The Green Knight News
August 2, 2026
There is a point every August when the energy inside a school begins to shift. Summer planning turns into action, classrooms begin taking shape, and the people who make Mount Pleasant special begin returning.
This past Wednesday, I had the opportunity to meet and welcome several of our newest Green Knights at the Brandywine School District's New Teacher Orientation. There is always something exciting about welcoming new educators into our community and hearing the enthusiasm, ideas, and experiences they will bring to our students. This Wednesday, August 19, we take another important step as we welcome our entire faculty and staff back to Mount Pleasant.
Our return isn't simply about preparing classrooms. We are preparing with purpose. Our staff will spend intentional time learning together, establishing shared expectations, and focusing on the building-wide priorities that will guide our work this year. At the center of that work is creating a Mount Pleasant Learning Experience where students feel supported and challenged while becoming active participants in their learning. We will also strengthen our focus on student ownership, creating more opportunities for students to think, engage, take ownership, and reflect.
There is tremendous work ahead, but this week is when that work moves from planning to practice. Our teachers and staff are returning, our classrooms are taking shape, and our collective focus is becoming clearer.
Then, on Wednesday, August 26, our students begin to complete the picture. When they walk through our doors, they will be welcomed by a staff that has intentionally prepared for their success.
We are preparing for them. We are preparing with purpose. And we cannot wait to welcome our Green Knights home.
One School. One Community. We ARE!
Bill Wells
Principal
Mount Pleasant High School
This Week at Mount will be your weekly source for important updates, upcoming events, reminders, and key information for the week ahead. Once the school year begins, be sure to check back each week to stay informed and connected with everything happening at Mount Pleasant High School.
We're Almost There! Back to School Event
The countdown is on! Our Mount Pleasant High School Back to School Event is right around the corner on Tuesday, August 25, from 4:00–6:30 p.m. We invite all Green Knight students, families, and community members to join us as we celebrate the start of the 2026–2027 school year.
Come reconnect with the Mount community, meet our athletic teams, clubs, and student organizations, enjoy food from local food trucks and an ice cream truck, listen to music, and discover the many ways students can get involved this year.
We are also excited to share that our student scheduling process will be complete by August 25. Students attending the Back to School Event will have the opportunity to pick up their 2026–2027 class schedules while they are here - another great reason to join us!
We can't wait to see our Green Knight community back together on August 25!
Stay Connected Through Infinite Campus
As we get closer to the start of the school year, families are encouraged to make sure they can access the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Important back-to-school information is available there now, with additional information being added as we approach the first day of school. Families can currently access student transportation information and assessment scores, and student schedules will become available beginning Friday, August 21.
If you have not already done so, now is a great time to log in and make sure your Parent Portal account is active and accessible. If you do not currently have access to Infinite Campus or need assistance with your login information, please contact Mount Pleasant High School. Our team is happy to help families get connected. Having access to Infinite Campus will help ensure you have the information you need as we prepare for the 2026–2027 school year.
No Outside Food & Drinks After 7:30 A.M.
Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, Mount Pleasant High School will implement a no outside food or drink policy after 7:30 a.m., with the exception of water. This change brings Mount Pleasant into alignment with the standard practice across our district high schools.
Students arriving after 7:30 a.m. with coffee, breakfast, fast food, energy drinks, or other outside food or beverages will be required to dispose of those items before being admitted to class. Our expectation is that students arrive at school on time, prepared to learn, and are in class by 7:30 a.m.
Students are also strictly prohibited from ordering food through delivery services, including DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats, or similar services. Deliveries will not be accepted for students. Parents and guardians may still drop off a lunch for a student who has forgotten it at home.
We appreciate our families' support in helping students arrive on time and ready for a successful day of learning.
Every Day Matters: Attendance & Tardiness
Consistent attendance is essential to student success. Under Delaware Code, students must be present for at least 85% of instructional time to remain eligible to earn course credit. At the high school level, attendance is calculated separately for each course, with students permitted a maximum of 13 absences per course—including both excused and unexcused absences.
At Mount Pleasant, we want every Green Knight in school, on time, and engaged every day so that students have full access to the learning and opportunities available to them. As part of this commitment, we will conduct hall sweeps consistently throughout the school day to address patterns of tardiness.
New this year, hall sweeps will also occur at 7:30 a.m. We want to remind students and families that being late to school also means being late to class. Students should plan to arrive with enough time to enter the building and be in their first-period classroom by 7:30 a.m. Continued issues with tardiness will be addressed through the progressive discipline outlined in the Brandywine School District Code of Conduct.
Thank you for partnering with us to make being present, punctual, and engaged a priority from the very first day of school.
Student Schedules: What You Need to Know!
As we prepare for the start of the school year, we know students and families may have questions about student schedules, schedule changes, and the process for requesting a change. Please note that student schedules are still being built and will not be finalized until Friday, August 21. Any schedules that may have appeared in Infinite Campus prior to that date are not final or accurate. We ask that families please allow our counselors the time they need to complete this important process and refrain from contacting counselors about schedules until they are finalized.
Our Counseling Team has created a Student Schedule Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) resource to help answer many common questions, including when schedules will be available, the criteria for requesting a change, processing timelines, and the September 30 deadline for schedule change requests.
We encourage students and families to review the FAQ and wait until schedules are finalized on August 21 before contacting their school counselor with scheduling questions.
Senior Study Halls & Abbreviated Schedules
Senior Study Halls and Abbreviated Schedules are privileges available to eligible seniors. Before either privilege takes effect, students must meet with Mr. Wells, Building Principal, for final approval. During this meeting, expectations associated with the privilege and the consequences for not meeting those expectations will be reviewed.
Please note that having a study hall or abbreviated schedule reflected on a student's schedule does not give the student permission to leave the building. Students must complete the required form, obtain the principal's signature, and receive final approval before they may be excused from the building.
Students approved for an Abbreviated Schedule will also receive a badge that must be presented to the Main Office when exiting the building. This will allow us to clearly identify students who are authorized to leave and ensure that students are exiting only during their approved times.
Until the entire approval process is complete, students are expected to remain in the building for the full school day.
An I.B. Foundation, A Career of Impact: Dr. Brittany Powell '11
Congratulations to Dr. Brittany Powell '11, who was recently appointed Director of the Office of Educational Advocacy! In this role, Dr. Powell will help strengthen connections among Wilmington students, families, schools, community organizations, educators, service providers, and other education partners.
Dr. Powell is a proud Mount Pleasant High School alumna and International Baccalaureate (I.B.) Diploma Programme graduate. Her continued work in education and advocacy reflects many of the qualities at the heart of an I.B. education - thinking globally, communicating across perspectives, building connections, and using knowledge to make a meaningful impact in our communities. Her journey is a wonderful example of how the experiences and skills developed at Mount can extend far beyond graduation.
We are incredibly proud to see a fellow Green Knight continuing to expand access and opportunity for students and families throughout our community. Congratulations, Dr. Powell! We wish you continued success in this important new role.