Mt. Vernon Middle School News

Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation (MVCSC) recently hosted a very productive legislative breakfast with Speaker Brian Bosma, Senator Michael Crider, and Representative Bob Cherry. MVCSC’s board members, administration, and many representatives from public schools enjoyed breakfast while engaging with our local legislators. School districts in attendance also included Eastern Hancock, Greenfield, Southern Hancock, as well as representatives from South Madison, Shelby Eastern, and Warren Township Schools.

The Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation (MVCSC) is asking ALL MV parents, any in-district residents, businesses and community members to be a part of the “MV Community Champions” initiative to develop a 10-year Future Growth Plan. MVCSC asked hundreds of community members to attend two meetings from 7 - 8 p.m. on August 27, 2019 and January 21, 2020. Attendees shared their thoughts on the multiple options of growth possibilities, including how grade configurations are assigned in our schools. 

Bus stop violations are serious offenses that endanger the lives of children everywhere. Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation (MVCSC) wants to put an end to the stop arm violations by encouraging parents, community members, and student drivers to pay attention and always stop when a bus stop arm is out.

For Mt. Vernon staff that are on the district’s insurance, Andrea Miles, Activate’s Nurse Practitioner, is scheduled to be on maternity leave beginning in early December. Two other Nurse Practitioners will fill her shoes through early February: Susan Conner and Kimberly Jefvert.

The Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation has announced that Mr. Jeff Brandes has been named as a Mt. Vernon Middle School Assistant Principal, effective October 21, 2019. Mr. Brandes comes to Mt. Vernon Schools with a wide range of skills and experience, including school improvement, behavioral support, academic support, athletics, social support, and schoolwide data. 

Superintendent Dr. Jack Parker has scheduled six “Traveling Talks” throughout the district for the 2019-20 school year.  These “Traveling Talks” are an opportunity for community members to communicate directly with Dr. Parker and share their hopes, questions, and/or concerns about Mt. Vernon schools. This casual dialogue is designed to connect the community with school leadership.  

The safety of students and staff is the number one priority at Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation (MVCSC). The district was recently awarded a $100K Secured School Safety Grant ($50K grant with $50K matching funds). This grant allows MVCSC to provide additional tools and resources to protect its students and staff.  

Mt. Vernon Middle School (MVMS) Seventh Grade Social Studies teacher, Ms. Deb Thomas, is a Top 10 Finalist for the Indiana Teacher of the Year.  Ms. Thomas has been exemplifying the use of student engagement, cultural awareness, and community learning in her classroom at MVMS for 29 years.   

Mt. Vernon Schools turned their September 25 eLearning Day into an annual Community Service Day. Mt. Vernon High School and Mt. Vernon Middle School students were given the opportunity to give back to their community through various service projects. Over forty students signed up to spend three hours of their eLearning Day serving the community in a variety of ways.

With Indiana’s unpredictable weather, Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation (MVCSC) parents/guardians should be prepared with childcare plans for school cancellations and multiple two-hour delays. In the unlikely event that we have more than six eLearning days per year, MVCSC has developed guidelines to ensure we have at least 174 (out of 180) days of in-school instruction. Beginning in the 2019-2020 school year, we will try to have no more than six cumulative eLearning days per school year. 

Providing support and resources for mental health is a top priority in the Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation (MVCSC). Mt. Vernon Schools are taking major steps in educating students, staff, and parents/guardians on the importance of mental health and wellness through programming and resources. 

The Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation would like to welcome Mr. Ryan King as the new Assistant Principal of McCordsville Elementary School. Mr. King previously served in the Carmel Clay School District for nine years as a 4th and 5th grade elementary teacher. He has led or designed numerous professional development opportunities for staff and excels in cultivating positive relationships with students, parents, and his colleagues. 

New! Any resident living in our district that is at least 65 years old will be able to receive a new “Mt. Vernon 65+ Club” card that will provide them with free admission to most Mt.Vernon Middle School and Mt. Vernon High School events. There are a few exclusions, such as IHSAA playoff games, ISSMA events, HHC tournament games, and designated events. Additional information can be found on the www.mvcsc.k12.in.us/65Club webpage.

Mt. Vernon Middle School (MVMS) principal, Mr. Benjamin Williams, recently graduated from the Indiana Principal Leadership Institute (IPLI). Housed at Indiana State University’s Bayh College of Education, IPLI is a two-year experience that addresses the professional needs of Indiana public school principals with an emphasis on student success. It was created with bipartisan support by the Indiana General Assembly in 2013.  

The Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation (MVCSC) has named Mrs. Alissa Lockwood as the new Mt. Comfort Elementary Principal. She will begin this new leadership tenure on July 1, 2019. Lockwood has most recently served as the Assistant Principal of McCordsville Elementary School for the last three years. In her first year she helped to raise the school’s letter grade from a “D” to an “A,” and most recently was named a Four Star School by the Indiana Department of Education.

The Indiana Department of Education has recently awarded Mt. Vernon Middle School (MVMS) with the Indiana Gold Star School Counseling Award. This award recognizes the effort that MVMS continuously makes to have a comprehensive, data-driven counseling program that aims to reach ALL students.

Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation has recently named school board scholars from the 2018-2019 school year.

The Senior Class of 2019 celebrated their graduation preparation by participating in the “Marauder Mile,” modeling to younger students that they too can achieve the ultimate accomplishment: graduation. Seniors had the opportunity to parade through all three Mt. Vernon elementary schools, as well as Mt. Vernon Middle School (MVMS). The seniors were greeted warmly by the students who lined the halls, giving them high-fives throughout their walk.

Mr. Casey Dodd has been named as the Mt. Vernon High School Principal and will begin his tenure on July 1, 2019. He has held a variety of leadership positions in all grade levels at Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation. Mr. Dodd most recently served the last two years as the Mt. Comfort Elementary Principal and the year as the district’s Title One Coordinator.

The graduation ceremony for Mt. Vernon High School’s (MVHS) Class of 2019 will take place on Friday, May 31st at 7:30 p.m. at the MVHS Hancock Health Stadium.

The music department at Mt. Vernon High School (MVHS) has recently been awarded with the coveted Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) All-Music Award for the 2018-2019 school year. MVHS is one of only 14 high schools in the state of Indiana to earn a Total Department Award in 2019.