Board of Education Meeting, February 19, 2026
The Mt. Vernon R-V School District Board of Education met in regular session on February 19, 2026.
Recognitions
The Board recognized Jeff Piepenbrink as the MV-MVP for February for his dedication and commitment to the success of Mt. Vernon students and staff. The nomination for MVP is provided below. Congratulations Coach P!
Mr. Piepenbrink was hired several years ago as a social studies teacher with physical education certification. In that time, not only has he worked toward certification, but he has also proved himself as an incredible history teacher. His lessons are interactive, his lectures captivating, and his projects meaningful.
Mr. Piepenbrink brings so much energy and fun to our building. He is always smiling, laughing, and joking--but he's established great rapport and boundaries with students. They both love and respect him, which isn't always an easy feat with middle schoolers.
Mr. Piepenbrink is super flexible and has been willing to adjust his schedule throughout the year. I honestly don't know how he juggles both his classroom and extracurricular duties! He not only coaches both football and track, but also supports his wife (our cheer coach) at high school basketball games. He is a great colleague, teacher, team player, coach, and person. We're so glad to have him back to MV!
In Open Session:
- Positive Attendance Trends: Our Average Daily Attendance (ADA) for January reached 1,277.63. This is an increase of 24.41 students compared to this time last year. This growth is particularly impressive given the typical rise in seasonal illnesses. We credit our building administrators and families for their renewed emphasis on the importance of being in the classroom.
- Membership Numbers: Our January Membership—representing students enrolled and attending at least one of the ten days prior to the last Wednesday of the month—is 1,394.89. While this is a decrease of 40.20 students from last year, it mirrors our September enrollment trends and remains consistent with our 2020-2021 student counts.
- 2026-2027 School Calendar was approved: Following state law which mandates a start date no earlier than 14 days before the first Monday in September, the first possible start date for 2026 is Monday, August 24. While Mt. Vernon and other districts requested a waiver to start earlier for local flexibility, all requests were denied by the state.
- The 2026-2027 calendar has a few changes compared to previous years. Two of the collaboration days will consist of a half day for students and collaboration in the afternoon. (September 25 and April 9)
- The start date will be Wednesday, August 26 and will have an end date of Wednesday, May 26.
- Summer School 2026: The Board is recommending the following schedule for summer school pending approval from the state:
- Dates: Tuesday, May 26 – Thursday, June 18 (Starts the day after Memorial Day).
- Times: 7:30 AM – 2:45 PM.
In Closed Session:
- High School Transitions: Joel Barber will be moving from the Intermediate School to the High School to serve as a Special Education teacher.
- National Honor Society: High School Social Studies teacher Ryann Carter has been named the new NHS Advisor for the 2026-2027 school year.
- Process Coordinator: Brooke Shaver will join us as our new Process Coordinator. Brooke brings 18 years of experience, most recently serving in Pierce City.
- Special Education: We are also excited to welcome Cameryn Rutledge (an MVHS alumna!) back home to join our Special Education team at the Elementary or Intermediate School for the 2026-2027 school year.
- New Activities Director: Tom Cox has been selected as the Activities Director for the 2026-2027 school year. With his extensive coaching history and deep roots in our district, Mr. Cox will provide consistency and insight into the district’s history for our High School leadership team.
- Coaching Updates: Paul Parrigon has been approved as the Middle School baseball coach, and we welcome Maddi Martniz (Brown) and Kassidy Johnston (Anderson) as part-time volunteer coaches for our softball programs.
- Mr. Hood’s Retirement: After ten years of dedicated service to Mt. Vernon Schools and 15 years in education, Mr. David Hood has announced his retirement effective at the end of this school year. Beyond his work in the classroom, Dave has been the heart of the MV Athletic Boosters, famously managing the concession stands and grilling countless hamburgers for our fans. We thank him for his decade of service!
- Lori Riott has resigned her position as Elementary Custodian.
The next regular Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 19, 2026 at the Mt. Vernon R-V Board Room at 7:00 PM.