Mt. Vernon Board of School Trustees

Mrs. Bond introduced Lilly Quinn, Community Relations Intern to present the Good News Report.  

School Accolades & Notable Activities

• We want to congratulate Mrs. Julie Shelton for reaching her 400th win for the Mt. Vernon Girls' Basketball team. She becomes the 12th girls' basketball coach and the 31st overall basketball coach in Indiana history to reach this prestigious mark. Her .700 win percentage is the 11th best of all coaches with over 400 wins!
• Congratulations to MVHS’s 2025 Lilly Endowment Scholarship Finalists, Brady Webber and Tate Cougill. Mrs. Tharp will be introducing you to these amazing students this evening.
• MVHS sophomore Hafsa Housseyni was recently named a Riley Champion. Hafsa is passionate about art therapy, which helped her and her mother navigate her health challenges. As part of this honor, she will be dedicating efforts to raise funds in support of Riley Hospital for Children’s art therapy program.
• The MVMS Counseling Department received the 2024–2029 Indiana Gold Star Award from the IDOE. This award recognizes schools that create and maintain comprehensive counseling programs promoting student achievement, well-being, and career and postsecondary readiness for all students.
• MVMS celebrated 50 years of golden memories with an open house that brought together former and current administrators, as well as community members. The celebration included a band performance, an interactive timeline display in Marauder Hall, and sweet treats sponsored by the Mt. Vernon Education Foundation, which also provided the administrators’ luncheon before the event.
• In recognition of National School Lunch Week, the MVCSC Café offered students an international dining experience, serving meals inspired by the cuisines of Japan, Italy, Germany, Mexico, and China.
• MVHS hosted its annual “Track or Treat” event indoors this year due to inclement weather. The lobby, both gyms, and the balcony were filled with hundreds of children, as school teams and clubs did an outstanding job decorating their booths and engaging with participants.
• Mrs. Buell, a first-grade teacher at MCE, has partnered with OCEARCH, a marine life and scientific research and conservation organization, to develop STEM learning packets designed for elementary students worldwide. Her innovative work engages students in hands-on, inquiry-based science learning, and her testimonial is featured on the OCEARCH website. Sports
• MVHS’s Tate Cougill and Bryndan Wylie achieved an outstanding season, advancing to the state tournament in tennis and earning All-Hoosier Heritage Conference honors for doubles play.
• MVHS senior Caden Cassada competed in the boys' state cross country meet.
•  MVHS wrestlers Jessica Iserloth and Dominika Zarate started their season strong, each capturing first place in their opening girls' wrestling tournament.

Community Connections

• MVCSC received a $25,000 rebate from NineStar for our energy efficiency efforts. This amount will help support our utility costs in our operations fund.
• The Harnessing Hope organization visited MVHS, offering interactive sessions where students could brush, walk, and spend calm, focused time with horses. These activities helped students develop skills in communication, interaction, and co-regulation, while also making meaningful connections to classroom learning.
• MES 2nd graders finished their Community Helpers unit and listened to presentations from 5 types of jobs from community members, including our incredible police partners.
• The Vernon Township Fire Department visited MES kindergarten students, and Buck Creek Township Firefighters met with MCE first graders to teach fire safety, help students become comfortable with firefighters in full gear, and provide a hands-on experience exploring the fire truck.
• On October 9, all students received an apple from our friends at Tuttle Orchards, celebrating National Apple Month.
• Bentley’s Buddies visited MCE’s second-grade classrooms to read with students, helping to build their reading confidence.

Special Presentation

• MVCSC received a robotics competition grant from the IDOE to support the competition teams at MVMS, MVIS, and FES. The grant will fund equipment, supplies, team t-shirts, competition registrations, coaches’ compensation, and travel expenses. NineStar generously contributed $6,250 as the matching partner.

Dr. Parker recognized Coach Julie Shelton as one of the 12 girls' basketball coaches in Indiana history with 400 wins and is part of 31 coaches including boys' coaches to achieve this milestone. With 400 wins in 25 seasons that is 16 wins a year with a 70% win rate.  

Dr. Parker presented a Ripple Award to Julie Shelton for this achievement.  Coach Julie Shelton thanked the board and Dr. Parker.  She stated it was an amazing honor for her and is happy to have the wins all in one place and she is proud to be a marauder. 

Mrs. Brooke Tharp introduced  Mr Thomas from the Hancock County Community Foundation, He reviewed information on background of the Lilly Scholarship along with the requirements for the scholarship.  He discussed how the applications are reviewed and the winners are chosen.  He introduced Tate Cougill and Brady Webber and presented them with gifts from the foundation as Mt Vernon finalists.  

Tate Cougill is a senior at Mt. Vernon High School and is the son of Dean and Jennifer Cougill. Mrs. Tharp shared his is involved in Documentary filmmaking, student government leadership, National Honor Society VP, Heartland Film Festival volunteer; tennis team; film club founder/president, and he is a National Merit Semi-FInalist.  

Brady Webber, the son of Luke and Stacy Webber, He plans to attend Indiana University-Bloomington to study professional sales and marketing and finance.  Mrs. Tharp shared he is involved at church and community service, leadership in Best Buddies and inclusion programs, youth sports camp volunteer, Salvation Army activities, multi-sport varsity athlete and captain, involvement in several leadership and service organizations, National Honor Society.

The board congratulated both finalist. 

Mrs. Tharp presented the Strategic Plan for the Mt. Vernon High School.   

Below are highlights from the goals and initiative of the 

Goal: Foster belonging; ensure each student has at least one adult connection.

• Initiatives: Club rush week; recruitment to 19 sports and numerous clubs; 64% student involvement in a club/activity/sport (expected to grow).
• Use of TBRI strategies; MTSS committee tracking at-risk students; counselor interventions; mentorship programs.

Goal: Elevate learning and college/career planning.

• Increase dual-credit credentialed teachers by at least one annually; currently 15 credentialed, with more in process.
• Dual credits earned increased from 1,815 (23–24) to 1,937 (24–25), a 15% rise; tracking ongoing.
• Indiana College Core target: 40+ students by Class of 2028; 30 dual credits required (15 via Ivy Tech); strategic course additions to align with categories.
• Awarded Rural Early College grant: $20,000 over five years; first cohort Class of 2030; aims to support teachers/counselors, expand dual credit, improve readiness and exam performance.
• Trade certifications: target to increase by 5% annually; baseline referenced but specific figures partially unclear due to STT noise.
• SAT goal: raise average to 1015 by 2028; current comparison to state average shows progress.
• Student progress tracking: developing user-friendly system for essential learnings, standardized testing, and Skyward; avoid redundancy; plans for personalized education plans for grades 8–12; counselors meeting with freshmen; pre/post surveys show 90% foundational understanding.

Mrs. Tharp shared an example of the plan from meeting with Freshman.  Student were surveyed and 90% felt like it was meaningful and added confidence as a student.   Counselors did a great job on implementing the strategies.   

The board thanked Mrs. Tharp for her time putting together this strategic plan and reviewing with them. 

CERTIFIED RECOMMENDATIONS

• MVHS Director of Counseling Work Day Increase
• Building and District Administrator Salary Increase
• Hannah Wilson, FES Temporary 2nd Grade Teacher
• HC3 Director Contract

CERTIFIED CHANGE OF ASSIGNMENT

• Dean Falkenberg, MVMS Temporary SS Teacher to Temporary Science Teacher

CERTIFIED RESIGNATIONS

• Michael Ashford, MVCSC Behavior Resource Teacher: 53A
• Camille Hull, MVIS Temporary 6th Grade Math Teacher

CLASSIFIED RECOMMENDATIONS

• Aaron Martin, MVHS Aviation Adjunct Teacher
• Annika Reiskytl, MVHS Permanent Building Sub 
• Christin Thomas, MES Behavior Tech
• Robert Cox, MVCSC Transportation Driver Sub
• Adalyn Jackson, MVCSC Registered Behavior Tech 
• Storme Torrence, MVCSC Substitute Bus Driver
• Rhonda Pollitt, MES Permanent Building Sub 
• Jamia Tunstill, MVCSC Transportation Bus Aide
• Riley Britt, MVHS Athletics Administrative Assistant
• Classified Staff Additional Pay Increase
• Taylor Ward, MMP IA
• Shana Wolfenberger, MCE Temporary IA 
• Danielle Brewer, MVMS High Intensity IA
• Crystal Vice, MMP IA

CLASSIFIED CHANGE OF ASSIGNMENT

• Sarah Cruz, MVHS Permanent Building Sub to IA
• Savannah Prewett, MVCSC RBT to MES High Intensity IA
• Deborah Hinds, MMP IA to Food Service Sub

CLASSIFIED RESIGNATIONS/TERMINATIONS

• Johnetta Hill, MVCSC Bus Driver
• Amber Pool, MCE High Intensity IA
• Amrita Singh, FES Permanent Building Sub 
• Savannah Prewett, MES High Intensity IA
• Davion Pillow, MVCSC Transportation Sub Driver
• Dee Wickham, MVMS Permanent Building Sub
• Davion Pillow, MVCSC Transportation Sub Driver
• Annika Reiskytl, MVHS Permanent Building Sub

ECA RECOMMENDATIONS

• Adam Morelock, MVMS 6th Grade Boys Basketball Assistant Coach
• James Stewart, MVHS Freshman Football Stipend revised to 100%
• Dianne Grannan, MCE Team Leader
• Audrey Sorenson, MVMS Student Council revised to 75%
• Adam Morelock, MVMS Boys Track Assistant
• FES ECA’s 2025-26
• MES ECA’s 2025-26
• Dustin Galbraith, MVMS 7th Grade Baseball Head Coach
• Kevin Behlmer, MVMS Assistant Swim Coach
• Jaclyn Carrao, MVMS Science Academic Super Bowl

ECA RESIGNATIONS

• Audrey Sorenson, MVMS 8th Grade Softball Coach

LEAVES

• Kyle Smythe, MVMS 7th Grade Teacher (Intermittent 9/26/2025 - 9/25/2026)
• Lillian Martin, MCE Kindergarten Teacher (March 30, 2026 - May 29, 2026)
• Mike Friedman, MVCSC Transportation/Maintenance (October 22, 2025 - December 2, 2025)
• Candy Turner, MVCSC Transportation (October 27, 2025 - December 5, 2025)
• Candy Turner, MVCSC Transportation (December 15, 2025 - January 25, 2026)
• Lillian Martin, MCE Kindergarten Teacher (October 23, 2025 - November 14, 2025)
• Anna Helmer, MCE Kindergarten Teacher ( February 26, 2026 - May 29, 2026)
• Ashlea Nelson, MCE Instructional Assistant (October 20, 2025 - @ mid-December 2025)
• Nicole Rehm, MVIS 5th Grade Teacher (February 2, 2026 - April 28, 2026)

Thank you to our generous donors this month. 

Dr. Parker presented the new policies for review.  At this time no vote is needed.  A second reading will be held for approval at the December board meeting. 

Dr. Parker reviewed the Joint Services Agreement for the new HC3 program.  The agreement will allow for renewal which will allow the programs of all for county schools to move under one roof at Amplify Hancock building starting the school year of 2026.  He asked for approval of the new agreement. 

Mrs Nielsen made a motion to approve the agreement.   Mrs. Britt seconded the motion.  Motion carried 5-0.