Mayor Spano Asks Students at Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy to Pledge to Attend the 182-Day School Year
Mayor Mike Spano at MLK Jr. School. Photo by Maurice Mercado/City of Yonkers
In an effort to improve academic readiness,Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano and Yonkers Public Schools held an assembly at Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy and asked Yonkers middle school students in grades 7 and 8 to participate in the Pledge 182 campaign, in which students commit to attend school every day and on time.
“Education is the cornerstone of our future, and each missed school day means a missed moment to learn and grow,” said Mayor Spano. “Here in Yonkers, we are dedicated to uplifting every child’s promise. When we prioritize attendance, we open the door for every student to succeed.
To increase the school’s attendance rate, Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy Principal Jonathan Morano will implement monthly attendance awards, highlight students through social media shoutouts, encourage class versus class challenges, and showcase achievements on an “Attendance Wall of Fame.”
“Every day a child is in school is another opportunity to learn, grow, and discover what is possible,” noted Superintendent of Schools Dr. Aníbal Soler, Jr. “I thank Mayor Mike Spano and the Pledge 182 initiative for helping reinforce this important message. Again, every school day matters, and strong attendance builds the foundation for our children’s success.”
Yonkers Public Schools prioritizes reducing chronic absenteeism, which is defined as missing 10% or more of the school year for any reason. Chronic absenteeism has significant negative effects on students and the broader community, including lower academic achievement, disrupted learning, reduced graduation rates, weakened peer relationships, lower self-esteem, and increased behavioral challenges. The goal of the Pledge 182 campaign is to re-engage families of chronically absent students through targeted outreach, encouragement, and recognition, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to succeed.
Mayor Spano challenged the students at Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy, urging them to sign the pledge and promised to return in June and give a pizza party to the students who achieve a perfect attendance during the 2026-2027 academic school year.