MITCHELL – The Mitchell Community Schools SEAL program for education has officially begun. The Mitchell High School students enrolled in the ED Professions class, who are interested in education will get a head start on all their competitors.
One period a day MHS students will offer Math Remediation to any Mitchell Junior High School students. The SEAL program will provide on-the-job training for those students enrolled and they will also receive a small amount of money for their services.
“This helps out with staff shortages and provides services to kids that need a little extra help,” said Dr. Brent Comer Superintendent Mitchell Community Schools.
Mitchell Community Schools is the first Education SEAL in the state, students will begin early field experiences and eventually move to paid positions in the community and local schools. The program is designed in partnership with Indiana University, the Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship, and Hoosier Uplands 21st Century Community Learning Centers.
This program is striving to become the first registered Education Apprenticeship in the United States.
Mitchell Community Schools has also started a Purple Star Resolution program for veterans.
“Dr. Steve Grissom, being a veteran himself, spearheaded this program,” said Dr. Brent Comer. “This is a really neat designation for the school corporation which officially says that we honor our veterans and current servicemen and women.”
The school corporation will provide any educational services to these families. There are a lot of transient students due to their family’s commitments to the military. Families will be provided resources for housing options, employment options, and officials will guide them to the proper resource within Lawrence County to assist them in those needs.
In other business:
- Approved Amos Wagner request to attend the 2021 IIAA Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana on September 25th – September 28th.
- Approved the proposed 2022 Budget. The overall budget for 2022 will be $19,787,594.
- Approved to post the position for Director of COSMOS partnership. The advertisement for the position should begin by the end of September, interviews will begin sometime in November. The director will begin their employment on June 1, 2022.
- Approved contracted services with SLP services to help with speech and hearing students.
- Approved to write checks on October 11, 2021 due to a change in the October school board.
- Approved the Mitchell High School Hall of Fame for alumni who graduated Mitchell High School, this program is just not athletics but any alumni who graduated from the school. The inaugural introduction may begin with 4-6 with following years, an average of 1 -2 graduates inducted into the Hall of Fame.
- The school board and superintendent will attend ISBA /IAPSS Fall conference on October 11-12th in Indianapolis, Indiana.
- The building projects have progressed as planned. The drop off and pick up of students at Hatfield and Burris project is still in the planning stage.
- Dr. Comer reported since the placement of the mask policy, the number of reported cases of COVID has started to decline.
- A public hearing was held immediately after the school board meeting to announce the contract negotiations are underway.
Prayer vigil for Mitchell High School teacher:
Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) organized a prayer vigil early Monday morning for Mitchell High School teacher Kim Allen who is currently hospitalized.
Five of her students talked to the crowd about how the teacher has impacted their lives.
Pastor Allen Burris read from Psalm 116. Dr. Brent Comer told the school board members Monday night it was a moving time and nice to see so many students take part.
