Tom Black to Lead Batesville Middle School

He previously served as East Central HS Principal.

Tom Black. Photo provided.

(Batesville, Ind.) - Tom Black will serve as Batesville Middle School's next principal, pending school board approval. 

The Oldenburg resident comes to Batesville Community School Corporation form the Sunman-Dearborn Community School Corporation, where he served as principal of East Central High School. 

Over his 30-year career, Black has progressed from his early years teaching English in Muncie and Attica to serving as assistant athletic director at South Decatur High School while also teaching. Later, he served as assistant principal and then principal at Jennings County before arriving at East Central in 2018.

In 2024, Black was honored as the Indiana Association of School Principals’ District 10 Principal of the Year in 2024.

“Tom Black will be an incredible addition to our team,” commented BCSC Superintendent Dr. Katy Eastes. “His many years of experience, paired with his commitment to maintaining a strong positive culture, made him the perfect choice. Many thanks to all who gave input by completing our survey. Your voices were instrumental in our rigorous principal search process.”

The new principal and his wife Carlee (formerly Asher) Black, a Batesville High School Class of 1996 alumna, have two sons. Asher will be a sixth grader at BMS, and Bergan will be a fourth grader at Batesville Intermediate School. In his spare time, Black enjoys reading and spending time with his family, especially watching his sons in all of their athletic activities.

“As a Batesville area community member, this career move brings my job closer to home and allows me the opportunity to be a direct part of my sons' educational journeys for the next several years,” Black explained. “I look forward to us all having the same academic year schedule and to guiding my children and their friends as they grow and mature before high school. Batesville Schools are among the elite school systems in southeastern Indiana. I am truly blessed to be able to become a part of the Batesville school family.”

Batesville Middle School serves nearly 500 students from grades six through eight in the heart of Batesville. The school building recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and will be installing an outdoor EcoLab this fall. As part of the corporation’s Bulldog Ready community-connected initiative, all BMS students' study and support local nonprofits, building a culture of giving back and serving others.

Black will take over at BMS on July 1, leading the administrative team of Assistant Principal Austin Glaub and Dean of Students/Athletic Director Clint Pride.