Salem Schools will start the year with a new person in the superintendent role. Dr. Terry Goodin was hired in June to take over the reins of Salem Community Schools as interim superintendent starting July 1.
“I am thrilled for the opportunity to be here and work with everyone in the corporation and school community!” he said. “I’m open to listening and I’m known for being open and transparent. People know that when I make a decision, it is not done as a knee jerk reaction, but with deep reflection and consultation. I take time to listen…my grandpa told me when I was younger, ‘you have two ears and one mouth for a reason.’ I use that advice to this day.”
Goodin said he is anxious for school to start next week and noted that he hopes to implement long-term changes in the continuity of instruction at the start of the new school year. These changes will be performed with collaboration and by paying close attention to detail.
“There is nothing wrong with Salem Schools that what’s right with Salem Schools can’t fix,” he said. “Like most new leaders, I will bring a different philosophy to the office, but the bottom line will be to make sure that we are helping students reach their fullest potential in life.”
One way he wants to make that happen is fluidity in the schools from kindergarten through high school, creating long-term programmatic effects that help guide students and help them continue to grow and learn.
He said it is important in education to understand that every student has his or her own way of learning and it’s the teachers’ job to make sure they all succeed in the tasks set for them.
“We want to give kids a direct focus and not put them in classes just to fill a seat,” he said, adding that he doesn’t necessarily adhere to the dogma the education system Indiana has in place.
“We need to continually change education and track the results of our students. I think students are mature enough to know what careers they might be interested in and we need to help them explore those careers and prepare for them.”
With the new diploma tracks the state has mandated for students starting with the class of 2029, Goodin said it is important that the corporation doesn't lose kids along the way just to appease a state educational accounting system.
“We also want to make sure we don’t get stuck in what won’t work for our students,” he said.
Goodin feels openly the state has not been teacher friendly and that teachers have been bullied. He wants educators to know they are the key to having a strong educational program at Salem Schools – both curricular and extracurricular.
“I rely on everyone to be open about their work experience,” he said, adding that he wants to hear from teachers about what works and what doesn’t.
Goodin is a big proponent of the dual credit classes and is impressed with the number of classes Salem offers. He is not a big fan of Advance Placement (AP) classes saying those traditional programs are not practical in today's educational programming. He also wants to encourage more students to graduate with associate degrees, which is achievable.
To offer more dual credit options, he wants to support teachers and give them incentives to go back to get the additional training they need to teach dual credit classes. Dual credit gives students both high school and college credits, which saves families money for post secondary degrees.
Goodin retired from Crothersville Schools in 2022, where he worked for 24 years. This is his first time serving as an interim superintendent. After his retirement, he was selected by President Joe Biden to serve as Indiana’s State Director for USDA Rural Development. He also served as a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from 2000-2020. He ran for Indiana Lieutenant Governor in 2024. He said his experience in the legislature helped him understand the need to bring people together.
“There are multiple views and everyone needs to be heard,” he said.
Originally from Austin, Goodin graduated from high school there and then headed to Eastern Kentucky University for his undergrad degree. He received his doctorate from Indiana University. He taught several different places, including Austin and Bloomington, before becoming superintendent at Crothersville. In addition to education and politics, Goodin is also a cattle farmer. He lives in Austin with his wife and three children.
Goodin has already met with Salem’s mayor and county commissioners and council and said as a community, we need to work as a team to make Salem a great place to live. He wants students to learn Washington County and Salem history in the classroom. He said it is important for students to know that they are the next legacy for Salem.
He said he enjoys meeting new people and talking to everyone. He prides himself in being transparent, but also knows how to keep a secret when needed.
“My challenge everyday is to beat the status quo,” he said. “Things can always be better. I want to leave things better for those who come behind me.”
Goodin’s main goal is consistency and he plans to bring that to the corporation.
“Salem needs consistency,” he said. “Even though I am interim, we are going to get consistency accomplished for the future. I am a bottom-up leader and we are all teammates here. I’m not going to let people be idle on the sidelines; I want everyone involved.”
-Monika Spaulding