NEW PALESTINE — The beginning of every school year is fun and exciting for longtime principal Jan Kehrt, who is starting her 33rd year in education this fall.
But the start of this school year is especially exciting: For the first time in 13 years as a principal, she’ll be welcoming students to a different school.
Kehrt, who is the new principal at Sugar Creek Elementary School in New Palestine after more than decade at Harris Elementary in Greenfield, is not alone: She is one of six new principals and a similar number of assistant principals among Hancock County’s 21 public schools who are welcoming students back to classes starting this week.
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In all, nearly 80 educators and administrators will be in new classrooms or offices.
Kehrt and Adam Barton, the new principal at Eastern Hancock High School and Middle School, are two of the highest-profile new principals by virtue of their years of experience in other jobs. The other new principals are Austin Theobald at Brandywine Elementary; Sarah Gruelich at Harris Elementary; Casey Dodd, Mt. Vernon High School; and Alissa Lockwood at Mt. Comfort Elementary School.
All of them have spent the past several weeks getting to know their new buildings and staff. By the time the first bell rings, they’ll be fulfilling an excitement that’s been building all summer.
“Every year is a fresh start for students, staff and parents, but it makes it much more fun in that it’s a new school,” said Kehrt, who lives in the district with her husband, Brian Kehrt, also a Southern Hancock educator. “We’re putting the finishing touches on schedules, meeting with teachers, so we’re ready to roll,” she said.
For Barton, who is replacing longtime Principal Dave Pfaff, who retired after 40 years with Eastern Hancock schools, the transition has been a whirlwind.
“It’s been a very smooth transition, said Barton, who will welcome students back to school next Monday, Aug. 5. “Mr. Pfaff did a wonderful job this spring of giving me opportunities to get in the building and meet everybody, so I feel very comfortable with the staff and got moved in the first week of July.”
Here is a summary of the major personnel moves taking place in each district:
Southern Hancock
Kehrt replaces Kari Shelton. Theobald replaces Rhonda Peterson at Brandywine Elementary. Peterson, the district’s former curriculum director, stepped down at the end of the school year to take an administrative job at Carmel Clay Schools.
Elsewhere in the district, some of the other administrative changes include Nicholas Mitchaner, who is the assistant principal at New Palestine High School. He replaced Barton. Amy Dawson was also hired as an associate principal at New Palestine High School, while Suzanne Kishindo was hired as the new assistant principal at New Palestine Intermediate School.
The district also hired 12 teachers for the coming school year, which begins on Friday.
Greenfield-Central
Greenfield-Central schools have over 20 new employee hires and changes.
Greulich spent the past 12 years as a teacher and administrator for Greenfield-Central before being hired as principal at Harris Elementary to replace Kehrt.
Greulich, who most recently was the assistant principal of Maxwell Intermediate School, said she’s spent parts of the summer getting to know her staff and preparing curriculum for students.
“Harris is a wonderful school, with a strong staff who are not only skilled in the art of teaching, but have big hearts for kids,” Greulich said. “It is an important part of our community, and I am looking forward to continuing with the many great things that are already ingrained in their culture.”
Megan Thompson, director of elementary education for Greenfield-Central Schools, is one of the corporation’s newest administrators. She assumed the position held by associate superintendent Ann Vail, who retired at the end of June, as part of a shuffling of top jobs by Superintendent Harold Olin
Thompson was a former director of curriculum and innovation at Heritage Christian Schools as well as was an elementary school administrator with Hamilton Southeastern schools. She also has 15 years of teaching experience at the elementary level. She will oversee elementary curriculum in a new role for the district.
“I am thankful to be serving the students, teachers and families of the Greenfield-Central community; there is no greater blessing than to do what you love every day,” Thompson wrote in an email to the Daily Reporter.
Thompson, who started in the role this month, said she’s been meeting Greenfield leaders and exploring the community in anticipation of the school year starting on Thursday.
“The best part is yet to come as students soon return,” she said. “They are the center of what I do each day.”
Eastern Hancock
Eastern Hancock schools have seven new faces joining faculty for the 2019-20 school year in addition to having two teachers move up from their former instructional assistant positions. More employees are up for approval at August’s school board meeting, said Jennifer Goble, human resources specialist for the corporation.
The district also is beginning the search for a new superintendent after the retirement of Vicki McGuire, whose last day is Wednesday.
In addition to Barton, an Eastern Hancock alumnus, taking over as principal at the high school and middle school, the district also has hired Brian Bowen as Barton’s new assistant principal. Jonathan Onufrock, has been hired as district psychologist.
Mt. Vernon
Mt. Vernon has 19 faculty members joining its ranks or taking on new positions within the district for the upcoming academic year. Dodd moved to the high school’s principal position after serving as Mt. Comfort Elementary School’s principal, and there are several other new people throughout the corporation.
Dodd said getting everything wrapped up at one building, while trying to settle into another, made for a busy schedule this summer.
“You kind of live in two worlds for a little while,” he said.
But he has the advantage of having taught at the high school in the past.
“There’s a lot of familiar faces,” Dodd said. “If I don’t know something, I know exactly who I need to go ask.”
Lockwood replaces Dodd at Mt. Comfort Elementary School. Other changes include a new assistant superintendent, Chris Smedley.
Mt. Vernon students head back to school on Wednesday.
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Here is list of personnel changes, including new teachers and administrators, in Hancock County’s four public school districts for the coming year.
Southern Hancock
Damon Krug, school physiologist, districtwide
Jan Kehrt, principal, Sugar Creek Elementary School
Austin Theobald, principal, Brandywine Elementary School
Suzanne Kishindo, assistant principal, New Palestine Intermediate School
Nicholas Mitchaner, assistant principal, New Palestine High School
Amy Dawson, associate principal, New Palestine High School
Audrey East, chemistry teacher, New Palestine High School
Molly Miller, English teacher, New Palestine High School
Michelle Brown, Spanish teacher, New Palestine High School
Jessica Montgomery, speech and language pathologist, New Palestine High School and New Palestine Junior High School
Ashley Padgett, English teacher, New Palestine Junior High School
Joseph Rush, Social Studies, New Palestine Junior High School
Jennifer Hancock, sixth-grade teacher, New Palestine Intermediate School
Anna Woods, speech and language pathologist, New Palestine Elementary School
Abigail Dybel, special education teacher, Sugar Creek Elementary School
Heather Aldridge, first-grade teacher, Brandywine Elementary School
Casey Back, second-grade teacher, Brandywine Elementary School
Kathryn Graham, essential skills teacher, Brandywine Elementary School
Greenfield-Central
Aimee Rodeghero, Eden Elementary School/Maxwell Intermediate School, speech language pathologist
Sarah Greulich, principal, Harris Elementary School
Brittany Meek, third-grade teacher, Harris Elementary School
Kaitlyn Shockley, first-grade teacher, Harris Elementary School
Katie Hall, social worker, Harris Elementary School
Kayci Berkshire, speech language pathologist. J.B. Stephens Elementary School
Aleesha Broadus, social worker, J.B. Stephens Elementary School
Mary Flynn, resource, Weston Elementary School
Cagney Sheehan, fifth-grade teacher, Greenfield Intermediate School
Renee Hilkene, fifth-grade teacher, Greenfield Intermediate School
Megan Welch, assistant principal, Maxwell Intermediate School
Jennifer Frye, physical education, Greenfield-Central Junior High School
Sharri Lund, computer/science, Greenfield-Central Junior High School
LuAnn Sewell, science, Greenfield-Central Junior High School
Hannah Didelot, social studies, Greenfield-Central Junior High School
Molly Allen, seventh-grade math, Greenfield-Central Junior High School,
Jennifer Jank, English/language arts, Greenfield-Central Junior High School
Leah Hoover, English/language arts, Greenfield-Central Junior High School,
Andrew Wilson, athletic director/dean, Greenfield-Central Junior High School
Elisa Stanfill, literacy coach, Greenfield-Central Junior High School/Greenfield-Central High School
Jennifer Teal, speech language pathologist, Greenfield-Central Junior High School/Greenfield-Central High School
Gwen Atkinson, science, Greenfield-Central High School
Bryan Hair, resource, Greenfield-Central High School
Lucas Meredith, English/language arts, Greenfield-Central High School
Linda Brinegar, media specialist, Greenfield-Central School Corporation
Megan Thompson, director of elementary education
Jennifer Maciejewski, special education-emotional disability, Catamount
Corie Sutton, math coach, Tier 3-4
Kevin Rowe, psychology, Tier 1-2
Mt. Vernon
Heather Bates, eighth-grade math teacher, Mt. Vernon Middle School
Jessica Buell, second-grade teacher, Mt. Comfort Elementary School
Casey Dodd, Mt. Vernon High School principal
Rose Dowden, fifth-grade teacher, McCordsville Elementary School
Erin Eads, kindergarten teacher, Fortville Elementary School
Greg Elkins, chief financial officer
Krista Garrett, seventh grade science teacher, Mt. Vernon Middle School
Ryan King, McCordsville Elementary School, assistant principal
Heidi Kensinger, first grade teacher, Fortville Elementary School
Alissa Lockwood, Mt. Comfort Elementary School, principal
Jenelle Miller, first grade teacher covering maternity leave, Mt. Comfort Elementary School,
Ashley Ridenour, alternative school teacher
Josh Sanchez, sixth grade teacher, Mt. Vernon Middle School
LeeAnn Sherman, kindergarten teacher, Mt. Comfort Elementary School
Chris Smedley, assistant superintendent
Mitzi Stephens, physical therapist
Anna Stover, third-grade teacher, McCordsville Elementary School,
Courtney Stroup, eighth-grade English teacher, Mt. Vernon Middle School,
Eastern Hancock 2019-20 school year new hires/position changes:
Adam Barton, Eastern Hancock middle and high school, principal
Erin Billstrom, Eastern Hancock Elementary School teacher
Brian Bowen, Eastern Hancock middle and high school assistant principal
Sarah Dagley, promotion to Eastern Hancock High School teacher from instructional assistant
Michael Dawson, promotion to Eastern Hancock Elementary School teacher from instructional assistant
Stephanie Ford, temporary occupational therapist covering leave
Amber Jenkins, Eastern Hancock Elementary School teacher
Rachel Mays, Eastern Hancock Elementary School teacher
Jonathan Onufrock, district psychologist
Marlisa Wennen, promotion to Eastern Hancock Elementary School teacher from instructional assistant
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A list of new teachers and other personnel changes at all four county districts for the coming school year is on Page A7.
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