TERRE HAUTE —
Scotia Brown spent seven years as a guidance counselor at McLean High School.
This week, she begins her transition back to McLean as the school’s new principal, which will be formally approved Monday by the Vigo County School Board as part of its personnel report.
It’s just in time for the new school year, with the first day of classes set for Tuesday.
“I am excited and overwhelmed,” Brown said Wednesday. “I love the student population [at McLean] … Sometimes, you know where you fit, and it was a good fit.”
She said she connects with and relates to McLean students.
Last year, she was a counselor at Terre Haute North Vigo High School and an administrative intern. She also completed a graduate-level educational leadership program at Indiana State University. She already had a master’s in counseling from ISU.
This will be her ninth year with the Vigo County School Corp.
Brown applied for the principal’s job when she learned of the vacancy. Rick Stevens, who has been McLean principal for 10 years, pursued a position in the administration building as the assistant director of student services.
The vacancy in student services occurred last month when Val Bailey was appointed as curriculum coordinator for language arts.
Brown said her goal as McLean principal is “to get our students to realize the potential they have and encourage them to become everything they were created to be.”
While public education is facing challenging times in Indiana, “for me it is an opportune time,” Brown said. “If you want to make a difference in the lives of students and be part of change, where else would you want to be other than education? There are a lot of great things going on.”
Her husband, Charlie, was director of the African-American Cultural Center at ISU for many years. They have three grown children, Charles, a medical doctor working at the Cleveland Clinic; Camille, who recently completed a master’s in human resource development; and Channon, who is working on her master’s in criminal justice.
Several years ago, Scotia Brown advocated for the construction of a new Sarah Scott Middle School. She’s gone from parent advocate, to school counselor and now principal. “I’m honored and humbled to serve as principal at McLean,” she said.
Stevens said that serving as McLean principal the past 10 years has been a great experience, and it’s given him an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many students. “Every day we make a difference for kids here,” he said as he cleaned out his office and prepared for the move.
But after 32 years with the school district and Covered Bridge Special Education District, he decided to pursue the opening in the student services office, where he will be able to help the corporation in a broader sense working with students at all grade levels, he said.
Among his new duties, he will oversee all school counselors and also serve as a hearing officer.
Superintendent Dan Tanoos said the new duties are promotions for Bailey, Brown and Stevens, and he praised the strengths and skills they will bring to their new roles.
Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.
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Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza New principal: Scotia Brown is the new principal at McLean High School.
Discussion
McLean High gets new principal
Scotia Brown says goal is to get students to realize potential
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