The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board is looking at some options on how to redistrict building boundary lines and a committee is looking at all the choices board members will have.  This will be needed when the new Deer Creek Elementary School opens, replacing Durbin Elementary school, but Deer Creek will have a much larger capacity for students.

A district-wide redistricting plan could be considered, or just looking at the district lines in the Deer Creek and Southeastern Elementary school areas could be changed, aimed at  preventing overcrowding, with residential home growth continuing in that area.  How the end of the pandemic will impact home values will be part of the equation.

“If we were to do a complete redistrict, what are the odds that we’re going to have to turn around and do it again if there is a stabilization that takes place in two years?,” HSE Chief Financial Officer Katy Dowling told board members.  The board needs to consider how often students and parents will need to undergo a redistricting process, according to Dowling.

Dowling says the committee has no recommendation to present to the board as of Wednesday night’s meeting.  However, it is hoped that a final vote on a redistricting plan could be approved by the board sometime during the month of December, allowing families enough notice to know where there children will be attending school in the upcoming school year.

In other school board items from the September 9th session:

–First reading was given to changes in school policies.  Five people spoke on this issue, making various suggestions on changes to the policies.  All but one policy will return at the next meeting for final approval.

–Superintendent Yvonne Stokes praised a mental health program funded by a grant helping some students adjust to in-person learning after a school year with mostly virtual classes.  Also, HSE Schools received a $50,000 safety grant that will be utilized to partially fund salary and benefits for the School Resource Officers from the Fishers Police Department.

–The start of formal bargaining between the local teachers’ union and the school corporation means a public hearing must be held by the board as those talks begin, but no member of the public chose to speak.

–Fishers High School Senior Alex Horan was recognized by the board as a Snapshot of Success.  Alex is the recipient of the Judge John Price Scholarship for the Outstanding Eagle Scout of the Year.  For his Eagle Scout project, he redid his charter organization’s (The American Legion Post 470) deck.