacher can see in a day or a week uh as per the contract. So um again we will be looking at those things to really uh get a comprehensive view of how does it look across the district. Um it's going to be pivotal. It's
038going to be pivotal and I know um Dr. Dogget and uh a principal met today to talk about a possible overage. So, we're working through these uh all every day every day to make sure that we get this right. It's not it's not looking pretty. It's not pretty, but it definitely is something that we are committed to working and doing. question. >> Ralph Bur, retired principal from Mandala High School. With the closing of the three schools, I'm I'm quite certain you anticipate some of the parents choosing the charter school route. Have you anticipated that? And and what obstacles will you be facing? >> I was going to say at this time I have no comment on um on that in regards to the charters and uh the spaces. Okay. Anybody else? >> Feel free. I
039mean, we just we making it a regular uh Q&A now. So, I'm here. Might as well. >> I think I just out of curiosity, what are the top two performing um elementary schools that we have that are performing academically well in the district? >> So, at this at this point, I do not have that data. However, I used to be a principal of a receiverhip school and I will tell you that I had a weight list in my school. It's not about the place where they are and things of that nature and it the data doesn't tell all the story. It's the climate and culture. So, I wouldn't even want to go on record because then that starts people I'm going to have um a line that's long as the tax line asking me to
040transfer into those schools. >> No, I'm just asking like if just to know what those schools are doing like what programs they have. >> Those are things that I have to assess. Um, a lot of times, uh, unfortunately, uh, zip code determines how we view our children and we know that we have a stigma in our city and I've been welcomed to it already and that is something that we have to get through. Now, if this was Buffalo, New York, and I was a principal, my school would have been the school on the south side. she can tell you one of the best schools in that city. So, it's about lifting all schools, >> right? >> Getting them all to be accountable. So, if you move from north to south and you need to send
041your child to the south, then there's continuity for your child. They're not learning different. So, we have to ensure that I like that. Um, I have a question regarding the course catalog, the high school course catalog, if that's okay. Um, I believe it's been revised for this year. Um, will Dr. Wilkins have any input or recommendations regarding that and possibly when will it be available? So there's a um so what may not be known is that the board of education should vote on the course catalog every single year. And we are going to have to ensure that that is accessible uh for them in a timely fashion. And you want to have the course catalog available prior to budget season because courses have budgetary constraints. And don't worry, we're going to get there. That's that's
042a a lowhanging fruit. That is going to be one of my wins. And we're we're going to ensure that you know where the access is uh to the course catalog. No, it's spring. Mhm. Yep. Yep. um to the monitor. Are you familiar with the um credit recovery for the alternate um students alternative? >> Yeah, I I know about credit recovery. I was at the high school when they were doing some of it in the summertime. What's your specific question? >> Well, I I just want to make sure that you know about it because I'll be >> with you know, I'll be heavily involved with that. Okay. >> All right. just making sure that they get the credits that those students needed, >> right? I always need Yeah, I always have questions around the credit recovery,
043but it's necessary. >> Four-year graduation rate, fiveyear graduation rate, sixear graduation rate, all makes a difference right now. So, we want our kids to succeed. Exactly. So, credit recovery is part of that. So, yeah. >> Okay. >> More to come on that. >> All right. Good. Thank you. I just also wanted to add in terms of credit recovery, one of the things or the first questions that I asked in my visit to Mount Vernon High School this summer is making sure that those courses keep students in NCAA eligible. So, in the event that they are an athlete and they did not they were not successful on a course, making sure that all the requirements are lined up with the regulations of the NCAA so that our students have the opportunity to go to division one
044schools and have uh excellent opportunities uh in their postsecary education. >> Told you I've been working. I've been working All right. Well, with that being said, uh you have our monitor who will be here after. We welcome that you feel free to stay uh for our board business meeting that will take place at 6:30 prompt and have a great night. Thank you. >> Just a a note. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> A third and final public hearing is scheduled. Sorry folks, just one more announcement from our board clerk. >> The third and final public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, August 5th, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. The subject will be on the fiscal status of the district. All hearings will take place at the board of education. This public hearing is adjourned. Thank you and good
045night. >> Thank you.