An array of marimbas and hand drums decorated the stage Thursday night, shining under the purple lights of Bloomington High School South’s Carmichael Hall. A couple hundred parents and community members watched as Fairview Elementary School students kicked off the Monroe County Community School Corporation’s second Student Excellence Awards and State of Our Schools address with a performance of “Baboon,” a Zimbabwean song.
MCCSC paired the address with an award ceremony recognizing students, teachers and one principal. Among them, Interim Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Alexis Harmon announced 23 teachers of the year and District 9’s Principal of the Year. A student from Bloomington High School North and BHSS announced various student accolades across MCCSC schools.
But a portion of the event Thursday was dedicated to discussion of MCCSC's financial status.
This year began Winston’s second year as superintendent following a six-month tenure as interim superintendent beginning in July 2024.
Winston began her address by recognizing district art and music teachers, as well as the students who participated in an art exhibit in a room next door; students spread original artworks across long tables as parents and community members walked around the room.
“We gather this evening not only to reflect on the state of Monroe County Community School Corporation,” Winston said, “but to honor the students, educators and leaders who bring our mission to life every day.”
In the 2025-26 academic year, Winston said, the MCCSC board set two priorities: achieving fiscal balance and sustaining academic excellence. To achieve this, the school corporation adopted a two-year strategy last year focused on addressing declining enrollment, corresponding staff imbalances and Senate Enrolled Act 1, which reduced funding for public schools by cutting local property taxes — a stream of income schools across Indiana rely on. Winston said MCCSC is living within its corporation wide budget.
“We made tough decisions to tighten our belt and to align our staffing levels to student enrollment realities,” Winston said.
MCCSC receives state funding that covers instructional costs like salaries and benefits for teachers. The amount of state funds the school corporation receives depends on student enrollment numbers. Operational costs, such as wages for custodial staff and building maintenance costs, are funded by local property taxes.
The corporation serves approximately 10,000 students. A decline in enrollment is due in part to Monroe County's declining birth rate. MCCSC cites other factors contributing to lower enrollment, including high housing costs, low labor growth and increased participation in Indiana’s Choice Scholarship program.
MCCSC is projected to lose over $30 million by 2031 due to SEA 1. In May 2025, the corporation eliminated 61 non-classroom positions, including custodial, food service and health aide staff. For this academic year, no teachers faced lay-offs.
“Budget change is hard, I get it,” Winston said, “and yet we know this is the right decision for us to make for the future of our beloved school corporation.”
Winston also mentioned MCCSC’s financial transparency portal that debuted in January. The purpose of the portal, she said, is to make MCCSC’s finances “everybody’s business”: easy to find and understand.
“This is how we are leading,” Winston said.
The portal is in addition to quarterly financial transparency reports that began last February, and the school corporation’s first referendum fiscal impact report was released this summer. The most recent quarterly report was released in November.
“We are financially stronger today than we were one year ago,” Winston said.
Winston also said she was proud of MCCSC for adapting to state legislative changes, citing the school corporation’s responsibility in managing bond funding, strengthening internal controls and planning strategically for the future.
“My promise tonight is that we will continue to be good stewards of your dollars in support of our children,” Winston said.
