Getting Current

After nearly 20 years of stability, the last few have been full of change for the Jay School Corporation business office.

Shannon Current hopes she can bring stability for decades to come.

Jay School Board this month voted to remove the “interim” from Current’s title, hiring her as the corporation’s business manager. She had been filling in since November following the death of Tarinna Morris.

“(Becoming business manager) was always the plan,” said Current. “That was my goal. It has just happened a lot sooner than expected.”

Current (née O’Dell) first thought about becoming business manager after she was hired as the corporation’s payroll coordinator. Then-business manager Brad DeRome asked her if it was something she’d be interested in down the road. She was, though she assumed DeRome would be with Jay Schools until his retirement.

When DeRome left to become chief financial officer for Muncie Community Schools in 2018, Mike Bush filled in on an interim basis. Morris was hired to take over the full-time role in February 2019.

During the second week of November, Morris was not feeling well. She was later hospitalized, suffered a stroke and underwent brain surgery in an effort to alleviate pressure. She died Nov. 16.

“When she died, that was a huge shock,” said Current. “She left one day and she wasn’t feeling good. A week went by, and then it was like all of sudden she’s in the emergency room, the hospital. And then on Monday, at the board meeting, we found out she passed away.”

Current, who had been serving as deputy treasurer, stepped in to fill the business manager void on an interim basis.

At the March 15 school board meeting, Jay Schools superintendent Jeremy Gulley recommended she be hired as the full-time business manager. The board approved her hiring unanimously.

“I’m very pleased,” said Gulley at the meeting, noting that he taught Current in his American history class at Jay County High School. “It’s really neat to see a kid coming out of your classroom, who works hard, does all the right moves, gets the education and works up the ladder.”

In addition to Current’s move, other shuffling in the business office includes Irene Taylor to deputy treasurer, Amy Reinhart to payroll coordinator and Kendra Harris to accounts payable. (Both Taylor and Reinhart have previously worked in the accounts payable position.)

DeRome and Bush are providing a quality assurance and technical training support package for Current, while former deputy treasurer Violet Current (Shannon’s aunt by marriage) trains Taylor.

“It’s been hectic,” said Current, while adding it will be beneficial to have so many employees cross-trained on each other’s jobs. “But we’re doing our best, and I think we’re doing well.

“It’s been a whirlwind for sure.”

Current, who says she loves spreadsheets, has always wanted to work with numbers. So, after graduating from JCHS in 2005 she went on to Defiance College in Ohio to major in finance and accounting. She earned her bachelor’s degree in 2008. She worked several jobs, including at W&M Manufacturing, before joining Jay School Corporation in 2012.

She played volleyball for the Patriots while in high school and has coached junior high volleyball in recent years, though coaching will no longer be in the mix with her new position. She enjoys playing volleyball and spending time outdoors, and also attends Union Chapel Church.

Current’s goal in her new role is to help keep Jay School Corporation on strong financial footing. And, having commuted to Indianapolis for a job shortly after college, she’s thrilled to live just 5 miles from her office and 5 miles from where her 6-year-old son Draven goes to school at Redkey Elementary.

She sees the Jay Schools business manager job as a keeper.

“I want to do my very best to produce the budget, to be as accurate as possible,” said Current. “I love Jay County. I don’t want to go anywhere. My plan, my hope is just to stay here and retire from Jay Schools.”