MOUNT VERNON — When Mount Vernon City School board president Ian Watson welcomed elected officials, community and business leaders, county school administrators and staff to the seventh annual School Partnership luncheon held at Mount Vernon Middle School on Monday, he said it is just one way the district has to thank the community for its invaluable support of the Mount Vernon City Schools.
Superintendent Steve Short introduced other board members in attendance, and also told the guests the luncheon was in “appreciation for all the things you do.”
Nancy Lorey of I-Conn Video Productions spoke to the group after lunch. She talked about the historical importance of education in the 200 years the community has existed, and presented Short with copies of the video “Frontier Schools Meet the Future.” The video is the latest one to be produced in honor of Mount Vernon’s bicentennial, which the city celebrated in 2005. Lorey said that although the city’s formal bicentennial committee has since disbanded, a script committee continues to work on producing the remaining videos authorized by the bicentennial committee. The audience viewed a short clip from the DVD, in which city leaders discussed how important the schools are to the business community, and the influence good schools have on recruiting and retaining quality employees and entrepreneurs.
East Elementary School and its 100th birthday were next on the agenda. Teachers Claudia Grove and Hollie Frackman discussed the plans for the year-long centennial celebration, showed video clips of historic East pictures and slides, and recognized those members in the audience who had attended, or whose family members attended, East School or First Ward School.
Short concluded the program by again thanking the community for standing behind the schools.
“This community supports schools. This community supports kids,” he said. “You’re here today because you care.”
Short said he would like to go further and even increase the cooperation between the schools and community.
“We can accomplish more [for the good of the whole community] when we work together,” he said. “To that end, in cooperation with the larger community, I would like to establish a superintendent’s advisory council; I want to hear what the issues are. I want to improve school -community relations and I want to improve the communications between the schools and community. ... Thank you for caring for our children today and for our children tomorrow.”
The meal was prepared and served by food service personnel under the direction of Nancy Blevins. Legacy videos may be purchased at Paragraphs Bookstore or ordered through I-Conn Video Productions.
