Twelve staff taking early retirement from MV schools

More than 300 years of experience will be leaving Mount Vernon Schools at the end of this fiscal year, with 12 staff members taking advantage of early retirement offerings from the district.

“It’s bittersweet,” said superintendent Matt Leeman. “These individuals more than deserve the opportunity to take early retirement, but we’re also going to lose a lot of experienced individuals from the district.”

Those taking early retirement include:

Kristine Abodeely– elementary kitchen lead

Jackie Engelbrecht—high school library associate

Lisa Kramer—first grade teacher

Jennifer Lengwin—middle school associate

Mary Leopold—kindergarten teacher

Heidi Niehaus—middle school associate

Kathi Orr—middle school associate

Roberta LeAnn Pisarik—high school associate

Ed Timm—high school social studies teacher

Jean Wade– elementary intervention teacher

Tom Wilkinson– high school foreign language teacher

Dee Winder– middle school science teacher

MV holds first reading of policy on board members presenting diplomas

The Mount Vernon School Board is putting into writing a policy that has been in practice for more than a decade now – allowing board members to present diplomas to their children or grandchildren.

Board member Jason Clark was one who presented the idea of making this a board policy, noting he has children who will be graduating in a few years.

The policy allows current board members or former board members who had devoted a number of terms to the school board to be able to hand diplomas to their loved ones.

This year, president Rick Elliott said there will be three graduates with ties to current school board members. Elliott said that it shouldn’t just be for that individual graduate these board members present, but leaves that to those running graduation as to when the transition of those administering diplomas happens.

Clark was also asking board members to consider attending graduation ceremonies each year.

“I know that it is a very crowded event, and that might add to the number in attendance, but I think it’s important,” Clark said.

Board member Jeremy Kunz agreed, noting during unfinished business that discussion item should be brought back on a future board meeting agenda.

The first reading of the policy was approved and will be adopted next month if there are no objections.