Story & Photo Provided by Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation
The Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation recently announced that Vince Edwards has been selected as the principal of Fortville Elementary School, effective July 1, 2021. Edwards has served as elementary principal and K-12 assistant principal at Burris Laboratory School in Muncie since 2014. Edwards’ leadership skills, transparency, technology knowledge and administrative experience made him an ideal candidate to lead Fortville Elementary in its path of continued excellence.
During his tenure at Burris Laboratory School, Edwards oversaw all assessments as the Corporation Test Coordinator as well as Project Lead the Way for K-12. He led an initiative to restructure schedules to allow for greater acceleration options for high-ability middle school students. Edwards has valuable experience with leading classroom technology improvements and providing professional development to ensure effective use.
Edwards was chosen to lead Fortville Elementary School due to his exceptional understanding of educational systems and structures and ability to lead a school to achieve high levels of learning. He has experience in creating a dynamic team-building culture through positive relationships and providing staff with necessary support to achieve learning success. He has an innate intent to connect theory into practice and build staff’s capacity to implement a high level of learning for all students. He excels in his interpersonal relationship skills, which are complemented by his humble demeanor.
Superintendent Dr. Parker led the collaborative and extensive hiring process that included teachers, principals and parents.
“Mr. Edwards’ experience in leading high levels of learning, staff collaboration, and ability to relate to elementary students and staff, made him the best candidate to take an excellent elementary school and continue its path of future success,” Dr. Parker says. “His references proved he holds himself to high standards and has a strong integrity and drive to do what is best for students. A few words that his references used frequently to describe Vince are ‘administrative excellence, effective, honest, valued, trustworthy, innovative and exemplary.’ These are all cornerstones needed for the next principal of Fortville Elementary to be able to take the school to the next level of higher learning.”
“I am both humbled and honored to be selected as your next principal and am thrilled to join the FES and Mt. Vernon family,” Edwards says. “I love working with students, staff and parents to create a community-centered on student learning with an emphasis on the whole child. As a servant leader, I look forward to contributing my experience and expertise to build on the excellence of Fortville Elementary and will work hard each day to make a difference in the lives of others.”
Edwards is expected to achieve his doctorate of education, (Ed.D.) from Ball State University in June, 2021. He received his education specialist (Ed.S.) degree from Ball State University in 2017 and his masters degree in educational leadership from Anderson University in 2011. He originally joined the education field as a mathematics teacher in 2002 after achieving his bachelor’s degree from Bob Jones University in South Carolina.
