Brown County Schools has a new leader after the school board unanimously approved hiring Emily Tracy as superintendent during a special meeting last week.

Tracy comes from Wabash City Schools where she most recently served as the director of curriculum and instruction as well as the interim superintendent.

“I want the community to know that I am incredibly excited. I am on a relentless pursuit to take Brown County even further than where it has been in the last five years,” Tracy said.

Tracy’s first day as superintendent will be Aug. 2. Interim Superintendent Jim Halik will help with the transition.

“I am absolutely humbled. I am honored,” Tracy said of being selected to serve as the next superintendent.

“This is my first superintendency and I feel like I’m the luckiest girl in the state to get to do it at Brown County Schools.”

The board conducted the special meeting July 22 to approve Tracy’s contract and hiring.

“She interviewed so well and hit all of the points we were looking for when were doing the interview. I think this is going to be a great opportunity for a next chapter of Brown County School Corporation,” said board President Carol Bowden.

The board also recognized Halik for his help during the transition from former superintendent Laura Hammack and through the search for her successor.

Hammack was hired in 2016. She left the district at the end of the school year to serve as superintendent for Beech Grove schools.

Board member Amy Oliver presented Halik with a bouquet to thank him for his help and one to Tracy to congratulate her on her new job.

“I am sure you will all get to know her and love her,” Oliver told the room, which included some school principals and other district leaders. “We did go through an extensive process in choosing a superintendent. She was far and away our favorite choice and I think you all will know why.”

The school board received 11 applications for the job, interviewed six in closed meetings, then narrowed it down to four for second interviews.

The school board worked with the Indiana School Boards Association on the search.

Contract details

Tracy’s contract was discussed at the July 15 meeting. It is similar to the one Hammack received upon being hired. The new superintendent’s salary is $120,000; Hammack’s was $125,000 when she started.

The contract term is Aug. 2, 2021 to June 30, 2024 and it is automatically extended each year after unless written notice is given on or before June 30 that a party does not agree to the automatic extension.

The contract includes a range of benefits such as an annual performance stipend or base salary increase. The new superintendent will receive the same number of paid days that are provided to other central office administrators. Health, vision and dental insurance along with life insurance and long-term disability also will be offered.

At the July 15 meeting, parent Erika Bryenton said if the new superintendent did not need health benefits, they should not be paid out by the district. “That’s how it’s written,” Bowden said.

Bryenton’s comment was the only one the board received about the contract.

Humbled to serve

Tracy was born and raised in Wabash, Indiana. She went to Ball State University where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

When she graduated from Ball State and entered the teaching field, there was an “abundance of teachers,” so she did not get a classroom that first year, but worked as a paraprofessional in a special education classroom at Hamilton Southeastern Schools. She also taught second and fourth grade there.

She left Hamilton Southeastern to become an assistant principal in Bremen Public Schools.

Her first principal job was in the Madison-Grant United School Corporation where she stayed for four years before returning to Wabash City Schools to become an elementary principal. She was working as the director of curriculum and instruction there before taking the job in Brown County.

“I am incredibly luck to follow in the footsteps of Dr. Hammack and to be able to work with Dr. Halik in this transition and this school board,” Tracy said during the meeting.

“It’s just absolutely thrilling to me, so thank you so much. It’s an honor and I will serve you well.”

Tracy was looking for her first job as a superintendent when she came across this opening. Brown County hit some key points she was looking for in her next school district. “Brown County is a lot like Wabash City Schools. It’s a great population, not too big, not too small, with a lot of really incredible things going on,” Tracy said.

“All of the research I’ve done about Brown County it is evident that this community values education and educational obtainment.”

Tracy has three children, ages 20, 16 and 12.

She said she feels fortunate to take over after Hammack.

“I couldn’t ask for a better start,” she said.

“With Dr. Halik, he is going to make the transition very smooth and just a great coach, great mentor.”

She said her goal will be listen once the school year begins.

“I want to value the hard work that has been done here,” she said.

“I will be scheduling listening tours, getting the opportunity to listen to community members, to students, to parents, to all staff members to be able to catch that glimpse of Brown County.”