Driven to Succeed

Redefining Excellence Through Community, Innovation, and Heart

Guided by the mission statement “Success Driven” and a vision built around the words “Grow, Excel, Achieve,” South Dearborn Community School Corporation is refining its identity with a focus on long-term success.

Superintendent Dr. Ron Ross explains, “We’ve done a climate audit, and as a part of that we’ve identified some of our strengths, and some areas of improvement that we’d like to see.” With these insights, the district is launching an overhaul of its strategic plan, including the definition of core values and the development of a Profile of a Graduate. “We have a good foundation with the mission and vision statement, but we’re really going to define and market our school district around those, and really identify what those core values really, truly are,” he states.

 Engaging Community

Improving communication is a crucial part of South Dearborn’s districtwide approach. “We use social media really well,” remarks Dr. Ross. “Since coming on board, I’ve worked to complement our existing content with more narrative-driven posts that help tell the district’s story through my personal lens.” His updates tell the story of the district, shared through personal observations and experiences at school events, and are intended to encourage greater community connection. “People get on social media to have a personal, relatable experience, and I’ve enabled our stakeholders to interact with me and experience school as I experience it.”

Superintendent Ross also distributes a weekly internal email and a public-facing newsletter, the “Knightly News,” to highlight student and staff achievements and promote transparency. “We want to make sure that people know how great South Dearborn is,” he imparts.

“What came through in the climate audit is that South Dearborn is a good place with good people, but we don’t always do a good job of selling that. There are things that we do that our community doesn’t know about, and we need to do a better job of communicating that to our stakeholders.”

Addressing Staffing Challenges Through Support and Incentives

Although South Dearborn Community School Corporation is supported by dedicated staff, many of whom have served for decades, it is not immune to staffing shortages.

“Being on a Kentucky/Ohio line, sometimes it’s harder to get teachers to cross over into Indiana, because they have a different license, retirement, different things that make that a little trickier,” acknowledges Dr. Ross. “Geographically we have a challenge with where we’re positioned, but our principals work really hard to attract teachers to our community.”

South Dearborn is working hard to market itself as a district of choice, offering benefits and incentives and striving to give annual pay raises to stay competitive with neighboring schools. A teacher mentoring program is part of the effort, supporting new teachers and introducing them to the school and community.

“We work really hard to celebrate our staff and highlight the good things that they’re doing,” says Dr. Ross. “They all tell me that they love working here because it’s a family atmosphere, and they love their co-workers, and the families and the students that they get to work with.”

A Progressive Approach to Technology

South Dearborn has long embraced technology as a tool to enhance student learning, operating as a one-to-one district for several years. Brian Sturgeon, Director of Operations, emphasizes, “Part of the responsibility of issuing the devices is ensuring that they’re used safely and in the manner in which we expect them to be used. We put controls in place to monitor usage and to be E-Rate eligible. We filter those devices the same way at home as we do while they are at school.”

However, rather than taking a restrictive approach to emerging technologies, South Dearborn has opted to educate students on appropriate use. “We’re not naive to the fact that we only control devices that we hand out. Most of these students have their own device, and they can access all of these tools and resources and use them in a negative way at home or anywhere else that they may have their phone in their hand. It is our responsibility to try to teach them appropriate use,” Sturgeon maintains.

This philosophy extends to the district’s evolving stance on artificial intelligence. While AI tools continue to emerge at a rapid pace, South Dearborn views them as an opportunity rather than a threat. “Overall, as a district, we’re not really interested in trying to block every single thing out there. We would rather teach our students appropriate use of resources,” Sturgeon stresses.

With this in mind, South Dearborn has brought in an E learning specialist to work with teachers on using AI effectively in the classroom. “We know as teachers get more comfortable with something they’ll also utilize it with their students,” adds Dr. Ross.

Career Preparation Through Dual Credit and Workforce Partnerships

South Dearborn places significant emphasis on preparing students for life after graduation. “Our goal is to make sure that students can either seek employment with a high-paying job when they graduate, be able to enlist into a military service or police or fire or be able to enroll into a four-year college program,” Dr. Ross conveys. Through a partnership with Ivy Tech, juniors and seniors have the opportunity to earn college credits at no cost to families. The district also partners with Southeastern Career Center for those who prefer to pursue technical pathways such as building trades, veterinary science, cosmetology, welding, heavy equipment, and many trade and career fields. “The Southeastern Career Center is exploring a new program for aviation mechanics. We’re partnering with CVG International Airport,” says Dr. Ross. “In the next year or two, we hope to have a full pathway for aviation mechanics.”

As part of its hands-on, career-focused approach, the district built a coffee shop operated by students in the JAG (Jobs for America’s Graduates) program. “That’s giving those kids the real-life experience of running a small business,” says South Dearborn Business Manager Shawn Spindler. Through a highly active chapter of Future Farmers of America (FFA), students also have opportunities to engage in a variety of agricultural programs, exposing them to a broad range of potential careers in the agriculture industry.

STEM, Arts, and Athletics

At the elementary level, all of South Dearborn’s schools have achieved STEM certification from the Indiana Department of Education. “It involves a lot of partnerships with community businesses, and a lot of trying to get STEM so that it’s not just an isolated thing,” reports Dr. Janet Platt, Director of Curriculum and Instruction. “Our whole approach is to get it into the classrooms daily.” The district initially launched Project Lead the Way for grades K-6 and has since expanded its STEM offerings to include grades K-12, with community partnerships and integration into core subjects.

Beyond academics, South Dearborn has built a reputation for excellence in the arts. “Across the district, I would say that that’s probably our flagship here, our art program, our band, and our show choir at the middle school and high school,” boasts Dr. Platt. Dr. Ross continues, “This community loves athletics. There’s a lot of emphasis on sports, and we emphasize excellence on the field and in the classroom. But our show choir and our band, these kids have multiple recognitions. They are highly regarded, and our kids really thrive in those programs.”

Modernizing Facilities and Investing in Transportation

Infrastructure improvements have been a recent priority, including a $17.5 million project that addressed HVAC systems, flooring, gym upgrades, playgrounds, and a new stadium facility complete with a light up shield that is visible from the road. Along with plans to streamline and simplify communication between families and staff regarding the bussing system, the district is also preparing to construct a dedicated transportation center. “Right now, we don’t have any facility to house or really work on any buses,” relays Sturgeon.

“The hope is that it helps in retention, which is going to be really important on the bus driver side as well. We think that having a space for them will lead to increased happiness and a feeling of being included and more important in the overall scheme of what goes on here in the district.”

A Culture of Lifelong Learning

At South Dearborn Community Schools, a deep commitment to lifelong learning is evident not only in the curriculum but also in the professional growth of staff who model continuous improvement for their students. Dr. Ross highlights the unique opportunity his role provides to drive positive change at every level, from the classroom to the broader community, reinforcing the district’s mission to foster growth, connection, and impact well beyond school walls.

“I get to sit with all of these different stakeholders and have conversations about how things affect South Dearborn Community Schools,” he expands. Every day, every conversation, I know that I’m able to enact change that positively benefits the students and staff of South Dearborn Community Schools. And I find that to be a really rewarding aspect of my job.”

AT A GLANCE

Who: South Dearborn Community School Corporation

What: A rural school district with a progressive approach to education

Where: Aurora IN

Website: www.sdcsc.k12.in.us