001Yeah, here we are. >> It's 5:00. I call this meeting of the Mount Vernon Independent School District to order. Let the record show that a quorum of board members is present, that this meeting has been duly called, and that the notice of this meeting has been posted in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code Chapter 551. Do you have a motion to certify the agenda? Motion made by Kathy. Do I have a second? Seconded by Linda. All four? That is 5-0. All right, and we will move on to our prayer. Dear gracious heavenly Father, thank you for the rain today, and just thank you for beautiful sunshine as well, and thank you for allowing all of us to gather here and fellowship. Father, we just ask your hand be over this meeting
002in every way, and be with our students and our staff as we just finish out these last couple days strong. May your hand be over our district in every way. In your name, I pray. Amen. Start pledges. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible. We have on our agenda to go into closed session. I don't think we need a reason to do that tonight unless anyone objects. Everyone okay with that? So, we will just move on to the next item on our agenda, which is our special recognition. I think we have some one-act play
003state champions in the room with us tonight. >> [applause] >> Look I'll ask if Miss Miss Carly will come forward and share with us all the good things about our one-act play team. That's right. As well as some other good news. >> Yeah, we have lots of good news today. Hi, my name is Carly Heinz. I'm one of the directors here at Mount Vernon. And that's not [snorts] the right good thing, sorry. So we have we have a lot of really good things to recognize. We are this year in 2026 we brought home Mount Vernon's fifth state championship. >> [applause] >> Now and so this is kind of cool for me. It's my second one here at Mount Vernon. But it is Max, our very good coach Max. This is his fifth state championship. The
004first three which were here at Mount Vernon. And I would not be here today and we would not have the legacy we have today if it weren't for this man right here. So please uh >> [applause] [applause] >> I know we all love him and we all appreciate him and I'm glad that to share this with him and all the kids. So we have about 29 kids. So this year being our fifth state championship it's also our school's 15th state appearance. This ranks us in the top I believe Matt can correct me less than 1% of schools in the entire state of Texas 1 through 6A with most state appearances and most state championships in one-act play. >> [applause] >> With that as well this year we have done so we've done a couple of
005new things the past few years. Armando Silvas who is our awesome film teacher and director he has entered school our film students in UIL film. >> [cough] >> Last year was our first year to enter and they made it to state in narrative. I believe they got fourth at state last year. This year, he entered more films, and we had two make it to state in documentary, one placing fourth and one placing third. So, that's really awesome thing for our theater and film as well. Mr. Solis is doing that. Um also this year, for the first time ever at Mount Vernon, we um entered some students in UIL theatrical design. And so, what UIL theatrical design is is a contest through UIL. They are given a play, and so this year it was The King's
006Stag. And so, they're given a play, they have to read the play, research the play, and then from there they're given certain criteria that they have to design for. And so, we entered two this year, Deborah Macias, who made it to the semifinal round, and Bailey Wynn, who is right here. Go and stand Bailey. >> [applause] >> So, Bailey not only advanced to state for the first time in Mount Vernon history, but she placed second at state in combined 1 through 3A for hair and makeup design. >> [applause] [applause] >> So, something really cool that most people don't know about with all of that, with all the the cool things happening in fine arts and theater, is today I found out that because of the points from film, theatrical design, and one-act play, so one-act
007play specifically, they take the points I If I'm correct, if I'm wrong, Mac, from district, [clears throat] region, and state. So, district we were champions, and we had that two best performers and an all-star cast. At region, we were the champions. We had an honorable mention, which was Bailey I'm sorry, go and stand up Vernon and Harley, stand up. They were best performers at district. >> [applause] >> Um at So, I guess they can go up by district if you were got an award. If by district, stand up. All the All the All the All the All the All actually Everybody can stand up because everybody this year was recognized at some point throughout the year for winning an award, honorable mention, or all-star cast. At area, we had all-star cast was for Harley and
008honorable mention was Vernon. And then at region, we had best performer which was Vernon Pennington, all-star cast which was Sadie Burns, Harley Shipley, and honorable mention all-star cast which was Bailey Wynn. And then at we had honorable honorable mention all-star cast which was Sadie, all-star cast which was Vernon, and best performer which is Harley Shipley. And also for the second time since we've been named state champions since I've been here and probably I don't know Mac has way more than I can count. We were also given what used to be called the Samuel French Award which is now called the Outstanding Performer Award and that was given to Harley Shipley which means he's the best performer in all of 3A. >> [applause] >> I think it's a really all the kids here. I know when
009Mac was here he brought many Samuel French's there and Harley's kind of stepping in those footsteps of Mac and the former students that were here and Ian Davidson who also was a Samuel French winner in 2023. So it's really really cool I think to see all that continue to happen. So because of all that sorry the fun news that nobody knows except a couple of us. Today I found out we were named the 3A theater team state champion in the state of Texas. >> [applause] [applause] >> All of that I I got to say all that would not be possible without the support of the parents that are here. Um the Coach Mack, Miss Bales, Mr. Wilkins, um all of the admin, the board. Thank you all for your support. Thank you um Dr. Cola
010for all you've done the past few years and the support. I really appreciate it. Um thank you Coach Mack. I know I already said it. Mr. Glover, driving that trailer cuz >> [laughter] >> after this trip I'm not driving anymore. Yeah. So, that'll be Mack's job. Um now again um from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Real quick, we can uh let's line y'all up. We'll start with freshmen. So, if y'all will y'all can bring them out here and do it real quick. >> [clears throat] >> Um so, freshmen, this year freshmen, we have Mr. Drew Day. So, go ahead and stand up and come just kind of stand up here, baby. Drew Day, we have who uh we have Miss McKenna Gardner. We have Miss Layken Fuller. Mr. Connor Johnson. Cadence Norman. And
011Colby Bayes. These awesome people are freshmen this year and they are representing us and will continue the legacy that others have started before them. Um for sophomores, we have Jaylee Weaver. Miss Mia Wooten. Mr. Robert Armenta. Grace Henderson. And Nevaeh Hustler. Juniors. Big class. Sadie Burns. >> [cough] >> You can clap, [clears throat] Mom. >> [applause] [laughter] >> Uh Harley Shipley. Kaden Vaughn. Kimber Cunningham. Kate Jordan. Lilly Ellis. Kennedy Barron. Katy Martinez. Bailey Wynn. Skylar Rogers. And so, and then this year also is a very unique year for me. I don't know if I'm sure you guys have met before. I've been teaching this is my 15th year teaching. I know it seems like forever but for some of you all you're like you've only just begun. Well, we'll see. But anyway, so this is
012a fun time for me because we have eight seniors this year which I love that but this is the first time for me at least that they have all been boys. >> [laughter] >> So this year and the past six years I've got to spend with these eight wonderful young men who taught me a lot and they helped us laugh a lot and kept us on our toes and yeah, all the things. So we have first up we have Mr. Vernon Pennington. Scott Sedlacek >> [laughter] >> Harris and Harper James Carr Andreas Chicken Diaz Payton [snorts] Decker >> [laughter] [laughter] >> And real quick, if you were on the 2023 state champion team take a step forward. So these >> [clears throat] >> these three boys right here and Matt both know something kind of
013cool. They are three of four people in the history of Mount Vernon that have been to state four years in a row with two state champions. >> [applause] [applause] >> program and everybody here I want to say is that we say it's a legacy. We call it that's kind of our our one and only motto is it's our legacy and And kind of started not just because of the success, but because we really are a family. And so I know in here, just in this group of 29 right here, I know that they had parents or grandparents or brothers or sisters or whatever um cousins who were also >> [cough] >> who Mac taught or some of you have taught in this room. And I just think it's really cool the legacy that everybody gives
014the words of theater um and not just theater, but just the arts and honestly the competition that is One Act Play is really neat. So thank y'all for that. Um Mac, do you want to say anything? >> Well, Mac, however I was I was saying up here Mac like having a moment too and I that the band and the lights and everything was all over the place. >> [applause] [applause] >> saved us this year. Your ad region with um lighting um that he kind of really fell about. Blake saved [clears throat] us. And then if you know Miss Bell, she is mom of the group and she makes sure everybody is taken care of and she makes sure that I am taken care of and that we all eat and that um nobody makes me
015cry. So she suggested that um she is she's been my partner for 9 years and I'm just super thankful for her as well. So thank y'all. >> Thank you everyone. >> And where would you Where would you like >> [applause] >> to invite us to next year? >> Come by dinner. >> [laughter] >> Um yeah, June 2nd. So we have two opportunities because Mount Vernon is amazing. The bullpen will open on June 2nd for dinner at 5:00 5:30 5:30. It is going to be a limited menu, so um I'll send that out. Uh all So we the kids here will be serving um proceeds and percentages and tips go towards these kids to help them go towards that state ring. And also the Masonic Lodge um on June 6th it's from 7:00 to 9:00 has
016um graciously offered to um donate this next pancake breakfast to Mount Vernon One Act Play. And so all proceeds from the pancake breakfast on June 6th will also go towards the One Act Play kids and rings and things like that. So once again, Mount Vernon is just a really special place and the people here are so special and right. So thank you. I just thank you. It's really awesome. The second and the same is come spend some money. >> [applause and cheering] >> Let me know >> [cheering] >> Jessica, will you be able to take a picture? We all kind of squeeze in. Or would you stay seated? Is that okay? Would you stay seated? Kind of squeeze in? Yeah. That's awesome. Congratulations. Right. I just smile. Yeah, how are we going to How is
017this going to work? Why are we doing this? I was just going to go What did she say? I guess. Hey, she's always right. >> [laughter] >> Oh, let me squeeze in the middle. >> [laughter] >> Oh, my god. Oh, my god. All right. That's as wide as I can. Thank you. Thank you. >> [applause and cheering] >> Vernon, congratulations. Thank you. Thank you all so much thank you all for coming turn the lights out and cry now. >> I forgot she said they do that this is happening wrapping it all up and get out of here. >> [laughter] >> I meant to send you a picture yesterday. >> Yes ma'am. >> Okay. Oh she does she's amazing. She's amazing. So do our kids they well we all love her but they really do. >>
018Hey Dana go get checked out by your mom okay. >> [laughter] >> Dry state. All the jingling all the jingling. Thank you all. >> Love that button. >> Thank you all. >> That was awesome. >> That's such an honor. >> All right well we will move on now to our at well do we have anyone we have no one signed up to speak so we'll move on to our action items. Uh the first one is to consider possible approval to amend the voluntary retirement agreement with Dr. Jason McCullough. So what that is is taking the agreement that we approved on prior and moving the emeritus date back to May 31st instead of June 30 30th of 2026. Are there any questions on that? Okay I'm going to make the motion that we approve the amended
019voluntary retirement agreement for Dr. Jason McCullough. Do I have a second? Seconded by Donnie all for? That would be 6-0. The next on our agenda is to approve contract of Richard Craig Watson to officially assume position of superintendent for Mount Vernon ISD. Are there any questions on that item? Okay, I will make the motion to approve Richard Craig Watson to officially assume position of superintendent for Mount Vernon ISD. Do I have a second? Seconded by Donnie, all four? That is 6-0. >> [applause] [applause] >> And we will have a reception following our meeting for anyone who would like to join. It is set up in the cafeteria and it has been beautifully done by Esmeralda and helped with Christie. So, please tell her tell them thank you cuz it looks really great, but we hope
020to see everyone there. And it is 5:18 p.m. and this meeting's adjourned. >> Perfect.