CCSC's Greg Linton to retire in June

Cloverdale Community School Corporation (CCSC) Superintendent Greg Linton recently announced his intention to step away from the position when his current contract ends on June 30, 2026. The announcement was made during the Nov. 10 meeting of the CCSC Board of School Trustees.

Linton, who began his career in public education at Gosport Elementary School in 1989, has served as CCSC superintendent since 2014.

"I've been blessed to serve in public education for the past 37 years, with experience as a teacher, building administrator and district leader," Linton told The Owen News. "My time at Cloverdale Community Schools has been especially meaningful. I've had the privilege of working alongside dedicated educators, a supportive board and a community that genuinely puts students first. The years at CCSC have truly been a highlight of my career."

Although the decision to step away was not easy, Linton said he believes the timing is right for him both personally and professionally.

"We are at a natural transition point as a district—we've built strong momentum, we have exceptional leadership at every level, and many of the major initiatives and long-term plans we've worked hard to develop are well underway," he explained. "I'm grateful to be leaving at a time when the district is stable, thriving and positioned for continued success. In the remaining months of my contract, I look forward to establishing a smooth transition process, especially as we continue moving forward with our building and renovation projects. These upgrades will serve students well for many years to come, and it's exciting to see our vision becoming reality."

Linton called Cloverdale a "truly special place" and said he's grateful for the support he's received since his arrival on campus more than a decade ago.

"Our teachers, administrators, support staff and bus drivers are exceptional professionals who care deeply about students," he said. "The board of school trustees has consistently been supportive, student-focused and committed to the long-term success of the district. I will support the board in any way they request as they begin the search process, but the selection of the next superintendent is ultimately their responsibility. My goal is to ensure a smooth, well-planned transition so the next superintendent can step into this position with confidence."

CCSC board president Vivian Whitaker noted at the close of the meeting that Linton plans to remain with the corporation at the close of his current contract, although in a different role. What exactly that role will be has yet to be announced publicly.

"Mr. Linton has come as close to my ideal of a superintendent as anybody I've worked with or been around," she said.

Linton, a Clay County native and an Indiana State University graduate, also served for nearly five years as superintendent for Spencer-Owen Community Schools. In addition to his time spent as a superintendent, Linton's more than 35-year career has seen him serve as the principal at North Clay Middle School and Spencer Elementary School, as well as several other administrative roles and classroom teacher positions.

The Nov. 10 meeting began with routine matters, where the board approved meeting minutes for the work, executive and regular meetings held on Oct. 13, as well as tentative agreement and executive sessions held Oct. 27.

Next, the board voted 7-0 to approve the latest claims and financial reports, which Linton advised totaled $2,782,987.34 (including two payrolls) since the board's previous meeting.

Regarding communications, the board recognized the corporation's latest Student of the Month honorees, which included Cloverdale Elementary School (CES) students Jeriden Vaughn (October) and Rowan Harrison (November), Cloverdale Middle School (CMS) students Ella Bailey (October) and Emma Naughton (November) and Cloverdale High School (CHS) student Addison Collins.

Also recognized were Parker Pritchard and Elijah Ferran, who earned Good Citizen Awards, presented by CCSC School Resource Officer (SRO) Roger Tonna.

Traci Scott, English Language Arts teacher at CHS, was honored as the latest CCSC Staff Member of the Month.

Addressing new business, the board approved the contractual agreement between CCSC and the Cloverdale Education Association (CEA).

"The red line version that is included in the board packet will allow you to see where changes were made to the contract," Linton advised. "The public hearing was held on Sept. 9, teachers ratified the contract on Oct. 23, and the board held the TA meeting on Oct. 27. The final step in the process is for the board to ratify the contract during this meeting. After the contract is approved, teachers will receive retro back pay to the start of their contracts on Nov. 20, and their new regular pay on Nov. 21."

The board also approved pay increases for non-certified employees and administrators, as well as the Teacher Appreciation Grant (TAG) program, which underwent significant changes during the 2025 legislative session. Per Indiana Code 20-43-16, TAG was established to provide millions of dollars directly to schools and thousands of dollars to Indiana's educators to attract, reward and retain teachers who significantly impact student outcomes. House Enrolled Act (HEA) 1001-2025 outlines requirements which must be met to receive TAG dollars.

"In your board packet you will find the TAG grant process that our administrative team has developed to provide guidance and directions for our local application process," Linton added.

Additional items receiving board approval included the 2025-26 Title I Grant, the addition of a homebound instructor for CMS, an instructional assistant position at CMS, stipends for the Clover Café manager and CCSC EF Tours liaison, six donations to CHS, 10 professional leave requests, five field trip requests and six facility use requests.

Additional personnel matters receiving board approval included:

Retirement
Greg Linton – superintendent

Employment
Crystal Tincher – CES instructional assistant.
Jenny Wiggs – CMS instructional assistant.
Lance Dooley – CMS long-term substitute.
Regina Wiley – CMS Drama assistant.
Ethan Stattner – CHS long-term substitute.

FMLA
Sandi Price – CES teacher.
Ken Schnepp – CHS teacher.

Coaching resignation
Camille Garcia – CHS cheer coach.
Brandon Moon – CMS boys' basketball coach.

Coaching hire
Patrick Rady – CHS junior varsity boys' basketball coach.
Paul Starks – CMS seventh grade girls' basketball coach.

The Cloverdale Community School Board will meet again on Monday, Dec. 8 beginning at 7 p.m. in the Arthur L. Johnson Administration Building, 310 E. Logan St., Cloverdale. Members of the board include Vivian Whitaker, Katrina Lewis, Donna Fidler, Melissa Carrell, Emily Haltom, Joe Mann and Mike Rightmyer II.