Indianapolis School Superintendent "Pat" Pritchett '69 Eyeing Potential New Challenge

June 8, 2004

June 8, 2004, Greencastle, Ind. - Duncan N. Pat Pritchett Jr., superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools and a 1969 graduate of DePauw University, is one of four finalists "for superintendent of the Georgetown County School District in South Carolina, a district of 10,273 students and 905 employees, located on the Atlantic coast," today's Indianapolis Star reports. "So many good things happened here," Pritchett tells the newspaper. "But I would like the opportunity to lead one more (school) district. I wanted one more challenge."

Pritchett has been IPS superintendent since December 1997 and has spent his entire 35-year career with the district. Kim L. Hooper writes, "Under his nearly seven-year leadership, student achievement has slowly improved, and the district has undertaken such initiatives as moving to small learning communities within high schools and a phonics-based reading program for early grades. Pritchett also helped persuade business leaders to support a $250 million bond issue to upgrade aging city schools part of IPS' massive $832 million capital improvement plan."

IPS Board President Marianna Zaphiriou says, "Pat has been a tremendous leader. We sure don't want him to leave ... His footprints are all over this district." Read the complete story by clicking here.

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