Mt. Vernon Board of School Trustees

Mr. Casey Dodd and former Mt. Vernon High School Principal and member of the Hancock Community Foundation Darrell Thomas  introduced the two Lilly Scholarship Finalist, Kaitlyn Alycia Arkenau and Kayden Bensheimer. In order to be eligible for the full four-year tuition scholarship award, applicants must be ranked in the top 15% of their graduating class and plan to pursue a baccalaureate course of study, to be completed in four years, at any accredited Indiana public or private university or college.  Student applications are submitted online and reviewed blindly (without name) by a third party who selects eight finalists, two students from each Hancock County School.  Community Service is the biggest factor in consideration for this award. The winner will be announced in December.

Kaitlyn is ranked 13th out of 309 in her class with a GPA of 4.091.  Her Community Service activities include volunteer physical therapy aide at Westminster Village North; nursery volunteer at Real Life Church; volunteer dance instructor; Million Meals Movement; MV Theatre Broadway Kids Camp; Princess Snow Whirl volunteer and Fortville Christian Church food pantry volunteer.  Extra-curricular activities include Student Government; MV Theatre; Elite Performing Arts Academy dancer; Youth Leadership of Hancock County; Campus Life, National Honor Society; AfriCAN; and Marauder Mentors.  Kaitlyn's future plans include attending Indiana Wesleyan or University of Indianapolis majoring in Exercise Science with a focus of Pre-Physical Therapy.

Kayden is ranked 2nd out of 309 in his class with a GPA of 4.292.  His Community Service activities include Y-GIVE Youth Philanthropy Board; D.A.R.E.; East 91st Street Christian Church Trunk or Treat service activity; Psi Iotes annual cheeseball fundraiser; and clean up in Memorial Park.  Extra-curricular activities include D.A.R.E. Role Models; AfriCAN; Empowering Marauder Mentors; Leadership Connect Club; MVHS Football Team senior team captain; and MVHS Wrestling.  Kayden's future plans include attending Purdue University or Trine University majoring in Mechanical Engineering.

Mrs Bond shared the following Good News:

1.  MVHS received a 2020 College Success Award through the "GreatSchools" organization for their exemplary efforts in preparing students to succeed in college and beyond.

2.  MVEF received $12,000 from the United Way of Central Indiana to help MV students impacted by the pandemic.  

3.  MVHS girls' golf team advanced to regionals and the football team won sectionals.

4.  MVEF is partnering with the local food pantries for the community to make a donation through MVEF to aid in providing food for those in our community in need.

5.  MVHS hosted 250 Army Reserve Soldiers assigned to the 310th Expenditionary Sustainment Command in their deployment ceremony on November 14th before they traveled to Kuwait in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Spartan Shield.

6.  MVHS held a Blood Drive due to the critical shortage of blood supply and had 24 donors which will impact 72 patients.

Dr. Parker gave a Future Growth Plan Update.  He stated four main areas would be addressed:  Work of the Mt. Vernon Community Champions/The Need; Solutions; Costs; and Funding.  He introduced representatives from Lancer + Beebe (architects); Hagerman, Inc. (construction management); Context (site design); Stifel (financial advisors); Ice-Miller (bond counsel); and Policy Analytics (analysis, results, research).  Dr. Parker was charged with determining which of two pathways was the best track to be on.  Building a new elementary building or changing the current administration building back to an elementary building. 

In February of 2019, a demographic study was completed. At that time, student enrollment was 4142 and projected to grow to 6235 in the 2028-29 school year.  Cohorts and grade levels are growing and we need to be prepared for that.  The Community Champions, which consisted of administrators, teachers, parents and community members, was formed and worked with an advisory team to come up with a timeline to deal with the projected growth.  There was overwhelming support to return the current Fortville Elementary back to an Intermediate School housing 5th and 6th graders making K-4 at the elementary level, 7-8 middle school and 9-12 high school.  The decision was then whether to build a new Fortville Elementary building or change the current Administration Building/Preschool back to an elementary building.  Dr. Parker stressed nothing would be built until student numbers warranted it.  Other work considered is the construction of a new Transportation Center, including a new Bus Barn, renovations at the high school and middle school to increase capacity and dealing with the main campus traffic flow (pick-up zones, drop-off zones  and parking).  The above mentioned companies were asked to help with determining the best course of action.

Lancer+Beebe representatives began the process by meeting with Mrs. Muffler and Elizabeth Flynn, Mini-Marauder Preschool Director, to discuss programming and what the building needed to look like if we started from scratch.  They presented a drawing of changes that would be made to convert the Administration Building back into an elementary building.  It included a new preschool wing, larger cafeteria, new gymnasium area and additional classrooms.  The entrance would be flip flopped to the back of the current building allowing for a larger area for car rider drop-off.  The current Alumni Center would be converted into the Media Center.  Another drawing showed a new Transportation Center to the north of the main campus which would separate it from car traffic and provide a larger space to park buses, offices and a larger fueling station.  Additional drawings showed expanding the middle school with six additional classrooms and ten additional classrooms at the intermediate school.  High school drawings included 20 new classrooms, an increased cafeteria size and further out in time, new auditorium space. 

Alyssa Prazeau from Context showed maps of proposed traffic flow changes that would make for cleaner parent drop-off zones with the goal to separate buses from the parent drop-of areas.  A loop road to the Transportation Center would assist with this goal by helping separate the buses from parent cars and designate a path for special need buses creating better traffic flow.  

Hagerman presented anticipated costs projections depending on which track was taken.  They put together costs for current administration building to elementary/pre-k; new elementary/pre-k; and new elementary only.  Alot of  variables of the three remain the same with anticipated costs ranging from $120 million to $124 million.  

Stifel representatives discussed the financial impact of the Future Growth Plan, breaking it into three potential bond issues.  2022 Bond Issue approximately $16,500,000 total would encompass new Transportation Center/lot, demo current bus barn and renovate administration building.  2023 Bond Issue approximately $67,000,000 total would encompass elementary/pre-k (renovate/addition/new), traffic flow plan and addition and/or renovation to Intermediate School.  2025 Bond Issue approximately $49,000,000 total would encompass addition and/or renovation to high school, addition and/or renovation to cafeteria, performing arts space, extra and co-curricular space and addition and/or renovation to middle school.  Financial analysis assumptions:  net assessed valuation projections based off of Policy Analytics' analysis.  Interest rate assumptions:  current market rates +1.50% to 2.00%.  Debt Service Tax Rate goal projected to hold at 2021 rate of 1.18.   In our favor, current outstanding debt will be paid off and replaced with the new bonds and growing enrollment.  

Dr. Parker stated the next step in this process is to engage the community by holding two ZOOM meetings scheduled for Thursday, December 3rd and Wednesday, December 9th providing them a chance to provide their input.  He closed by thanking everyone in attendance for their hard work in providing input to this plan.  He assured everyone that he is trying to be incredibly thoughtful about the future because we owe that to our community.  Changes will be made as conservatively as possible and we must think well into the future.  The plan will be brought back to the December board meeting.

**POSTPONED TO DECEMBER'S BOARD MEETING**

Mr. Elkins asked for approval of  Resolution 2020-43 Authorizing 2021 Loan for Bus Purchases.  The board had previously approved bids and quotes for five new school buses.  The loan has been declared as anticipated debt to the 2021 Debt Service Fund and adopted as part of the 2021 Budget.  The loan will be financed with Greenfield Banking Company in the amount of $631,765 at an interest rate of 1.00% to be repaid over budget years 2021-2023.  

Mrs. Smith made a motion to approve Resolution 2020-43 Authorizing 2021 Loan for Bus Purchases.  Mrs. Walls seconded, and the motion carried 5-0.

Mr. Elkins asked for approval of Resolution 2020-44 Approval of Additional Appropriation for Debt Service.  The additional appropriation is for the purpose of expending the proceeds of the bus loan for the purchase of the buses.  It gives permission to pay payments over the life of the loan.

Mr. McCarty made a motion to approve Resolution 2020-44 Approval of Additional Appropriation for Debt Service.  Mrs. Smith seconded, and the motion carried 5-0.