MCPSS Opens 2026-27 School Year With #BeTheReason Challenge, Football Kickoffs and AP Honors

Mobile County Public Schools is off and running on the 2026-27 school year, with Superintendent Chresal D. Threadgill setting a tone for students and staff through a new districtwide challenge even as individual schools mark their own milestones across athletics, early education and academics.

Threadgill has issued a #BeTheReason challenge to students and staff for the new school year, encouraging the district’s community to be a positive influence for one another as classes get underway. In welcoming #TeamMCPSS back for 2026-27, Threadgill said, without hesitation, that the 2025-26 school year could proudly be called a winning year for the district, which serves 52,000 students across 90 schools.

Fall Sports and Football Kickoffs

Fall sports are officially underway across the district. Vigor High School’s staff and students kicked off the first week of football season in style on Monday, with the Wolves opening their season to a spirited send-off from teachers dressed in striped referee shirts to celebrate the occasion.

Elsewhere in the district, Alma Bryant High School held early-season workouts and scrimmages as fall sports schedules ramp up across MCPSS campuses. With the 2026-27 school year now underway, additional fall sports schedules are expected to be released soon.

Welcoming the Youngest Students

For the district’s youngest learners, the start of the school year included a special welcome. Kindergarteners at Gilliard Elementary and their parents got the year started on the right foot last week with Camp Kindergarten, a welcome event staged in the school hallway designed to ease new students and families into the routines of elementary school.

Academic Recognition

MCPSS also highlighted an academic milestone from the prior year: 369 Mobile County Public Schools students made the grade as AP Scholars, with academic leaders across the district announcing an increase in the number of students recognized for their performance on Advanced Placement exams.

Budget Hearings and Board Meetings

Families and residents also have an opportunity to weigh in on the district’s finances. The Mobile County Board of School Commissioners will hold two public hearings on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2027, as well as on the proposed salary schedule, as part of its upcoming board meeting schedule. Details on the hearings and meeting dates are available through the district.

As the district’s students and staff settle into the rhythm of a new academic year, Threadgill’s #BeTheReason challenge is intended to serve as a unifying message across all 90 MCPSS schools, from kickoff pep rallies on the football field to first-week welcomes in elementary school hallways.

About the Budget Hearings and AP Scholars

Alabama law requires each local board of education to hold at least two public hearings on its proposed annual budget before adopting it. Alabama school systems’ fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

The AP Scholar award is given by the College Board to students who earn scores of 3 or higher on three or more Advanced Placement exams.