We all have hard days, and sometimes it’s our jobs that make those days especially difficult. For Tracy McMahen, however, it’s her chosen profession that keeps her going so that she can endure the rough days.
“When you work in education, you know you’re making an impact on the future,” she says. “You have the ability to make a difference every single day, as every day offers a new opportunity to form a connection with a student or cause a positive impact. You can’t say that about every profession.”
McMahen grew up in Walkerton, a small northern Indiana town, with her parents and two sisters. From an early age, McMahen’s parents instilled a strong work ethic in their daughters.
McMahen, a first-generation college student, always loved leading and helping others. Growing up, she had a strong and reoccurring desire to become a teacher. After graduating from Franklin College with a degree in English education, she landed a job teaching eighth-grade English at Center Grove Middle School Central, and that’s where she stayed for 15 years. She was thrilled to work for the Center Grove school corporation, as she had gotten quite a bit of Center Grove field experience by attending Franklin College.
“Knowing the strong reputation the school had for education and extracurriculars drew me in, because I was always involved in sports and clubs when I was a student,” she says.
When a job opening for dean opened up at the high school, administrators from the high school reached out and encouraged her to apply for it.
“It was challenging for me to consider making the change because I already loved what I was doing,” McMahen says. “But several of my colleagues told me it would be a good fit so I took a chance on myself.”
In the fall of 2015 she transitioned to the role of assistant principal at Center Grove High School (CGHS) where she remained for eight years. In July 2024, McMahen became CGHS’s principal, making her the first female to step into the role.
“I was really excited and a little nervous as well,” she says. “Any time you take a step forward into a new challenge, that’s a little scary, but I followed the same advice I give to our students, and that’s to pursue what you’re passionate about. It’s important not to be afraid to take risks or make mistakes, as those are the experiences from which you truly learn.”
Because she already knew the systems and people at the school, she was able to jump in and focus on shoring up best practices, as well as looking at ways to enhance the school.
“I was definitely excited for the challenge,” she says. “I’m also fortunate to have a good team in place with my assistant principals, deans and a great staff.”
Going forward, McMahen wants to ensure that Center Grove remains one of the premier high schools in the state.
“We have a great reputation, but as time goes on and as the requirements for schools change, we want to make sure we’re doing all the things that will keep us there,” McMahen says. “Obviously there are things with technology and educational practices that we want to stay on the forefront of, but also I want us to focus on creating a school community that’s built on collaborative leadership and shared decision making.”
This starts with maintaining an open-door policy so that both teachers and students know they have a voice in what goes on at school. Doing so contributes to the overall positive culture of the school, which is essential.
“I want us to be doing positive things for our students because they are the people we’re serving,” she says.
One way they do this is by utilizing professional learning communities. The school has an early release time, which allows teachers to collaborate and address ways in which students are learning.
“Teachers talk about the strategies they’re using or perhaps ways to teach the material in a different way,” says McMahen, who also makes sure she’s visible and accessible. “We have 3,000 students so it’s important for me to be out in the school during the day talking to our students, having passing-period conversations or chatting during lunch. I want to be present and aware of what’s going on because if I’m not, I can’t serve the school in the best way possible.”
She attends sporting events, choir concerts and other extracurricular activities. She loves interacting with students, coaches and families because it helps build relationships and create a foundation of trust.
McMahen and her husband, Travis, have both worked for the Center Grove school corporation for years. Her husband has spent most of the past 24 years teaching seventh or eighth grade at Middle School North, and coaching football and golf.
The couple raised their two children in Center Grove. Rylie, a 2021 CGHS graduate, is currently a senior at Winthrop University where she plays Division I volleyball and is majoring in sports management. Their son, Brody, is a CGHS senior who plans to study elementary education. He’s involved in two choirs at CGHS and is a member of Best Buddies, a program that pairs students with those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The family also has a pit bull mix rescue dog named Ace. In her free time, McMahen likes to read, exercise, watch her kids’ activities and dine at Don Cuervo.
“I’ve been able to experience the whole gamut of benefits from the Center Grove school system, as a teacher, as a parent and as a citizen,” she says.
Since the moment she was hired at Center Grove, McMahen has felt supported in her profession. When she was a teacher, she had positive leaders who encouraged her to do her best, which inspired confidence in her. As she transitioned into a leadership role, strong, enthusiastic administrators had faith in her.
“They coached and guided me, which allowed me to grow,” she says. “I truly feel if I didn’t have the people who were surrounding me in all elements of my leadership journey that I wouldn’t be the person I am today.”
McMahen maintains that working in education instills the ultimate sense of optimism.
“Sometimes you don’t know the impact you’ve had on someone until years later, when a student comes back to see you or decides they want to become a teacher,” she says. “When you see those ripples that you made, to me that’s really the gift of education.”