EVSC Foundation Board

Dr. Bertram, EVSC

Vince M. Bertram was appointed superintendent of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation on May 12, 2007. He previously was an assistant superintendent for the Lafayette School Corporation in Lafayette, Indiana.

Immediately upon his arrival in Evansville, Dr. Bertram initiated a community conversation about the importance of education and ways to improve the public schools. Following over 250 forums and individual and group meetings he presented a strategic plan, characterized by the Evansville Courier-Press as “bold and sweeping,” that was unanimously adopted by the EVSC Board of School Trustees on March 17, 2008. The plan introduced five core focus areas to improve student achievement: Early Childhood Education; Technology; Professional Development; Innovative School Models; and Family, School, and Community Partnerships. It further outlines strategic initiatives to ensure equity and excellence for all children; improve efficiencies and effectiveness; and contribute to workforce development and economic growth in Vanderburgh County.

Dr. Bertram has served as a college and high school teacher and coach; principal; assistant superintendent; and superintendent. In 2005, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels and Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Suellen Reed appointed Dr. Bertram to serve on the Indiana Education Roundtable. In 2006-07 he served as chairperson of the National Council for National Honor Society, and currently serves on several boards including the Southwest Indiana Chamber of Commerce; Institute for Global Enterprise in Indiana; Indiana State PTA; Southwest Indiana Regional Economic Summit Advisory Board; Youth Resources; Youth First Advisory Board; WFYI External Editorial Board; Junior Achievement of Southwest Indiana; and he is a Harvard Graduate School of Education Admissions Ambassador.

Dr. Bertram has given speeches and presentations at numerous conferences and seminars at the local, state, and national levels. He has also authored publications on school redesign, leadership, business and university partnerships, and dual credit in Indiana high schools.

He earned doctorate, specialist, master, and bachelor degrees from Ball State University, and a master’s degree in education policy and management from Harvard University. He is an alumnus of the Redesigning American High School’s Institute and the National Urban School Leaders Institute at Harvard. His Harvard peers and faculty members honored him with the Intellectual Contributions/Faculty Tribute Award recognizing his dedication to scholarship and his contributions to the intellectual life at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In 2008, Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel and the City-County Human Rights Commission awarded him the Community Leadership Award. In 2003, he was Indiana’s high school principal of the year for district IV; and in 2004, the Teacher Education Association of Indiana honored Jefferson High School with the Indiana’s Outstanding School Award.

Vince and his wife Jill (BS in Accounting - Indiana Wesleyan University), have four sons: Josh (20), a student at Purdue University; and Ryan (15), Drew (11), and Riley (8) who attend schools in the EVSC.