Writer / Lauren Casey Bemis, Pence Media Group
Before being tasked with making decisions that will guide the largest school corporation in Johnson County, Dr. Erin Stalbaum was making a big choice that all parents face: where to send her children to school.
“I am a lifelong south side resident. I grew up on County Line Road and went to Perry Meridian High School,” says Stalbaum. “When my husband and I were deciding where to raise our family, we were drawn to Center Grove for their reputation of excellence. Iron sharpens iron, and we wanted our sons to understand the work ethic it takes to reach excellence, and we knew we would find that in Center Grove.” The Stalbaums, with three sons in three different Center Grove school buildings, say they credit this corporation and community for the growth and achievements they’ve seen in their own children over the years.
In addition to being a proud Center Grove parent, Stalbaum enjoys a shared connection and experience with Center Grove teachers, who spent 10 years in the classroom herself.
“The art and science of education is something that has always fascinated me and brought me joy. My favorite moments in the classroom were the light bulb moments of students understanding a concept,” says Stalbaum.
Her time in the classroom was followed by work experiences at the school, district and state levels, offering her a unique perspective stepping into her role as superintendent. She was most recently the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources at Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation.
In her role leading Center Grove, Stalbaum says she intends to build on the tradition of excellence that first drew her family to the area many years ago, and that starts with actionable items related to the corporation’s new Strategic Plan that will carry the schools forward into 2030. The theme for this school year is “Aligning the Arrows to Excellence” with the goal of bringing the Strategic Plan to life.
“It is what our students deserve and our community expects, and we are ready for that challenge,” says Stalbaum. “We have strong traditions, and so it is a priority to build on those strong traditions and to lead with purpose.”
• On Learn & Succeed: “We are focused on all students learning and succeeding at high levels. With that expectation, we must also focus on providing teachers and staff with professional learning related to their goals.”
• On Belong & Thrive: “We will foster a culture of belonging through shared commitments to core expectations that promote empathy, kindness, and mutual respect.”
• On Communicate & Engage: “It is imperative to have an engaged community. A strong community creates strong schools, and likewise, strong schools create a strong community. I look forward to engaging with our community members and keeping communication open.” Stalbaum says one of the new initiatives for the school year she is most looking forward to is forming a Student-Superintendent Advisory Council, where she will get to engage with students and ask them questions that relate to the strategic plan.
In her first days as superintendent, Stalbaum held community Meet & Greet events at local parks to get to know more families and staff in the Center Grove community and asked attendees to sign a guest book about what makes them proud to be Center Grove. She says overwhelmingly the responses were about community pride, a strong sense of belonging and unlimited opportunities for student success.
“It is an expectation for all of us, including myself, that we provide high expectations for every student and high support for every student. Each person in our school corporation plays a role in our students’ educational experience,” says Stalbaum. “It is through superb daily execution of our role aligned to the common goals in the Strategic Plan, along with visionary collaborations, that Center Grove continues to build on our legacy of excellence.”
