FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Three Whitley County Consolidated Schools school board members were formally recognized at the Indiana School Boards Association (ISBA) Spring Regional meeting, held on April 9, 2026. Mary Ann Schaefer has been recognized with a Level 4 Exemplary Governance Award (EGA), and Chad Moore and Tom Rentschler received Level 1 Commendable Awards for calendar year 2025 for demonstrating an outstanding commitment to student success and professional learning.
Across Indiana, only 314 school board members in the State of Indiana to earn an award through the EGA program this year.
The awards are conferred annually by ISBA across four levels of distinction, based on points earned for attending ISBA seminars, workshops, conferences, and other learning events. This year’s group of honorees includes 124 Commendable Awards (Level 1), 71 Advanced Awards (Level 2), 60 Distinguished Awards (Level 3), and 59 Exemplary Awards (Level 4).
“On behalf of ISBA, I would like to commend this dedicated group of school board members,” said ISBA Executive Director Terry Spradlin. “School boards perform a vital public service, and members who actively participate in professional learning are better equipped to govern effectively and meet the needs of students.”
At WCCS, we are proud of the work our board members do to serve our students, staff, and community. Their commitment to ongoing professional development reflects a shared dedication to strong governance, informed decision-making, and continuous improvement. These recognitions highlight not only individual achievement, but also the collective effort to ensure that WCCS remains focused on providing high-quality educational opportunities for all students.
We congratulate Mary Ann Schaefer, Chad Moore, and Tom Rentschler on this well-deserved honor and thank them for their leadership and service to our schools.