Two more Richmond elementary schools will have new building principals after internal transfers.
At the board’s June 11 meeting, the board approved three assignment changes. Steven Jones is moving from Charles Elementary principal to district director of operations July 1. Ashley Garard will replace Jones at Charles July 24. And Traci Lovett is the new Westview Elementary principal.
Jones has 29 years of education experience and has worked at RCS since 2019. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Illinois College, a master’s from Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, and an education specialist degree from Arkansas State.
Garard has been Test Intermediate School’s assistant principal since 2022. She has 17 years of experience plus bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Ball State.
Lovett is currently Vaile Elementary’s instructional coach. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University East and a master’s degree from Ball State. She earned her Indiana Early Literacy Endorsement in March and has 27 years of experience.
They join Stephanie Hoober, who returns to lead Starr Elementary after serving as an assistant principal and counselor at Richmond High School. RCS’ board approved Hoober’s reassignment in May. She has two master’s degrees in administration and counseling from Ball State.
On a recommendation from RCS’ Director of Human Resources Stacy Mopps, the board approved a two-year renewal of 31 administrators’ contracts from 2025-2027. They include principals, assistant principals, Central Office leaders and other positions including director of career education and attendance liaison.
Five members voted in favor, Michael Elorreaga abstained because he’s married to a principal and John Weber was absent.
Mopps said RCS must foster a supportive environment with shared leadership and common values and beliefs to improve their overall student learning setting. To do that, the administrative team must be stabilized, which would help stabilize all staff, he said.
Administrators with long-term contracts can work toward long-term goals, establish relationships with staff, students, and families, and develop programs that can be sustained over time, Mopps said. He believes stability can lead to a more consistent and predictable school environment and also help with employee recruitment/retention.
Calendar
The board approved the district’s 2026-2027 calendar. Aug. 4 will be the first day for freshmen. All students start Aug. 5.
Students won’t have school on Oct. 8 during parent-teacher conferences.
Breaks will be Oct. 19-Oct. 23, Nov. 25-27, Dec. 21-Jan. 1 and March 29-April 2.
Students won’t return for the new year until Jan. 5 because Jan. 4 is a teacher work/professional development day.
No school is planned for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents Day, but they could be makeup days if needed. May 21 is students’ last day. Graduation will be June 6.
In other business
- RCS is applying to Richmond Redevelopment Commission for $55,000 annually to expand career education courses with higher education entities, specifically Ivy Tech. They will begin 2025-26 with programs in welding and certified clinical medical assistantship and want to add future programs in computer programming/cybersecurity and others based on regional needs and student interests.
- The board approved $39,550 in donations toward scholarships, extracurricular activities, applied skills classes and Civic Hall Performing Arts Center. The largest gifts were a total of $9,800 from Dean Hill and a Boeing match for the Tom Hill Wrestling Through Leadership Scholarship and $7,000 from We R Richmond (Shelley Raper) for the We R Richmond Scholarship.
- The board approved policies on coach training/references/IHSAA reporting and board meetings after a second reading.
- The board’s next business meeting will be 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 9. A special policy meeting was to take place June 17.
A version of this article appeared in the June 18 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.