Columbus East High School

A few weeks ago, the Indiana Association of School Principals announced that Dr. Michael Parsons was named the District 9 Principal of the Year — and we are proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition!

Dr. Parsons’ leadership, visibility, and commitment to students help make Columbus East a special place each and every day. Whether supporting students at events, connecting with staff and families, or helping lead the continued growth of our school community, he represents what it means to be an Olympian.

This recognition is another example of the great things happening at Columbus East and a reflection of the outstanding students, staff, and community that make our school so strong.

Congratulations, Dr. Parsons! We are grateful for your leadership and proud to celebrate this honor with you.

It's never too early to start planning for school supplies!

If you know of anyone who needs assistance, be sure to check out this program!

The Bartholomew County School Supply Assistance Program helps ensure local students start the school year prepared and ready to learn by providing essential school supplies to qualifying families in our community. Through the support of community partners, donors, and volunteers, the program assists families in reducing the financial burden of back-to-school expenses.

Columbus East High School is looking for a passionate and student-centered Spanish teacher to join our team! We are seeking someone who values relationships, brings energy to the classroom, and is excited to help students grow in their language skills and global understanding.

At East, we pride ourselves on a supportive culture and creating meaningful connections with students. If you or someone you know is interested in making an impact with our Olympian family, we would love to connect!

https://www.applitrack.com/bcsck12/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Certified&subcategory=Foreign+Language

SUMMER OFFICE HOURS

The main office at Columbus East High School will be open throughout the summer:

Monday–Friday
8:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Please note the following dates when the building will be closed:

June 19 — Juneteenth
June 28 – July 4 — Moratorium Week & Fourth of July
July 8, 9, and July 22 – 24 — Moratorium Days

We hope everyone has a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable summer! Go Olympians!

1 week out from our annual golf scramble!

We still have room for teams and hole sponsors!

We’d love to see you join us on the links!

Graduation Day is TOMORROW at 1:00 PM. If you can not make it in-person, you can watch the Columbus East Commencement Ceremony online via the attached link.

Columbus East High School Commencement Ceremony Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Tomorrow, we proudly celebrate the Columbus East High School Class of 2026 as they walk across the stage and begin the next chapter of their journey. We are incredibly proud of this senior class and all they have accomplished both inside and outside the classroom. Join us as we honor their hard work, memories, achievements, and the lasting impact they have made on Olympian Nation.

If you are unable to make it to graduation in person, the ceremony will be streamed live here:
https://youtube.com/live/QmSv2sWsgyI?feature=share

Dr. Parsons Letter to the Senior Class
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2026 East Seniors,

From the time you first walked into school, your life has been shaped by a series of steps waiting for you to walk up. You went from kindergarten, to first grade, to second grade … all the way to today.

Each year came and went. Each year a new step was added, each milestone guiding you forward toward new opportunities. You’ve likely heard, in ways both spoken and unspoken, that your future holds great potential and purpose and you have been told what your steps will look like after graduation:

1. Graduate.
2. Build a career.
3. Climb the ladder.
4. Reach the top.
5. Retire.

And yet, there is a powerful realization waiting for those who arrive at each new step. Either early or later in your life journey, you will begin to realize that there is probably more to life than just reaching the next step.

When life is lived only chasing what’s next, you can spend decades moving forward without ever truly being present. You can gain everything the world told you to pursue, yet still not know how to enjoy a single moment of it. You’ve been taught how to achieve. How to compete. How to progress. But very few people teach you how to live. But, truly living is what makes this life so meaningful!

It doesn’t take much to sustain a meaningful life. What you need is often simpler than you’ve been led to believe. What is less often taught, but far more valuable, is the ability to slow down enough to notice the life you’re living. To sit and be still long enough to learn that there is so much to live for. To be quiet long enough to understand who you were made to be. To be patient enough to watch a raindrop crawl down a window on a rainy day and appreciate it. The ability to be present is one of the most powerful skills you can carry with you.

Our world celebrates movement, building, producing, and achieving, and yes, those things matter. But recognizing that your worth is not defined by comparison to others, but by who you are, how you choose to live, and who you choose to live for. The people who make the greatest impact are those who pursue success while also holding onto a true joy for the everyday life they experience and sharing that with everyone they encounter.

I want to encourage you to stay aware of where you’re going, while fully living where you are. Stay driven toward what’s next, while appreciating what’s right in front of you. Because one day, the steps up the ladder will change, or even break, and what will matter most is not just how far you climbed, but how you chose to live and treat others along the way.

The world will always invite you to want more, do more, and be more. But the future is not simply something you arrive at, it is something you build, moment by moment, through how you choose to live each day. So as you leave this place, carry this with you:

Be ambitious… and pursue a life anchored in a forever purpose.
Be driven… and develop an authentic joy within yourself.
Be successful… and lead with love for your family and those around you.

Life is not complicated. Slow down enough to notice. Be strong enough to stand apart. Seek wisdom to understand what truly matters. You’ve spent years preparing for what’s next. Now step forward and fully embrace the now.

Build your life on a firm foundation that is true and lasting. Do that, and you will find a life that is steady, purposeful, and truly full. I hope you live a life full of joy and have it abundantly.

Dr. Parsons