May 2025 School Board Meeting

The Mount Vernon R-V Board of Education held a Regular Meeting on Thursday, May 22.  Below are some items of information:

 

Mrs. Laura Hazelton was recognized as the MV-MVP for the month of May.  Mrs. Hazelton was commended for her seemingly endless number of responsibilities in her roles as MVMS Special Education teacher, MVHS Theater Teacher, High School Girls’ Track Coach, and Assistant Director of Vocal Music.  Below are some of the highlights from her MV-MVP nomination:

 

Laura contributes so much to our schools and community. She is such an incredible leader and somehow makes it look easy--and I know it's definitely not! Laura is the definition of someone who takes charge and gets things done. She knows her stuff. Period. She works so well with our teachers and sets expectations for accommodations and transitions for our students. She also serves on multiple committees in our district, including CSIP, PDC, and our building leadership team. She is constantly giving her very best to our students and the district.

 

The Board also had the opportunity to honor April McBaine as the District’s MV-MVP winner for the 2024-2025 academic year.  

 

Congratulations to both Laura and April for all their hard work and dedication to serving the students of Mount Vernon Schools!

 

The average in-person daily attendance for April was 1,337.05, and the overall percentage of attendance was 93.77%.  

  • This represents a slight increase of 3.83 students from this time last year.
  • In-person ADA was 1,341.31 in March.  April’s ADA decreased by 4.26.

 

The new members of our School Board Student Advisory Council were introduced.

  • Applications were accepted at MVHS from students who were interested in filling these roles, as Seniors Natalie Barker and Ryliegh Misemer have graduated.
  • A faculty team evaluated applications and recommended the following two students to join the Student Board Advisory team:
    • Isabelle Farnsworth
    • Kharis Parrish
  • Isabelle and Kharis join two existing members (Alyson Barnes and Dhruti Patel) in the third year of this program.  
  • These students will officially begin their time as advisors in August to coincide with the beginning of the school year.

 

After successful approval by voters in April, the Board approved a resolution to authorize the sale of Series 2025 General Obligation Bonds through L.J. Hart & Company.

  • Representatives from L.J. Hart were present to offer an outlook on the revenue to be expected from the sale of these municipal bonds.

 

In connection with the report from L.J. Hart, an update was given on the progress of plans for the new Performing Arts Center and Band Classroom/High Wind Shelter on the campus of MVHS.  

  • Veregy, or partner in construction for the project, is preparing to offer a Gross Maximum Price for the project at a special Board Meeting on Thursday, June 5.
  • The costs of the project are higher than expected, given the instability in the economy.
  • However, through a combination of strategic marketing of bonds, investment of funds generated, and the potential for fundraising and allocation of revenue into the Capital Project Fund, the District is in good shape to complete the project as planned.
  • Construction is expected to begin in late August or early September of 2025.
  • Updated renderings are included in this post.

 

A report was given on behalf of the CTA Salary/Welfare Committee regarding the staff survey results recently collected.

  • Overwhelmingly, all groups reported that increases to salary schedules ranked as the most important factor in the upcoming budget planning process.
  • All groups also value the continuation of Board-paid health insurance premiums.
  • The feedback from staff is very much appreciated and will help drive budget discussions moving forward.

 

The Board voted to create a new District position of School Resource Officer.

  • The SRO position in Mount Vernon has always been a partnership with the Mount Vernon Police Department in which the District compensated the city to have an MVPD Officer stationed primarily on school campuses.
  • The Board and administration are greatly appreciative of the relationship enjoyed between the District and the City of Mount Vernon to ensure the safety of students and staff, and this change in no way reflects the quality of work done by the fine officers who have held the role of SRO.
  • The contract between the city and the school district is expiring in August, and the Board determined that taking over the position as a District employee would allow for greater influence over the schedule of the officer and the types of events at which the SRO could be present.
  • The SRO position will include a 210-day contract starting in August 2025 and will be commissioned by the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department.

 

Several housekeeping items were also approved by the Board including approval of:

  • Building handbooks
  • Participation in Federal Title Programs
  • A three-year contract with Second Mile Therapy
  • Two agreements with Monett R-II Schools to participate in GOCAPS and remain members of the MRLC
  • Five policy, four procedure, and one form revision as recommended by MSBA

 

In Closed Executive Session:

The Board was informed of several resignations and retirements:

 

Camron Brewer is resigning from his position as Special Education Teacher at MVHS.

  • Mr. Brewer joined the District in 2019 and has spent the past six years as a Paraprofessional then Teacher at MVIS and MVHS.
  • He is accepting a position in the Pierce City School District.

 

Jacque Farmer is retiring from her Business Teacher position at MVHS.

  • Mrs. Farmer joined the District in 2007, serving in various roles before becoming a Business Teacher at MVHS in 2012 and spending thirteen years in that position.

 

Jackson Milzarek is resigning from his position as Assistant Director of Bands at MVHS and MVMS.

  • Mr. Milzarek joined the District in 2022 and has spent the past three years as Assistant Band Director.

 

Makayla Piotrowski is resigning from her position as Agriculture Education Instructor at MVHS/MVMS 

  • Mrs. Piotrowski joined the District in 2021 and spent the past four years in the Agriculture Education Department and served as an FFA Sponsor.
  • She is accepting a position in Fair Grove where she resides.

 

Danielle Roeder resigned from her paraprofessional position in April.

 

Kyler Shoff is resigning from his position as High School Special Education Teacher.

  • Mr. Shoff is also resigning from his positions as Head Baseball Coach and Middle School Football Coach.
  • Mr. Shoff joined the District in 2021 and has spent the past four years teaching Special Education at MVHS.

 

The Board approved several recommendations for new personnel hires:

  • Nancy Brown for the vacant Title I Reading Interventionist Paraprofessional position iat MVIS
    • Mrs. Brown was a paraprofessional in the District for seven years before leaving in 2022.
    • This is to replace Jeanna Engler, who will be assuming the role of paraprofessional in the Behavior Recovery Room at MVIS.
  • Curtis Halbrook for the vacant Assistant Director of Bands at MVHS and MVMS
    • Mr. Halbrook has worked in the Rockwood School District for the past six months and also completed his student-teaching experience in Rockwood.
    • This is to replace Jackson Milzarek, who is resigning after three years in the position.
  • Ashley Hare as a Special Education Teacher at MVHS
    • Mrs. Hare is currently a Paraprofessional at MVES and is finishing her education degree.
    • This is to replace Kyler Shoff, who is resigning. 
  • Lori Hicks for a vacant Title I Paraprofessional position at MVES 
    • Mrs. Hicks has served as a District substitute teacher this year.
    • This is to replace Jessica White, who is resigning.
  • Channing Jenkins for a vacant Special Education Paraprofessional at MVIS 
    • Mrs. Jenkins has a degree in Animal Science and has worked as a paraprofessional in the Aurora School District since 2021.
    • This is to replace Danielle Roeder, who is resigning.
  • Emma Johnston for the vacant Agriculture Education position at MVHS
    • Mrs. Johnston is finishing her first year as the Agriculture Education Teacher/FFA Sponsor at Wheaton and completed her student-teaching at Mount Vernon and Branson the previous year.
    • This is to replace Makayla Piotrowski, who is resigning.
  • April Lacey as a long-term substitute teacher for the Middle School Art Position 
    • Mrs. Lacey has been serving in that role for most of the year after a mid-year resignation
  • Tina Morgan for a vacant Special Education Paraprofessional at MVIS
    • Mrs. Morgan has experience working in Head Start and has a CNA certification.
    • This is to replace Ashley Hare’s position, which will be transferred to MVIS.
  • Irena Sokol for the newly created Elementary School Recovery Room Instructor in the 
    • Mrs. Sokol has spent the past one and a half years as the Behavior Interventionist at Willard Intermediate and High Schools.
  • The following extra-duty assignments were also approved:
    • Logan Alumbaugh to Assistant High School Boys’ Basketball
    • Jeremy Braun to Assistant High School Football
    • Jesse Buttram to Middle School Football
    • Kami Eddington to Assistant High School Girls’ Basketball
    • Jeanna Engler to Girls’ Golf
    • Clint Holcomb to Middle School Football
    • Emily Trimble to High School Track
    • Ryan Worley to Boys’ Golf

 

The next scheduled meeting of the Mount Vernon R-V Board of Education will be Thursday, June 5, at 6 PM, during which a contract for the construction related to Proposition PAC will be presented and considered for approval.