Plymouth School Board completes second round of interviews, enters executive session

The Plymouth Community School Board completed its second round of candidate interviews Wednesday evening, moving one step closer to filling the at-large vacancy created when Allie Shook resigned last month to become Director of the North Central CTE Program.

Four additional candidates answered the same seven standardized questions used during Monday's interviews, bringing the total pool to eight applicants under consideration.

The first candidate interviewed Wednesday was John Scott, who has deep roots in the Plymouth school system. Scott worked for Plymouth Community School Corporation from 1979 to 2020, teaching at Lincoln Junior High, Jefferson, Washington, and Menominee Elementary Schools. He served as athletic director at Lincoln Junior High for one year and as assistant athletic director at Plymouth High School for nearly nine years. Scott also announces football and basketball games and holds an IHSAA officiating license.

Mike Petrucelli, a 25-year Plymouth resident, was the second candidate. A former reporter and editor for the South Bend Tribune who covered school board meetings for years, Petrucelli said he chose Plymouth specifically because of its schools and believes he has both the passion and the time to serve.

Liz Richie, the third candidate, described herself as having a heart for children. She has served as Youth Services Supervisor at the Plymouth Public Library for nearly seven years and previously owned a before- and after-school program that worked closely with the Plymouth School District. Richie said serving on the board would be an opportunity to give back to the community.

The final candidate was Dan Tyree, who brought an extensive background in Plymouth education. Tyree began his teaching career in North Manchester in 1976 before coming to Plymouth in 1979, teaching until 2000. He then served as Assistant Principal for 4.5 years, Assistant Superintendent for nearly five years, and Superintendent for 9.5 years. During his career, he founded the school's Speech Team, served as drama and musical director, and launched the Broadcasting Department. Tyree said he had planned to run for the board in two years but moved up his timeline following Shook's resignation.

Following Wednesday's interviews, the board convened in executive session to discuss all eight candidates — including Monday's interviewees Jamie Borden, Tabitha Johnson, Betsy Barron, and Deb Friar.

The Plymouth Community School Board will hold a special public meeting on Thursday, July 2, at 6 p.m., at which it is expected to formally appoint Shook's replacement and administer the Oath of Office. The board will also select a member to serve as Vice President, the position Shook held at the time of her resignation. The meeting will be open to the public and streamed live through the agenda on the school corporation's website.

https://go.boarddocs.com/in/pcscin/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=DUXKXH540162