The Decatur Township school board earlier this week unanimously approved Collins, who will begin his new role on July 1.
Previous Decatur Township superintendent Matt Prusieck retired from the district at the end of 2023, and assistant superintendent Stephanie Hofer has been filling the role in the interim.
Collins said in a press release that he looks forward to helping prepare Decatur students to be college and career-ready.
Previous Decatur news: Decatur Schools announces interim superintendent
“Now, more than ever in education, we must be visionary and creative in finding ways to support and teach our students while best utilizing the resources available through funding, community partnerships, and grant opportunities,” Collins said. “I want to ensure that we are able, as a team in Decatur, to provide as many resources as possible in our classrooms, fine arts, and athletic programs. I have devoted my career to the students and families that I serve, and I cannot wait to start in Decatur Township!”
Collins has been working in the education world for more than 28 years. Before his time at Fayette County, he served for more than eight years as a principal in the Avon Community School Corporation, a principal in Spencer County, and a teacher in Wayne County and Warren Township.
Collins holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, master’s degrees from Ball State University, and an Ed.S. from Indiana State University. He is currently completing his dissertation for his doctoral degree.
More ed news: What to know about completing the FAFSA successfully by Indiana’s April 15 deadline
Decatur School Board president Larry Taylor said the search committee considered community and staff input, survey results, and focused on candidates who would serve to advance the school district.
“Scott Collins emerged as our top candidate, bringing considerable experience as a superintendent and in additional administrative roles,” Taylor said in a news release. “We as the School Board confidently look forward to great future success for the MSD of Decatur Township with his leadership.”
Located in the southwestern part of Marion County, Decatur Township Schools is one of the smaller school districts out of the 11 traditional public school districts in the county, serving around 6,600 students.
Contact IndyStar reporter Caroline Beck at 317-618-5807 or CBeck@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @CarolineB_Indy.
Caroline’s reporting is made possible by Report for America and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Report for America is a program of The GroundTruth Project, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening local newsrooms. Report for America provides funding for up to half of the reporter’s salary during their time with us, and IndyStar is fundraising the remainder. To learn more about how you can support IndyStar’s partnership with Report for America and to make a donation, visit indystar.com/RFA.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Decatur Township names Scott Collins as new superintendent