Beloved School Principal Says Goodbye

At Monday night’s school board meeting for Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools, staffing changes led off the agenda. Some familiar faces will be leaving Jasper area schools, including one long-serving principal. 

After accepting a series of resignations, the board approved a number of hiring recommendations, including Boys’ and Girls’ Track Coaches for JMS, Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country Coaches for JHS, and multiple office staff positions. Of note was the departure of Kent Taylor, the beloved principal of Jasper Elementary School, who will retire at the end of the school year. Ryan Erny has been announced as his successor, taking over in Fall of 2025. 

Taylor participated in the evening’s Wildcat Spotlight, where the board was shown a presentation illuminating educational advancements at Jasper and Ireland Elementary Schools. Specific attention was given to progress made in diversity and non-English-speaking student resources. After the presentation, Principal Taylor thanked school boards past and present as well as his family, saying that a positive attitude has been key to his success. “I believe you make your own weather, and that’s something that I’ve always believed in. My goal…yeah it’s great to get this award or that award, but I wanted to build memories with kids. I wanted to build memories with people that would last.” 

Intent upon building one final, unforgettable memory for everyone present, the veteran administrator corralled the entire school board, costumed them in his signature brightly colored umbrella hats, and conducted a sing-along before exiting to a round of applause. It was a whimsical display perfectly in character for the educator whose love of poetry, songs, and laughter equaled his devotion to his students over the years. 

The board then returned to business, looking at building and maintenance needs. They approved the plans and specifications for Jasper Elementary School’s parking lot extension and pre-K classroom addition. They also approved a proposal from Gibraltar Design for upcoming improvement projects at JES, JMS, and JHS. A proposal from Nevco was accepted for scoreboard purchases for Jasper Middle School. 

In other business, the board okayed the purchase of secondary teacher computers for $116,060 and accepted the most cost-effective bid to upgrade the pool starting blocks at $61,856. A retroactive payment was approved in “no miss” incentive pay for district bus drivers. Interim superintendent Mary Roberson led a review of changes to IREAD-3 and the implications that it will have on summer school and retention practices. Resolutions regarding the district’s 2025 bond were adopted authorizing the formation of a building corporation and preliminary plans, and advertising a public hearing on the project’s lease. 

For more information on these and other updates, visit gjcs.k12.in.us.


- By Drew Hasselbring