Switzerland County School Superintendent Tracy Caddell confirmed this week that he is a finalist for the superintendent’s position at the Shelbyville Central School Corporation in Shelby County, Indiana.
He is in Shelbyville today (Thursday) and is touring school facilities with officials there. He will be also attend a luncheon, and will the be a guest at a reception with the teachers association. Following that he will have his final interview with the school board there.
“Since this was going to be such a public event, I felt that I needed to be fair to my board, my staff, and the community,” Tracy Caddell said this week. “Having said that, I may not go anywhere. I love Switzerland County, it’s my home.”
Shelbyville Central Schools has 3,800 students, and is 4A in high school size with more than 1,000 students. The system has three elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school; and is the 81st largest school system among Indiana’s 292 systems.
By comparison, Switzerland County ranks 179th on that scale.
Tracy Caddell said that he has not made up his mind on the position, and may not do so until after the final school board interview tonight.
“I’ve got a great board to work with right here,” he said. “We’ve made a lot of great changes here in Switzerland County. I truly love this county and this school system.”
Tracy Caddell said that he’s had a couple of other opportunities in the past, and that other than it being flattering, it wasn’t something at that time that he was interested in.
But should he decide to accept the Shelbyville post, it will mean a new challenge with a much larger school corporation in a more urban setting. The new position would start on July 1st, and should he accept the position, Tracy Caddell expects to be on the job here until that time.
A native of Switzerland County, Tracy Caddell became the superintendent here four years ago after serving as the assistant principal at Delta High School near Muncie. While here he has overseen a rise in student test scores and the school system receive both state and national acclaim for its successes.
Jefferson-Craig Elementary School earned a National Blue Ribbon Award in 2004; and Switzerland County Elementary School is a National Blue Ribbon nominee this year.
Staff members from here are now sought-after speakers and advisors to other school systems around the state.
Although having the interview process become public could create some uncomfortable situations, Tracy Caddell said that he felt that it was the only fair thing to do, and that he had already informed his school board members and the administrators.
“The last thing I wanted to have happen was for people to hear down here that I was interviewing up there,” Tracy Caddell said. “I believe in being honest and straight forward with my board, my staff, and this community. I just don’t think it would be fair to anyone to find out any other way than from me.”