MENTONE — Scott Backus is stepping down as Tippecanoe Valley Middle School principal to return to teaching.
Backus will teach U.S. history and "potentially" psychology at Tippecanoe Valley High School, he told the Tippecanoe Valley School Board at their meeting Monday. He's moving away from administration after 12 years.
"You guaranteed Mr. (former Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. Superintendent Brett) Boggs five years (in administration), and we got 12 years out of you," said TVSC Superintendent Blaine Conley. "Thank you for your service."
In a press release sent out by TVSC Monday, Backus noted he had "a desire to return to teaching" and wanted to spend more time with his family.
"I have always had a desire to return to teaching and potentially return to some athletic coaching duties," said Backus in the release. "I never stepped into this role with the intent to be a principal for the rest of my career. June Yazel's retirement allows me to return to teaching U.S. history and psychology, my primary areas. There is no guarantee an opening in social studies at Tippecanoe Valley will be available in the future. I don't want to leave Tippecanoe Valley, so I took this opportunity."
"The responsibilities of administration are time-consuming. I understood this when I took the position," he also said in the release. "However, that time has pulled me away from (my wife) Kim and the kids frequently. My kids will both be seniors next year. Hayley is at Purdue and will be a student teacher at Manchester High School in the spring, living at home. Aaron will be a senior at Valley. The timing is right to be able to have more time with them before they are off on their own."
The release also noted Valley is starting to look for Backus' replacement as principal.
In other business, the board:
• Was introduced to new Akron Elementary School first-grade teacher Tiffany Cooksey by Akron Principal Scott Sterk. She's a TVHS graduate.
• Heard an update from TVSC Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Inga Omondi and secondary English language learners teacher Elizabeth Brenton on the corporation's program for teaching English to nonnative speakers.
In the update, Omondi mentioned there were 21 "newcomers" or students who'd just started at Valley in the past year and had immigrated to the country. Overall in the program, there were 129 students last year, with five testing out of it and the rest at other levels.
Omondi and Brenton also demonstrated a translating device used for junior and high school students at Valley who are just learning English.
• Heard that the corporation had received a grant to pay for TVHS teacher Jon Hutton's training for a biomedical class. Students had previously had to travel to Warsaw for the class. Hutton will begin teaching the class at TVHS in the 2024-25 school year.
The board's next regular meeting is 6 p.m. July 15 at Mentone Elementary School.