Superintendent Scott Olinger is pleased to announce that Plainfield Community School Corporation’s school board voted unanimously at the January 9 board meeting to appoint Mr. Brent Schwanekamp as the new Principal of Plainfield High School, effective July 1. Mr. Schwanekamp will succeed Mr. Pat Cooney, who recently announced his retirement.
“We are thrilled to have Brent Schwanekamp as our new principal of Plainfield High School. He is an exceptional leader who is deeply committed to the success of our students, staff and community, and we didn’t have to look long or far to know that he is the right person for the position. His proven leadership, passion for education, and dedication to fostering an environment of excellence makes him the perfect choice to guide PHS into an exciting new chapter,” said Superintendent Scott Olinger.
Mr. Schwanekamp has previously served as assistant principal of Plainfield High School, a position he has held since 2014. In that position, he was responsible for curriculum, testing, teacher recruitment/evaluation, and much more.
However, his history with Plainfield Schools begins much earlier.
As the salutatorian of the PHS Class of 1998, Brent became Hendricks County’s first Lilly Scholar. He attended Butler University and graduated Cum Laude with a BS in Secondary Education in Mathematics. With life-long retired teachers as parents, it’s no surprise that he followed them into the “family business.” He began his football coaching and teaching career at Ben Davis High School, where he taught for 5 years, before Mr. Olinger and Dr. Holifield recruited him to return to PHS in 2007. After earning his Master’s in Educational Administration, Mr. Schwanekamp transitioned from the classroom to assistant principal in 2014. He and his wife Karisa, who serves as the district’s instructional technology integration specialist, live in Plainfield and share 4 children: Ella, Emma, Scott, and Thomas.
Mr. Schwanekamp said, "I am deeply humbled by the opportunity to serve as the next principal of Plainfield High School. This community has given so much to me, and I am excited to continue giving back by ensuring our students receive the finest education in the state and are fully prepared for life after graduation. I look forward to the opportunity to lead PHS and am grateful for the trust Mr. Olinger and the School Board have placed in me.”