McPherson named new GCSC assistant superintendent

Less than a year into her time with Greencastle Community Schools, Becky McPherson finds her career on the rise.

On Monday, the Greencastle Middle School principal was named the new assistant superintendent in the corporation, effective July 1.

At the recommendation of Supt. Jeff Gibboney, the board — which currently has just four members — gave McPherson’s transfer to the Central Office position unanimous approval, along with 17 other personnel items. (See other business.)

“I’m really excited about this position,” McPherson told the Banner Graphic. “There are a lot of great things happening in our district, and we do have some challenges. I’m excited to face those and help our students to grow and benefit our community all around.”

Noting a “strong applicant pool,” Gibboney said McPherson rose to the top through the two rounds of interviews.

“Through the interview itself, she shined. The positive qualities stood out,” Gibboney said. “Being an instructional leader is probably one of the most important qualities and attributes we’re looking for in our next assistant superintendent, just to take us to new heights. With the new Indiana GPS dashboard and comparing ourselves to our neighboring school districts, we know that we want to continue to improve. We strive to do better and achieve more. Our students and staff do that every day in the classroom. Her knowledge and expertise will be extremely valuable to our staff.”

Gibboney went on to note McPherson’s people skills along with her knowledge.

“It’s one thing to have all the knowledge, but it’s another thing to implement it,” he said. “Change can be scary, change can be very difficult, it can be uncomfortable. So when you have someone who has the skills to lead people and work with people and collaborate with people through those processes, that’s extremely valuable, as much as the change itself.

“I feel confident in saying that I think Becky is that person, and that really stood out.”

McPherson was hired as the GMS principal in June 2022 after four years as principal of Monrovia Middle School. She has worked in education for 19 years, 11 in the classroom and eight as an administrator.

Gibboney noted the qualities she has already shown in less than a year at GMS.

“She’s really made a lot of positive changes at the middle school — just trying to get kids to have fun in middle school again,” Gibboney said. “Now, when I say fun, it’s not just fun and games, but trying to get them excited about learning. They’re middle school kids, so you have to pick and choose some moments just to be goofy or just surprise them.

“They had the ‘Rock Your School Day,’ when they surprised the kids with fun learning activities,” he elaborated. “There was a lot of learning that took place that day but it wasn’t traditional learning. I think that’s important, just building the culture at the middle school, and with our staff too. She’s a very forward-thinking, very positive person with a growth mindset.”

Having worked with kids right in the middle of their school experience, McPherson said she wants to focus on aligning the school experience for the 13 years kids are in GCSC.

“Looking at it all the way K-12, I think something we need to focus on is that vertical alignment,” McPherson said, “and making sure that as our students transition to the next building that they’re able and ready to do so successfully, so working with our teachers on that and our principals.”

McPherson’s promotion wasn’t the only time during Monday’s monthly meeting this was an area of focus. Gibboney also made a similar point in recommending the adoption of a new math curriculum for grades six through nine.

The superintendent noted that for the last several years, teachers in these grades have been using an open source curriculum in math, essentially meaning the teachers were left to build their own curriculum. This has been even more of a challenge with some turnover of math teachers in these grades.

“It’s difficult enough to step in and be a teacher from day one, but it’s even more difficult when you’re building your own curriculum,” Gibboney said.

The hope is to improve math scores in the district, which Gibboney noted have been below average.

“We’ve noted that our math scores are below average,” Gibboney said. “We haven’t had consistent growth in that area. We’ve had some turnover amongst staff."

A team of teachers and administrators worked with Bill Reed, former math specialist with the Indiana Department of Education, and recommended going with McGraw-Hill Indiana for the new curriculum.”

The board gave the recommendation unanimous approval.

Notably not on the agenda Monday was a recommendation for a new reading curriculum at the elementary level. Back in December, former Assistant Supt. Jenny French had noted that March would also be the month for a new adoption of such a curriculum.

However, Gibboney said that between turnover in the assistant superintendent position and discovering that neither finalist for the reading curriculum may necessarily fit the school’s needs, administrators chose to slow the adoption process.

At this time of year, there is also the unknown of what new education laws the Indiana General Assembly may pass.

In other business:

* Gibboney gave an update on construction at the middle school and high school.

He said Greencastle Middle School would be noticeably different upon the return from spring break on April 3, with updates around the front entrance, office and media center.

“It’s been a hotbed of activity over there the last few weeks,” Gibboney said. “They delivered a lot of the furniture today.”

With those areas turned back over to staff and students, the work will shift to the middle school science labs.

At the high school, Gibboney said observers should start seeing “steel flying through the air” as the structure of the connector between GHS and McAnally takes shape.

• The board approved summer school, which will include traditional June summer school for the high school, a summer school fab lab at the middle school, as well as the “jump start” model in late July for both the middle school and elementaries.

• The board also approved the Back on Track alternative education program at the middle school, which will be a similar model to what is already in place at GHS.

The program will be for students who need a different approach to education with the goal build a foundation and get them back in the traditional learning environment.

“The goal is not to keep them in this program,” Gibboney said. "The goal is to get them back into the regular program before they go to high school. We think we have some students who would greatly benefit from this program.”

• Board member Brian Cox asked about the process for replacing McPherson at the middle school, with Gibboney noting that the job would be posted on Tuesday as well as shared with staff members.

Applications will be accepted through the end of April, with interviews conducted thereafter.

• Another open position is on the school board itself, with Russell Harvey recently resigning his position to take a seat on Greencastle City Council.

Board President Mike White took a moment to note that applications and letters of interest may be sent to his attention at Greencastle Community Schools, 1002 Mill Pond Lane, Greencastle, IN 46135.

Applications are due by Friday, March 31, with interviews to follow on April 5.

Anyone interested in serving on the five-member panel must be at least 21 years old and live within the Greencastle city limits.

The term in question expires on June 30, 2026.

• March students of the month were honored: GHS – Andrew Adams, GMS – Fischer Barcus, Tzouanakis – Samantha Morgan, Deer Meadow – Eli Combs, Ridpath – Natalyn Yeagley.

Other recent students of the month have included:

February: GHS – Jessica Garrison; GMS – Ava Stitzle, Tzouanakis – Gabby Wilson, Deer Meadow – Kip Puckett, Ridpath – Edgar Fleshman.

January: GHS – Dawson Lyons, GMS – Cammon Wisely, Tzouanakis – Kaleb Toby, Deer Meadow – Liza Tischer, Ridpath – Dia Tomlinson.

• The board also approved the following personnel items:

New hires: Bailee Barker as Deer Meadow/Ridpath art teacher, Shawn Crockett as GMS eighth-grade math teacher, Holli Hill as long-term substitute at Deer Meadow, William Allen Crady as TCC afterschool program at Tzouanakis, Shelley Gardner as school food authority, Kathryn Dory as substitute teacher.

Resignations: Carla Plessinger as personnel and benefits coordinator at Central Office effective May 26, Joseph Haggard ad Ridpath instructional assistant effective May 23, Daniel Clodfelter as GHS head custodian effective March 10.

Termination: Gabriella Mundy as GMS in-school suspension instructional assistant effective March 15.

Leave of absence: Margo Hertenstein as Deer Meadow first-grade teacher.

Transfer: Alisa Isaacs-Bailey from GMS related arts teacher to GMS Back on Track alternative education teacher, effective Aug. 2.

Extracurricular activities: Rob Worman hired as GMS co-ed golf coach, Kaleb Camacho approved as GHS athletic event spring coordinator, Josh Flory approved as GMS volunteer head baseball coach, Jesse Stokes approved as GMS volunteer head softball coach, Todd Zeller approved as GMS volunteer assistant golf coach.