Vercie McMullen has been named as the new Executive Director of the Lufkin Education Foundation after the previous Executive Director, Vickie Evans, announced that she would be leaving the foundation to take another position with the district.
Mrs. McMullen has more than 25 years of service in the field of education at Lufkin ISD. She began her career as an elementary music teacher at Coston Elementary, and served as the District Elementary Coordinator for six years before retiring in May of 2018. She continued to serve the district after her retirement by facilitating teacher professional development in the music department.
President of the Education Foundation Board, Scott Neill, said, “We will be welcoming new Executive Director, Vercie McMullen, to the Education Foundation in 2019. The Education Foundation is deeply grateful for the service and leadership that our outgoing Executive Director, Vickie Evans, provided to us during her tenure as Executive Director. Vickie was instrumental in helping the Foundation grow under her guidance, and we are certainly sad to see Vickie leave. But Vickie will be moving into another role with the district, a role that she is uniquely qualified for and a role in which she will excel.”
Mrs. McMullen holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Stephen F. Austin State University. She is also a certified Biblical Counselor through the Jay Adams Institute for Nouthetic Counseling.
She was awarded Coston Elementary Teacher of the Year in 1996-1997 and again in 2015-2016, as well as, Lufkin ISD Teacher of the Year in 2015-2016. During her years as an elementary teacher her students performed in competitions and received numerous awards along with Most Outstanding Musical Performance. In 2009, she was nominated by the TMEA committee to present an Orff-Schulwerk workshop at the state convention in San Antonio, Texas. Mrs. McMullen was one of five teachers selected from across the state of Texas.
Mrs. McMullen has been married to her husband, James, for 38 years in January. They have one daughter, Tara, and two grandchildren, Porter and Evie. She currently volunteers at her local church serving as the Women’s Ministry Director and the Women’s Ministry Counselor.
Neill said, “We are looking forward to the leadership that Vercie will bring to the Foundation, and we anticipate that Vercie will be able to grow and expand upon the momentum the Foundation has achieved since its inception over five years ago.”
Mrs. McMullen said, “I am grateful to the Lufkin Education Foundation Board of Directors for giving me the opportunity to serve as Executive Director of this incredible organization. I look forward to continuing the mission developed over the past five years and am excited to work with the board, volunteers, and community partners to enhance the quality of education for the students of this community.”
The Education Foundation is best known for its work issuing grants to teachers for innovative ideas in the classroom and this year, gave away $57,965 for 25 grants. The organization also does a Panther’s of Prestige banquet in the spring to honor the top 20 students at Lufkin High School and their educator of influence.
The mission of the Education Foundation is to provide opportunities for excellence in education, promote innovation in teaching, and partner with the community to enhance the quality of education for all students of the Lufkin Independent School District.
To find out more about the foundation, click here.