Mt. Vernon Board of School Trustees

Members of the Gold Intensity Dance Team, along with coach Ellen Jones, played a video of their recent performance where they won the State Championship.  Mr. Dodd and Dr. Parker commended them for the high level of work they put in to win the championship.

Dr. Parker, on behalf of Mrs. Bond, shared the following Good News:

1.  MVHS Boys Basketball Coach Ben Rhoades was selected as an assistant coach for the Junior All-Star Team and also received IBCA Coach of Year honors while seniors Amhad and Armon Jarrard made the USA Today Indy Star 2nd Team.

2.  Superintendent Dr. Parker became a substitute  teacher for  a day at all five schools, experiencing the everyday rigors of teaching and getting to know some pretty amazing students.

3.  MVMS students Elizabeth Genrich and Corinne Morris served as pages for Senator Crider and experienced debates on the Senate floor, received a Statehouse tour and learned more about the legislative process.

4.  MES and FES held a community blood drive with Fortville Christian Church.

5. WTHR  Channel 13 weathercasters Angela  Buchman and Lindsey Monroe visited MCE to share weather safety and information with the 2nd graders.

MVMS Principal Brooke Tharp and Life Coach Jay Jones gave a presentation spotlighting the Life Coach Program at the middle school.  Mrs. Tharp started by sharing the middle school's Philosophy of Student Support.  MVMS wants to support the whole child by addressing the academic, behavioral and social needs of all students.  They have found that students are most successful when proactive measures are in place.  Maximizing the  time students receive direct instruction from their teachers is a top priority; therefore, they work to actively reduce the suspensions and expulsions which is time out of class.  As part of their 2020-21 School Improvement Plan, the middle school included goals to decrease the number of out of school suspensions, in-school suspensions and expulsions.  A Life Coach position was added as a proactive  measure to help them  reach this goal.  Mr. Jones stated proactive measures of student support are in place and include Life Coach referrals (for academic, behavioral, social and emotional), once a month team at-risk meetings, relationship building and behavioral problem-solving strategies. There is a STEP Plan (Student Teacher Expectation Plan) in place for minor infractions.  There are also reactive measures in place which include time outs, lunch  detentions and in-school suspension.  Mr. Jones goal is to coach, build relationships, talk about behavior, but discipline and hold students accountable for their actions while building those relationships. He shared that data is tracked daily of students he meets with.  He noted data showed the number of students who received support during the first three quarters of this school year indicated that 127 students received behavioral support, 44 received academic support and 101 received motivational support.  Through the end of quarter 3, 62.5% of the 232 students who received an intervention with the Life Coach have not had a second  referral.  The goal is to increase that to 70%.  Of  all the students who have received some type of intervention beyond Tier 1 (mentoring, Life Coach, At-Risk Team Meeting, Counselor Groups and GOAL classes), 92% have  had 2 or fewer office referrals.  The goal was 70%, so they have far surpassed this goal and will be revising for next year.

Mrs. Muffler gave a reported that 242 kindergarteners registered at the recent Kindergarten Roundup.  99 at Fortville Elementary, 63 at Mt. Comfort Elementary and 80 McCordsville Elementary.

Mr. Elkins stated he received two proposals for the Progressive Design-Build Public Works Project for plumbing, mechanical and electrical work for the new Fortville Elementary School.  He is recommending awarding this project to EMCOR  Mr. Edwards made a motion to award the project to EMCOR.  Mr. Gray seconded, and the motion carried 3-0.

Mr. Elkins stated after a lengthy review of MVCSC's  current 401(a) retirement provider and plan administration and interviewing four proposers, it was the consensus of the committee following the completion of those interviews to recommend Equitable,  Should the board accept this recommendation, Mr. Elkins will bring two items to the May, 2022 board meeting:  updated plan documents for both the 401(a) retirement and 403(b) retirement plans as the administrator will have changed based on this current recommendation.  Mr. Gray made a motion to approve Equitable as MVCSC's 401(a) retirement provider and plan administrator.  Mr. Edwards seconded, and the motion carried 3-0.

Mrs. Muffler stated as a followup to Dr. Shipley's presentation at the March 2022 board meeting, he is requesting approval of the Textbook Adoption 2022.  Materials under consideration have been on display for public viewing since the March board meeting.   Request for approval includes  Elementary ELA Textbook Adoption, High School Business Textbook Adoption and Spanish 3 Textbook Adoption.  Mr. Gray made a motion to approve the Textbook Adoption 2022 as previously presented.  Mr. Edwards seconded, and the motion carried 3-0.