Mobile County's 53,000 students returned to classes on August 11 as school opened for the 2025-26 year. Superintendent Chresal D. Threadgill and members of his Leadership team spent the first day visiting numerous schools throughout the district, stopping by classrooms and cafeterias to greet students, teachers and administrators, and share this year's theme: #PerseverancePropelsProgress.
“This theme is important because when we persevere with the strong plans we have put in place, continuing to walk the path we have laid, we get to our goals faster,” Threadgill said. “And the primary goal of #TeamMCPSS is, as always, for ALL of our students to make strong forward progress as learners and leaders.”
This year, school officials are requiring all students to use clear bookbags or backpacks as part of the district’s safety protocols. The district delivered the clear bags to all schools earlier this summer so that they could be distributed to students before classes began.
The district will continue to use the weapons detection systems that were put in place in the middle and high school entrances one year ago, and will continue to enforce the no-cell-phone policy, which prohibits the use of cell phones, ear buds and smart watches during class. Each school has a specific plan for enforcing the cell phone policy. Some are issuing students secure Yondr pouches to store their phones during the day, while others are requiring phones to be placed in a secure lockbox in the morning and returned at dismissal.