Three Dubois County school leaders named principals of the year

Three Dubois County school leaders earned state recognition that points to more than an award on a wall: it reflects the daily leadership that shapes discipline, academic expectations and family communication inside Jasper Middle School and Southridge High School. On May 12, the Indiana Association of School Principals named Southridge High School Principal Greg Gogel, Jasper Middle School Principal David Hubster and Jasper Middle School Assistant Principal Phil Tolbert among its 2026 Principals of the Year in District 11.

The honor carries broader weight because the Principal of the Year program recognizes outstanding middle-level and high-school principals for high-quality learning opportunities and exemplary contributions to the profession. Indiana is divided into 12 geographic districts under the association’s structure, and the state winners are considered for National Principal of the Year. The association says it supports more than 3,400 administrators statewide, which gives district-level recognition real professional standing beyond Dubois County.

For Jasper families, the timing matters because Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools is already posting measurable results. The corporation says it serves more than 3,000 students across four schools and reports an A accountability grade, a 97% attendance rate and a 95.6% graduation rate. Jasper Middle School serves grades 6 through 8, and its leadership team is listed as Hubster and Tolbert. In a building like that, administrative decisions can affect whether students stay engaged, how consistently expectations are enforced and how smoothly parents can get answers when issues arise.

At Southridge High School in Huntingburg, Gogel’s recognition adds another public marker for a school that sits at the center of Southwest Dubois School Corporation. District officials described the honor as a tremendous recognition of his leadership, dedication and impact on students, staff and the school community. For local families, that kind of stability matters because it affects the tone of the hallways, the support teachers receive and the opportunities students see as they move toward graduation.

The recognition also fits a larger pattern of attention on Dubois County schools. Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools has recently highlighted U.S. News 2026 Best Schools Rankings and Jasper High School’s College Board Honor Roll designation, suggesting the county’s schools are being noticed for more than one performance measure. In that context, the awards for Gogel, Hubster and Tolbert are less about ceremony than about the people steering two of the county’s most important public institutions.