South Central school leaders recently attended the fourth annual Indiana Educational Excellence Awards Gala in downtown Indianapolis. The Excellence Awards are presented to schools to celebrate their progress and achievement in supporting student excellence and growth. South Central Community School Corporation was the proud recipient of the Excellence in Professional Learning and Leadership Development award!

• Implementation of research-based professional development approaches
• Development of professional career ladders for educators
• Prioritization of initiatives focused on the recruitment and retention of high-quality educators

South Central was chosen for this award, in part, based on the many opportunities provided to teachers and staff for professional learning. SC offers paid summer professional development to all teachers every year, weekly professional learning community meeting opportunities (grade level and department meetings) on Wednesday mornings, tech Mondays on almost every Monday throughout the school year, and provides ongoing training on artificial intelligence, along with many other opportunities. Even more remarkable, the school had a 100% teacher retention rate for this school year! 

In Indianapolis to accept the award were School Board President Deb Allen, Superintendent Dr. Ben Anderson, Director of Instructional Technology Deb Kammrath, Director of Network Technology Derek Budka, and Jr.-Sr. High School Principal Nick Mills. 

We give many thanks to the extraordinary teachers and staff for all they do for the students, the school, and the community to make South Central such a special place! You can read more about the Educational Excellence Awards on the IDOE website.

South Central is proud to announce the recent designation as an Indiana Purple Star School! The Purple Star School program honors schools that have displayed a significant commitment to service members, veterans, and students and families connected to the nation's military. South Central Elementary and Jr.-Sr. High School were selected by the Indiana Department of Education in collaboration with the Indiana National Guard to receive the three-year designation. In total, 80 individual schools were selected, along with 19 schools that renewed their status. You can read the full press release on the IDOE website.

To learn more about the commitments South Central has made, as well as military resources, visit our Purple Star webpage.

South Central is pleased to be selected as a recipient of the 2025-2026 Indiana Department of Education STEM Integration grant! Awarded through funds appropriated by the Indiana General Assembly, this grant provides schools with opportunities to develop and implement STEM learning experiences that promote student growth in critical thinking, problem-solving, and STEM-based skills. South Central was one of 63 schools that received the grant. You can read the full press release on the IDOE website.