BCS Names New Director of Student Services, Hires Junior-Senior High Assistant Principal in Blackford County

From the Blackford County Schools Board meeting on August 1, 2026

The Blackford County Schools board approved two connected personnel changes at its August 1 meeting, both passing 4-0.

Sarah Price — Director of Student Services

Dr. Trinkle, who served as both Director of Student Services and school psychologist, has accepted a new position and will leave BCS on August 14. Sarah Price, previously assistant principal at the junior-senior high school, was appointed as his replacement. Price is a former special education teacher and assistant principal in Muncie and former assistant director of the Delaware-Blackford Special Education Co-op. She holds a special education director's license and is moving from a 205-day to a 220-day contract to handle the summer transition.

The role oversees approximately 330 students with IEPs and 40 to 50 students with 504 plans across the district, supervises 13 to 14 special education faculty, and handles IEP compliance, teacher training, seclusion and restraint training, McKinney-Vento homeless student provisions, DCS liaison duties, Title III services for English language learners, and Medicaid billing. The superintendent noted there is "more of that than the board might realize" regarding McKinney-Vento services.

Because Price is not a school psychologist, BCS has arranged for two Ball State doctoral candidates to handle student testing and identification — a split the superintendent called better practice, noting most districts do not combine both roles "by design."

Cole Bonnowit — Junior-Senior High Assistant Principal

Bonnowit, a 2012 Blackford High School graduate, was hired to fill Price's former position. He brings 10 years of career and technical education teaching experience, including engineering courses. This is his first administrative role.

The junior-senior high school now has Principal Jason Ridge, Assistant Principal Amber Yadin focusing on high school, and Bonnowit focusing on junior high. The superintendent cited Bonnowit's CTE background as a significant asset, saying career and technical education "is an area we need to grow in" at BCS.

Teachers start August 4. Students start August 5.

Source: YouTube transcript — Blackford County Schools Board Meeting, August 1, 2026

Some information may be inaccurate due to video audio quality.