ABOUT MOUNT VERNON SCHOOLS
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“Mount Vernon is a community that offers great challenges--but with great challenges come greater rewards. It is an opportunity to work with passionate, dedicated, creative, and empathetic educators--and more importantly, our amazing students and families.”
“Mount Vernon is a community that offers great challenges--but with great challenges come greater rewards. It is an opportunity to work with passionate, dedicated, creative, and empathetic educators--and more importantly, our amazing students and families.”
OUR COMMITMENT TO RACIAL EQUITY
OUR COMMITMENT TO RACIAL EQUITY
The Mount Vernon School District is committed to equity. In our Board Policy No. 1801- Racial Equity, we define equity as “providing every student what they need to be successful. When students engage in meaningful cross-cultural exchanges, when race is no longer a predictor of student performance, and when each student and family feel a sense of community within the Mount Vernon Schools, we are closer to this goal.”
In addition to Racial Equity policy, the District also recently adopted our Racial Equity Action Plan which outlines strategies for reaching each of the equity goals and how we will measure the impact. These equity goals are:
Engage in district-wide reflection to identify and eliminate systemic barriers to educational equity
Ensure cultures that transform inequitable policies and systems
Provide instruction, curriculum, and learning environments reflecting the strengths and needs of our students allowing them to reach their academic and social emotional potential
Elicit and engage students, family and community voice and advocacy in our schools, classrooms and in decision-making efforts.
To support staff at all levels in working toward these equity goals, we have implemented an Equity Lead model. Within this model each school site has a small team of teacher leaders, called Equity Leads. These leads work with building principals to plan and deliver learning opportunities for school staff. At the district level, the role of Equity Lead Facilitators work under the direction of the Teaching and Learning department to organize the work happening throughout the district and support each building’s team of Equity Leads.
Some of the major outcomes of our equity initiative include:
168 MVSD staff have participated in a “Leading for Equity” Summer Institute
A total of 42 teacher leaders have served as Equity Leads over the past 3 years
Implemented the Equity Lens Tool to guide decision making processes
The development of a new social studies course for all Freshman called Identity, Power and Action
Partnering with Erin Jones, Equity Consultant, to guide conversations at the high school level
The selection of our new Superintendent, who was attracted to our district in part for our progressive Equity Initiative
Hired Director of Equity and Inclusion
Created an Affinity group for classified and certificated Educators of Color
We are located in the growing city of Mount Vernon, WA (population: 37,000), county seat of Skagit County. We are halfway between Seattle and the Canadian border off the I-5 corridor. Mount Vernon Schools serves over 6700 students within 12.61 square miles. We are the third largest employer in Skagit County with over 1000 employees.
Our operating budget for 2024-2025 is $146 million with a per pupil expenditure of $22,396. In 2016, the district passed a $106 million capital projects bond which permitted us to build a new elementary school (Rowley) and demolish and rebuild an existing elementary school (Madison). The bond also supported modernizations and enhancements on our high school campus and additional classroom space at LaVenture Middle School. Last year, our community passed both our EPO Levy and our Technology and Security Levy.
The city of Mount Vernon is home to the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, historic Lincoln Theatre and Skagit Valley College.
OUR SCHOOLS
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS (K-5)
MIDDLE SCHOOLS (6-8)
HIGH SCHOOL (9-12)
ALTERNATIVE LEARNING
OUR PURPOSE
OUR PURPOSE
OUR VISION
To graduate inspired and critical thinkers who embrace diversity and are committed to the betterment of their own lives and the lives of others.
OUR MISSION
To expect, encourage, and facilitate the pursuit and excellence and life-long learning in our students, equipping them for future success and happiness.
OUR GOAL
100% of students will graduate with the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in post-secondary education, careers and life.
OUR BELIEFS
Equity: The commitment to providing every student the resources they need to be successful.
A school climate that emphasizes student safety, belonging, health and well-being and respect for all members of the school community.
Professional collaboration that is focused on increasing performance at all levels of the district.
Open, timely and reciprocal communication.
Responsible stewardship, ensuring the responsive and productive management of district resources.
OUR KEY STRATEGIES
Early Learning
Family and Community Partnership
Powerful Teaching & Learning
Individual Determination & Creativity
OUR TEAM
OUR TEAM
Mount Vernon School District benefits from strong partnerships with our neighboring school districts, service organizations, local and state governments, community agencies and higher education institutions. Our students have benefited from programs such as:
These programs provide supplemental instructional support, advocacy and mentorship to our students. In addition, local service clubs and organizations contribute substantially to high school graduate college costs.
In 2018, we launched our community campaign to encourage greater support for our 100% graduation goal. We solicited the involvement of our community members and leaders to promote the importance of graduation success and to share our message with family, friends and associates. We expanded these efforts through our “Every Day Counts!” attendance initiative.
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