Versailles, In. — South Ripley Community School Corporation is pleased to announce that Joe Ralston has been named the new Principal of South Ripley High School beginning July 1, 2018. Ralston replaces Rod Hite who resigned effective at the end of the current school year to become the new superintendent at Switzerland County schools. Ralston has been serving as the Guidance Counselor at South Ripley High School for the past four years.
Prior to returning to South Ripley as Guidance Counselor, Ralston spent seven years as the Athletic Director/Assistant Principal at Southwestern Shelby Jr./Sr. High School, and also served as Guidance Counselor for one year. Before taking the job at Southwestern Shelby, he spent five years as a social studies teacher at North Decatur High School where he also was a member of the baseball coaching staff and served as a class sponsor and on multiple committees.
Ralston started his teaching career teaching social studies at Indianapolis Christian High School in 1994 and stayed there for six years. He then transitioned to Avon High School in the 2000-2001 school year before taking a job as a social studies teacher at South Ripley High School in the 2001-1002 school year. He moved on to North Decatur in 2002 to be closer to his mother who was in ill health at the time.
Ralston received his Bachelor’s Degree from Indiana University in 1994 and earned a Master’s Degree in Supervision and Administration from Ball State University in 2006. He also holds certification as an Indiana School Safety Specialist.
Joe and his wife, Jean, live in Batesville with their three children Tyler (19), Cory (17) and Ava (15).
Rob Moorhead, South Ripley Community School Corporation Superintendent commented, “We are very pleased that Joe was interested in moving into the role of principal at SRHS. He has done a tremendous job in the guidance office and brings a wealth of administrative experience into his new role. We look forward to Joe’s leadership at the high school as we travel the path of continuous improvement. I believe that great things are in store for SRHS.”
