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Shelbyville Central Schools board approves plaque and scholarship to honor teacher Jerry Rice
Summary
After a presentation by alumnus Kurt Johnson, the board authorized a plaque honoring longtime Spanish teacher Jerry Rice and a Bluebird Foundation scholarship for students pursuing foreign language study; a subcommittee will finalize placement and design.
The Shelbyville Central Schools board voted to authorize a plaque honoring longtime Spanish teacher Jerry Rice and to support an accompanying scholarship after hearing a presentation from alumnus Kurt Johnson.
Kurt Johnson told the board he had worked with Rice when he was a student and proposed three linked actions: dedicate Room 227 (the AP Spanish classroom) with a plaque, collect alumni memories and establish a scholarship through the Bluebird Foundation to support Shelbyville High School graduates who study foreign language in college. "I'm asking the board to pass a resolution to allow the current AP Spanish room ... to be dedicated in his honor," Johnson said.
Board members debated logistics at length, including whether to place a single plaque by a classroom or to create a central educators’ hall of fame that could accommodate multiple honorees. Several trustees urged caution about opening a broad naming program without a clear policy; others said Mr. Rice’s health and the community’s interest argued for moving quickly. One trustee proposed creating an initial plaque now and replacing it later with a standardized design; another suggested forming a subcommittee to determine placement and long-term structure.
The motion to authorize a plaque honoring Jerry Rice and to establish the scholarship was made, seconded, and approved by the board. Administrators and board members said the plaque would be presented to Rice (or his family) and placement and uniform appearance would be handled by a subcommittee and facilities staff. Johnson said fundraising for the scholarship is underway and that the Bluebird Foundation partnership was about one-third funded.
The board asked staff to return details on plaque production and to convene a small group to propose a consistent hall-of-fame or honor-roll approach for future recognitions. The approval allows the administration and Mr. Johnson to move forward with the plaque and scholarship preparations.
The board did not set a final date for a dedication; members discussed aligning any ceremony with homecoming and continuing work on a formal hall-of-fame structure.
