GREENFIELD — Mt. Vernon High School’s assistant principal will step up next year to lead the school.
The Mt. Vernon School Board on Monday unanimously voted to hire assistant principal Greg Roach as the school’s new principal. He replaces Bernie Campbell, who announced his retirement earlier this year. Roach’s two-year contract, which stipulates a $100,500 annual salary, begins July 1.
Roach, who was appointed assistant principal in 2009, was one of more than 20 applicants who applied for the position of leading the high school, overseeing 1,500 eighth- to 12th-grade students and about 112 staff members.
Roach first began his career with Mt. Vernon School Corp. in 1997 when he was chosen to be the high school’s athletics director. In 2009, he became an assistant principal.
For several years, he juggled his assistant principal duties with girls athletics director duties until a full-time director was hired for this school year.
Superintendent Shane Robbins said a committee of parents, school corporation staff and school board members made up a search committee to find a new principal. Of the more than 20 candidates that applied for the position, Roach stood out, Robbins said.
He’s worked alongside Campbell for years and is already familiar with the school, Robbins said.
“Greg is definitely ready to assume the role of principal,” he said.
Roach graduated from Ball State University with a degree in science and math education in 1990 and received a master’s degree in educational leadership in 2002 from Indiana University.
From 1991 to 1997, Roach worked at Whitko middle and high schools first as a math teacher and then as athletics director before assuming the role at Mt. Vernon.
He’s been a Marauder ever since.
Roach said he’s excited to lead the high school as it continues to grow and improve. His main goal is to ensure students are challenged and prepared for success after they leave high school by offering them the opportunity to succeed in the classroom, on academic teams, in fine arts and in athletics.
“I’ve been a Marauder for 19 years,” Roach said. “I’m really excited about the opportunity to take what I think is a great school and continue to improve.”
He plans to evaluate all aspects of the school to assist where growth exists to strive to implement new academic and extracurricular programs for students.
Kellie Freeman, a school board member who has two Mt. Vernon students and served on the search committee, said the committee narrowed its search to four candidates and then again to two, and Roach was the best.
It was important to her that the committee find a new principal who would continue building on the school’s success — Roach fit the bill.
“The committee as a whole really looked at all four top candidates equally, and we feel like we picked the best candidate,” she said.
