Derek Morgan SOCS School Board

08/26/2026

The Spencer-Owen Community Schools Board of School Trustees will meet this Thursday, August 27, at 7:00 p.m. in the Mike Wells Memorial Board Room at Central Office.

One item on Thursday’s agenda represents the culmination of some important work we’ve done as a Board over the past several months: the proposed Superintendent’s goals for the coming school year will be presented to the Board for consideration and adoption.

Rather than simply setting goals in isolation, we spent time at our annual Board Retreat working alongside our administration to identify the areas we believe should be priorities for Spencer-Owen Community Schools. We then used those priorities to develop specific goals and determine how we will measure progress throughout the year.

I believe this is an important step toward making our Board work more focused, intentional, and connected to student outcomes. I’m looking forward to continuing that work Thursday night.

As always, the full agenda is below. I hope you’ll take a look and join us!

08/14/2026

💰🏫Where do your tax dollars actually go when it comes to public education?

School funding in Indiana can be complicated—and there are a lot of misconceptions about how schools are funded and how your tax dollars are used.

This six-minute video does an excellent job of explaining Indiana’s school funding system in plain language and helping answer an important question: How does the money actually make its way to our schools and students?

As school board members, one of our most important responsibilities is financial oversight. We have a responsibility to make sure the resources entrusted to our school district are managed responsibly, spent wisely, and ultimately used to provide our community’s students with a high-quality education.

If you’ve ever wondered how school funding works in Indiana, take six minutes and give this video a watch. I think you’ll find it helpful—and you may learn something you didn’t know about how our schools are funded.

This is "Indiana School Funding" by CIESC Media Services on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

08/11/2026

The S-OCS School Board meets this Thursday at 7:00pm in the Mike Wells Memorial Board Room at Central Office for our August 13 Regular Session meeting. The board will be conducting the business as presented on the following agenda.

Per Indiana Legal Code the public are allowed to provide public comment on any agenda item before final action is taken. The public can also watch this and all of our other meetings on our YouTube page. https://youtube.com/?feature=shared

07/16/2026

The S-OCS School Board meets tonight at 7:00pm in the Mike Wells Memorial Board Room. The public are welcome to attend or watch the meeting on YouTube. https://youtube.com/?feature=shared

06/22/2026

The filing period for the 2026 Spencer-Owen Community Schools Board of School Trustees election has concluded, and I would like to thank the individuals who submitted petitions to serve our school corporation and community.

The following candidates will appear on the November 3 General Election ballot:

District 2
• Joe Pavich (Nonpartisan) – Unopposed

District 3
• Anthony Bonds (Nonpartisan)
• Elizabeth Bixler (Nonpartisan)

District 5
• Jama Brown (Republican)
• Jacob Zeunik (Nonpartisan)

As shown on the district map below, candidates must reside within the district they seek to represent. However, all registered voters who live within the Spencer-Owen Community Schools boundaries are eligible to vote in each school board race, regardless of which district they live in.

School board races are typically listed near the end of the ballot, so be sure to continue voting all the way through the ballot when you cast your vote on November 3.

This election will also mark a significant change in Indiana school board elections. For the first time, candidates had the option of having a political party designation appear next to their name on the ballot. Prior to this election cycle, all Indiana school board candidates appeared on the ballot as nonpartisan candidates.

Serving on a school board requires a significant commitment of time, effort, and dedication to public service. I appreciate everyone who has stepped forward and is willing to serve our students, staff, and community.

Please remember to make your voice heard by voting on November 3.

06/12/2026

The deadline to file for the November 3, 2026 School Board Election is quickly approaching. Individuals interested in serving on the Spencer-Owen Community Schools Board of Trustees must file the necessary paperwork with the Owen County Election Office by noon on Thursday, June 18.

As of yesterday, no candidates had filed for the District 3 seat. School board members play a critical role in setting the vision for our schools, establishing policy, overseeing district finances, and hiring and evaluating the superintendent. The decisions made by the board have a lasting impact on our students, staff, and community.

If you have ever considered serving your community through public education, I encourage you to take a serious look at this opportunity. The Owen County Election Office at the courthouse can provide the forms and information needed to file.

Strong schools require engaged community leadership. If you are interested in making a difference, don't wait. The filing deadline is Thursday, June 18 at noon.

For more information, contact the Owen County Election Office.

06/10/2026

The Spencer-Owen Community Schools Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, June 11, 2026, for its regular session meeting. The Board will also conduct a public hearing regarding the proposed superintendent’s contract.

The meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Mike Wells Memorial Board Room at Central Office. As always, I encourage members of the public to attend in person or watch the meeting live on the district’s YouTube channel.

Public participation and engagement are important parts of the work we do on behalf of our students, staff, and community.

05/27/2026

The S-OCS School Board will meet this Thursday, May 28, beginning with an Executive Session at 6:00 p.m. for the Board’s annual evaluation of the superintendent. The school board has only one employee—the superintendent—and providing meaningful feedback and conducting a thoughtful evaluation is one of the Board’s most important responsibilities. This Executive Session is closed to the public as permitted by law.

The Board will then convene for our regular session meeting at 7:00 p.m. We appreciate your continued interest and engagement in the work of our schools.

05/23/2026

Congratulations to the Class of 2026! Your graduation represents years of hard work, perseverance, and dedication. Reaching this milestone is no small accomplishment, and you should be proud of everything you have achieved along the way.

As you close this chapter and begin a new one, I wish each of you success, happiness, and exciting opportunities in the journey ahead. The future is full of possibilities, and I can’t wait to see the impact you will make.

I’d also like to extend my appreciation to my fellow board members. It is an honor to serve alongside such a dedicated group as we work together to support our students, staff, and community. Congratulations again to our graduates and best wishes to the Class of 2026!

05/21/2026

Happy last day of school! Wishing all of our students, staff, and families a summer filled with rest, relaxation, and time to recharge. Thank you for another great year, and I’m already looking forward to even better things ahead in the 2026–2027 school year. Have a wonderful summer break!