School board hires sports consulting service for Cub athletes

The use of sport and performance psychology consulting services by Madison Consolidated High School athletes and coaches was approved by the Madison school board at its meeting Wednesday.

The contract would not exceed $6,000 per academic year and would be paid by the high school athletic department with services provided by Dr. Lucy laCour Higgins, a psychologist with Higgins Performance Consulting who was co-valedictorian at MCHS in 2006 and an accomplished gymnast at Madison Gymnastics World.

The services will include but not be limited to individual group and psychological coaching related to sports performance and consultation with coaches to enhance team dynamics and athlete mental preparation, along with other related mutually agreed upon services. The athletic department will compensate Higgins for up to three hours a week for 36 weeks during the academic year with total compensation not exceed $6,000 per academic year.

Board member Dustin Bentz, a 1998 MCHS graduate, was an athlete for the Cubs, participating in both football and wrestling, and said that “being an athlete that is really neat” to have the consulting services available to help current Madison athletes. “To have that for the coaches and athletes as another for them to utilize will be really big for our athletes and our coaches.”

In other business, the board:

• Approved a memorandum of understanding with the Boys and Girls Club of Jefferson County to provide extended summer learning opportunities for students. The club received a grant that will provide students with five weeks of introduction and summer care for free. “This is a tremendous opportunity to provide our students with a five-week education over the summer,” said Bentz, adding that at the end of programs students will able to retake state testing if they need to do so.

• Approved hiring Mark True as School Resource Officer effective April 30. True has 25 years experience with the Indiana State Police. SRO Cody Tetrow said, “I’m very excited to have him with our team. I can’t wait for him to start.”

• Accepted the resignation of Kenton Mahoney as Rykers’ Ridge Elementary School Principal effective March 21 and the resignation of Jennifer Amburgey as kindergarten teacher at Deputy Elementary School effective March 25. Jackie Thurston was official approved as Rykers’ Ridge interim principal effective March 5, moving her from Madison Junior High School (MJHS) assistant principal. Also, moved Brandon Frye from Dean of Students at MCHS to MJHS interim assistant principal.

• Heard a report on Madison Consolidated High School, led by Principal Ronnie Lawhead that emphasized the need to “support the whole student, and prioritizing the quality of life beyond the diploma.” Also participating in the presentation were Frye, Assistant Principals Dan Grill and Angelia Upchurch, and teachers Kenny O’Brien and Cortney Arrowood.

• Heard a report on Anderson Elementary School, led by Principal Shelley Marshall, who is in her first year in that position, along with 22 new staff members at the school this year. Because such a high number of staff has joined the school this year, she emphasized areas of focus that included safety and well-being, and academic achievement and growth. “These areas of focus helped shape our school goals,” she said. Also participating in the presentation were Assistant Principal Adam Jones, Behaviorial Coach Lydia Reardon and Literacy Coach Jessie Zurat.

• Approved the purchase of 450 Chromebooks and 475 iPads along with cases and warranties for next school year to replace aging devices that are on the four-year refresh schedule. The total cost of the Chromebooks is $239,796 and total iPad cost is $315,540.

• Adopted a policy that allows the school corporation to cooperate with parents who wish to provide for religious instruction for their children, but also recognizes the responsibility to enforce the state’s attendance requirements.