CHURUBUSCO, Ind. – The new superintendent of Smith-Green Community Schools, Stephan “Steve” W. Darnell of Huntington, said he was impressed with the community’s support of the school and is excited to begin working for Smith-Green School Corporation.
Darnell was named the new superintendent of Smith-Green Community Schools at a meeting and reception held Monday night, May 11.
“The school seems to be the central focus of the community,” Darnell said. “Everyone seems to support the school and school events and that’s impressive.”
Darnell said he plans to work with the community in doing what is best for the children.
Darnell and his wife, Debbie, live in Huntington and have two sons who are both currently attending Huntington University.
Story, photos, video by V. Sade
Darnell said moving to Churubusco is contingent upon selling his home in Huntington.
“I plan to be here a long time,” he said.
July 1 is the official start date for Darnell, but he plans to be in and out of the office throughout June working with Bruce Hippensteel, who has served as interim superintendent of Smith-Green since September.
Tanya Young, president of the school board of directors, announced the recommendation and the five school board members voted unanimously to hire Darnell at a starting wage of $96,000 plus benefits.
Young read several comments from people who had endorsed Darnell, including friends, community members and staff at Lancaster Central Elementary School in Ossian, where he has been a principal for the past four years.
Young also thanked Hippensteel for his help as interim superintendent, along with the Indiana School Board Association and the University Search Team for their help in finding Darnell and other candidates.
About Steve Darnell
Darnell received his BS degree in basic business and accounting from Ball State University in 1982, and earned a MAE degree in vocational data processing and business from Ball State in 1988.
Darnell obtained an all building administrator license from IPFW in 1997, which was renewed in 2005, and an Indiana superintendent license from Indiana State University in August 2008.
Darnell has been in the education business for 25 years. Before working as principal at Lancaster Central, Darnell was the assistant principal and athletic coach at Norwell Middle School and an assistant principal at Justice Thurgood Marshall Middle School in Marion.
He also has experience as a business and marketing consultant for the Indiana State Department of Education and as a state supervisor of business education and vocational and technical education for the Department of Public Instruction. For five years he also served as an associate director and CFO of the Family Service Society, Inc. in Marion.
In 2005 Darnell received the Assistant Principal of the Year in District III from the Indiana Association of School Principals. In 2004 he was the recipient of the Lilly Endowment Teacher/Administrator Creativity Award.
As a member of the Business Professionals of America, Darnell was inducted into the BPA Indiana Hall of Fame in 2008 and the BPA National Hall of Fame in 2004. He has been presented with three outstanding service awards from the BPA, one for Indiana in 2003; one for Delaware in 1992 and a national service award in 1990.
After the board meeting, a reception was held where Darnell and his wife, Debbie, met and talked with members of the community and the SGCS staff, as shown in the photos below.
(Watch this site for video – to be posted in the next 24 hours – of the school board’s announcement and Steve Darnell’s comments after being hired.)
