Today, I get to sit down with Keri Buscher, a Special Education Teacher who’s been with the District for 6-years. Keri has coaching in her blood and a real heart for kids, and what she brings to them through her work is nothing short of life-changing. The teachers here in Vandalia, far more often than not, are either from the community or have a deep connection to it. And even those who commute in from one of several nearby burgs, or worked previously in another District, I’ve found, are fiercely aligned with the best interests of the kids they serve here in Vandalia. Keri, though she is exceptional, is no exception to that observation. I love that coaching is such an elemental piece of who she is, as an educator, because I think it has somehow fostered neural pathways in her that enable uniquely effective access to kids, and an uncanny ability to bring about their best outcomes. Vandalia is fortunate to have educators like Keri, and the students she serves are lucky to have her on their team.

As the 50th edition of the Vandalia Holiday Tournament is cued-up, I have the opportunity to speak with several of the keepers of one of Vandalia’s great traditions—the FNB Community Bank Vandalia Holiday Tournament, arguably one of Illinois’ finest Basketball traditions in a state that is dripping with small-town basketball traditions. I sit down with Vandalia’s Coach Brian Buscher, Brian Kern, Carl Clymer, and Hannah Edgar, four people who have basketball in their blood, and who know this tournament well. I’m curious to find out what makes this particular tradition so special to the community. Because when friends, former classmates, old teammates, and neighbors from a thousand square miles come together in a storied gymnasium in Vandalia, Illinois in late December, it’s clearly about much more than basketball. I think it must be about an extended family, wrapped-up in the love of the game, good conversation, wonderful memories, and a tradition to carry-on. Give a listen and let’s get the story from this group of Vandal Alumni.

Our conversation with Keli Ritchey is much more than a discussion of day-to-day educational support, it is an examination of a journey, which has been taken, in large measure, because of a mother’s love for her son and, by extension, encouraged and amplified upon through a series of observations Keli has made during her life and career with Vandalia Elementary School. 

Principal Stacy Mesnard and her former student Elizabeth Washburn, joined by her two kids, Sampson and Jaxson Washburn, sat down with us for this episode of the Vandalia ONE podcast to discuss what it's like to have multiple generations in your family be educated by the same teachers. What values are passed down, and where do they originate? How much easier could we make some children's lives if we divided the duty of maintaining their well-being between the school and their parents instead of opting for the imbalance of responsibility? Principal Mesnard and Elizabeth discuss these topics in-depth, and Sampson and Jaxson tell us what it's like to attend school with their mom's former teacher as their principal.

In her last year before retirement, Principal Mesnard shares the perspective she's acquired over the years and stresses how multi-generational and co-education with involved parents is one of the only ways to produce a healthy, happy child who grows into a satisfied and driven adult.

In my conversation with Julie, as you’ll hear, we find someone who is deeply devoted to her profession, her family, her community, and to her students. As a Junior in high school, she was the beneficiary of a teacher who helped her solidify her own path, and so she fully appreciates the importance of paying it forward, which, it is clear, is something Julie does every day.

Marissa Dunn is a lot of things. She is a high school business teacher, a librarian, and a yearbook advisor— which is, frankly, an underwhelming title for an overwhelming role. Think: human embodiment of a Swiss Army knife or Leatherman pliers but with hydraulic power, laser guides, and transformer-like versatility. She is also someone who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis during her first year of teaching, but who has found a professional community of support and a life’s work in teaching that she absolutely loves. Oh, and she’s a dog rescuer. But, again, picture the most committed dog rescuer you’ve ever met, then equip them with hydraulics and lasers. Yep, that’s Marissa. In my brief engagement with her for this episode, what I discovered is that she brings something very special to everything she does. In part, it’s her energy, but it’s more than calories expended or mental wattage put on display; it’s about her passion and her intensity and how she focuses both on the things that matter. And, to her, that’s kids and dogs. I like that about her, and I found it an honor to get to know her a bit during our interview. You may already know what I’ve just discovered, about Marissa Dunn but, if not, give a listen. She’s making Vandalia a better place.

Dr. Jennifer Garrison, District Superintendent, and Mrs. Greta Krueger, Assistant High School Principal, talk with us about what brings us to this moment, what the priorities for our collective future look like, and how the Vandalia ONE initiative will serve as an important guide for both school and community as we move forward.