By Heather Powell
With his first official day as the newest North Spencer County School Corporation Superintendent less than a month away, assistant superintendent Chad Schnieders is hard at work learning the ends and outs of his new role. Whether attending meetings about school renovations, working with current Superintendent Dan Scherry on upcoming projects and school finances or collaborating with the school board, Schnieders said he is enjoying the challenge of learning something new.
From an early age Schnieders knew he wanted to pursue a career in education. As a high school student at Forest Park, he participated in a Teacher Cadet Program at Ferdinand Elementary where he worked with special needs students.
“It was really a very positive experience for me,” Schnieders said.
Although he considered several different career options when he went to college, ultimately he chose to follow his passion for teaching.
Schnieders said when he graduated from college in 1998 he could not find a teaching job so he became an instructional assistant at Northeast Dubois for one year. From there he went on to serve as a fifth grade teacher at Tenth Street Elementary in Jasper. During that time he went back to school and earned his principals license which opened the door for him to became the principal at Precious Blood Catholic School in 2004.
His journey with North Spencer began in 2009 when he was hired as the principal at Nancy Hanks Elementary; a position he served in until 2012 when the long standing Heritage Hills Middle School Principal Susan Grundhoefer retired. After she stepped down, he became the new middle school principal.
“I was at the [Heritage Hills] middle school for 12 years,” Schnieders said.
In total, he served as a principal for 20 years. He noted that his experience has already begun to help him in this new chapter of his career. Because he knows what goes on in classrooms, and is aware of the issues principals face, he is able to better connect with them since he has walked in their shoes.
For his up coming role as superintendent, he explained that he was transferred from the middle school to the administration office for the 2024-25 school year to serve as assistant superintendent with the intent of stepping into the superintendent’s role once Scherry retired. He said the school board, as well as Scherry, have been very supportive during this time of transition and he feels very fortunate to have had Scherry as a mentor and guide.
“[Scherry] was always very supportive and was able to guide me in a way that developed me, that grew me,” Schnieders said.
One of the major changes he’s noticed since changing roles is that he no longer works directly with students.
“That’s the part I miss the most, and I knew it was going to be like that, but I do miss that daily interaction with students,” Schnieders said.
He noted that North Spencer is a progressive school corporation that focuses on what is best for their students and he wants to continue that legacy. The corporation also focuses on supporting their teachers and helping them grow, develop and be the best they can be as well. He said they want their schools to be a place where parents can confidently send their children and know their students are getting what they need to be successful in their post high school lives.
Schnieders said he feels very fortunate that they have a staff who truly cares about their students and wants to see them succeed. Professional development and growth for their staff is important to the corporation and he believes that is a big part of the school’s success. Not only that, but he has noticed the community also values education and that support is something he has felt throughout his career.
“I want people to know it takes a lot of people to educate these kids and every bit helps and matters. Having a staff that’s very on board with doing what is best for kids matters a lot,” Schnieders said.
This past year has given him the opportunity to visit the other schools in the corporation, something he was unable to do as principal. Being able to walk down the halls and see firsthand how teachers and students interact has helped him realize just how many great things the North Spencer County School Corporation has to offer.
“At the end of the day we want our community to be proud of our schools,” Schnieders said.
Community has always been important to Schnieders and his family. When they moved to the area in 2009 they quickly became involved in their new hometown. Both the area and the school have been a big part of their lives since then and all three of his children are Heritage Hills graduates.
“My wife and I just enjoy being a part of North Spencer, the whole thing, not just the schools,” Schnieders said. “This is where we want to be.”
