Pictured, from left, are Brittany Watson, TVHS special education teacher; Anna Yates, TVHS instructional assistant; Tippecanoe Valley High School Principal Brandon Kresca and Jake Everett, TVHS assistant principal.

MENTONE — During the Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation Board Meeting held this evening, June 17, the board accepted donations for suicide prevention efforts and bus cameras.

Valley Connects, the school corporations mental health task force, received $7,1000 in funding from the Indiana Suicide Prevention Coalition. This money will be used to purchase various promotional items that will bring awareness to Valley Connects, host suicide prevention training for community members and businesses, organize and hold a Suicide Loss Remembrance Day in the community and bring a speaker to the school corporation on the topic of promoting positive mental health.

Meagan Wilks, director of special services for TVSC and leader of Valley Connects, explained that the task force works to promote, educate and advocate for positive mental health in both the school district and surrounding community. Along with school representatives, Valley Connect members include representatives from The Bowen Center, Four County Counseling, Kosciusko Cares, K21 Foundation and local churches.

Cargill donated $5,000 towards the school’s bus arm cameras.

“Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation is grateful for the outpouring of community support and for our business partners,” said Superintendent Blaine Conley. “Cargill is a vital community business partner for Tippecanoe Valley and has graciously made a donation in support of bus arm cameras in support for safety of our students.”

Tippecanoe Valley High School Principal Brandon Kresca attended the meeting to introduce a few of his newest staff members. Anna Yates is a new instructional assistant, Brittany Watson is a new special education teacher and Jake Everett was named the high school’s new assistant principal.

The school board also approved a 10 cent increase across the board for the 2019-2020 school lunch prices. The lunch price for students in elementary school will be $1.70 and the price for middle and high schoolers will be $2.20. Adults may eat lunch for a price of $3.

In other news:

• The board recognized TVHS math teacher Alissa Trippeidi for her retirement.
• The board approved the hiring of Margaret White, special education teacher at TVMS; Amy Luce, instructional assistant at TVHS; Danielle Reinholt, physical education teachers at TVMS; and Jen Shank, summer speech-language pathologist.
• The board approved the extracurricular assignments for Hannah Durkes, 5th-grade girls’ volleyball coach at Mentone Elementary; Ashley Derf, JV volleyball coach at TVHS; and Thadd Mellott, varsity assistant girls’ basketball coach at TVHS.
• The board accepted the resignation of Ron Bruner, custodian at TVHS; Chelsea Horban, instructional assistant at Akron Elementary; Sorayda Guzman Baca, instructional assistant at Akron Elementary; Kayla Landis, cook at Mentone Elementary; Mckenzie Murphy, instructional assistant at Akron Elementary; Lindsay Smith, instructional assistant at TVHS; Jennifer Millhoupt, instructional assistant at TVHS; Melea Gearhart, instructional assistant at Mentone Elementary; Angela Sroufe, instructional assistant at Burket Education Center; Rebekah Parker, physical education teacher at TVMS; Emma Coppes, special education teacher at TVHS; and Daryl Shoemaker, varsity softball coach at TVHS.
• The next regular school board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, July 15, at Mentone Elementary School.