Greencastle School Board begins search for Fennell's replacement

Friday, January 13, 2012

The Greencastle Community School Board was one member short at its January meeting, with the other four board members accepting the resignation of Monica Fennell.

Fennell has been chosen for a Rotary Peace Fellowship, which means she will spend three months in Bangkok, Thailand, later this year.

She called leaving the board a "very difficult decision," but said she will not be able to devote the time she would like to her position on the board.

"It's really exciting but it's going to be time consuming," Fennell said.

She said besides being in Thailand in June, July, August and perhaps part of September, she will be spending time getting ready for the fellowship in the coming months. This will keep her in Indianapolis, where she works, during the evening hours as well.

Fennell has served on the school board since July 2010, following her selection by the Greencastle City Council. Her term was set to run through June 30, 2014.

Greencastle School Board members are not chosen by public election. Instead, other elected officials from the Greencastle Community School District appoint the five members.

Two seats -- Fennell's and Bruce Stinebrickner's -- are chosen by the city council. The Greencastle Township Trustee appoints the two positions currently held by Kelly Lewis and Mike White.

The remaining school board seat, held currently by Mike Dean, is chosen by the Madison Township Trustee.

In the case of a mid-term resignation like Fennell's, the school board appoints the person to serve the remainder of the four-year appointment.

The board is asking that any interested parties apply by Wednesday, Jan. 25. Applicants should submit a letter of interest and resume. If they wish, applicants may submit other supporting materials.

Envelopes containing application materials should be addressed to the Greencastle Community School Corporation Board of School Trustees, c/o Board President Bruce Stinebrickner, 711 S. Central Ave., Greencastle, IN 46135.

"We want as big and deep and rich a pool as we can get," Stinebrickner said at Wednesday's meeting.

Qualified individuals must be age 21 or older, a registered voter, a resident of the city of Greencastle for at least three years and not be an employee of the school corporation.

The school board went through a similar process early in 2011, choosing Todd Sutherlin to replace long-serving board member Jack Berry as one of the Greencastle Township designees.

When the term was complete in June 2011, the Greencastle Township Trustee chose White as the new member.

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  • Didn't she resign another time when she had been selected to the School Board? What was it Gomer Pyle used to say? "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me."

    -- Posted by gustave&zelma on Fri, Jan 13, 2012, at 3:58 PM
  • So put Todd Sutherlin back on the board! When he was filling in, it sounded like he had more common sense then anyone.

    -- Posted by computer on Sat, Jan 14, 2012, at 9:13 AM
  • You are sooo right rosco&ginger!!!!

    -- Posted by Blue6 on Sat, Jan 14, 2012, at 9:27 AM
  • Computer

    read the article Fennell was appointed by th city and Suthrrlin *** appointed by the township so he wouldn't be eligible for this seat.

    It's long past time that Greencastle go to an elected school board. Hope she realizes that she has basically burned her bridges twice now and doesn't expect to get appointed again. Also hope that if she does apply in the future the city just laughs while it puts her application in the trash. There are pleanty of more qualified people who will actually searve out their terms and not jump at the chance to leave.

    -- Posted by hometownboy on Sun, Jan 15, 2012, at 8:41 AM
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