Beech Grove City Schools is excited to announce the appointment of Ms. Stephanie Cotter as the new principal of Central Elementary School. Elementary includes all second- and third-grade students in the Beech Grove school district. Ms. Cotter was confirmed by the Board of Education at its monthly meeting on July 9. Ms. Cotter succeeds Mr. Craig Buckler, who was recently appointed as the Assistant Superintendent of the MSD of Martinsville.
A teacher for 10 years, Ms. Cotter has been a part of Beech Grove City Schools since 2012, first serving as a second- and third-grade Looping Teacher at Central Elementary and then as a third-grade Mentor Teacher since 2016. Stephanie also served as a first-grade teacher at Brookside Elementary, an IPS school, and as a Title One Teacher and third-grade teacher at Ralph Waldo Emerson, also an IPS school.
Ms. Cotter graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Indiana University – Bloomington, and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). A portion of her student teaching was completed in New Zealand. She is also a TAP Certified Teacher Evaluator.
Stephanie lives with her daughter, Bella, and they enjoy spending time outdoors, attending dance competitions, traveling to new places and creating new memories. In her leisure time, Stephanie enjoys volunteer work, running and reading. Dr. Paul Kaiser, Beech Grove City Schools Superintendent, stated, “We’re excited to have Stephanie as principal at Central Elementary. Her extensive experience as an elementary teacher and her dedication to and passion for our Beech Grove students impressed everyone in the interview process. We’re proud that Stephanie will continue to contribute to Central Elementary in her new role as principal.”
Central Elementary School serves 485 students in grades 2 & 3. It is the 446th largest public school in Indiana and the 23,369th largest nationally. It has 18.1 students to every teacher.
