Valley Recognizes Retiring Akron Educator
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews
AKRON — A longtime Akron Elementary School educator was honored at May’s regular Tippecanoe Valley School Board meeting.
And a few fellow staff members openly showed their disapproval with her upcoming retirement.
Valley recognized physical education teacher Kathy Good at the TVSC Board meeting on Monday, May 16, at Akron. It had a reception with cake for her before the meeting.
During the meeting, Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. Superintendent Blaine Conley read a statement from Good she had written, which included her reflections on teaching.
Three Akron paraprofessionals came to Monday’s meeting, “protesting” Good’s exit from the school. Tracy Murphy, Maria Baca and Alana Bogle all donned T-shirts bearing Good’s face and the words “All Opposed,” referring to her leaving.
Conley noted Good had taught for 37 years, all with TVSC. She’s been a PE teacher for 14 years, with the rest split up between teaching special education, kindergarten and first, second and sixth grades.
“I enjoyed creating a safe, caring educational environment for all the children that walked through Akron’s door just the same as I did for my own four children and continue to do for my two grandchildren,” said Good in the statement she had written.
She said she’d miss most “the daily interactions and friendships with the students and staff.”
“I felt like I did my best to create a comfortable classroom that the students would be excited to come to everyday,” Good said in her statement that Conley read. “I also appreciated the opportunity to job-share while I raised my family.”
Carpenter honored
TVSC also recognized Jaeda Carpenter.
The soon-to-be Valley graduate currently serves as one of the Tippecanoe Valley High School’s student representatives to the TVSC Board, reporting on student activities at each regular monthly board meeting.
Conley noted that Carpenter recently received special recognition from the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Her plans after graduation include attending Purdue University.
Akron report
Akron Principal Scott Sterk also presented the annual report to the school board on Akron Elementary.
He and staff recognized several entities at Akron: the student council, math bowl team, spell bowl team, Unified robotics team and those who’d received perfect scores on the IREAD test for third graders.
This is the first year for Akron’s Unified robotics team, which is also a new program in Indiana. Like other Unified activities Valley participates in, it allows students with and without special needs to participate together.
Akron’s team ended up placing second in the state in competition.
In other business, the board:
- Reappointed Janet Morgan to the Akron Carnegie Public Library Board.
- Approved hiring Mentone Elementary School music teacher Laura Stump, first grade teacher Morgan Ruff and teacher Erica Enyart; TVHS technology associate Jason Goldsmith; and TVSC summer techs Shane Wood, Sheila Kindig and Alexis Hernandez.
- Accepted the resignations of Mentone cook Kiara Taylor, head custodian David Anweiler and instructional assistant Devin Amberg; TVHS Sunshine Society sponsor Beth Landis; and Tippecanoe Valley Middle School cross-country coach Sandy Inglehearn and special education teacher Joshua Stephenson.
The board’s next regular meeting is 6 p.m. Monday, June 20, at Mentone.