Dr. Matt Kegley stood before the Hamilton Southeastern School Board for the first time as the district’s superintendent, reflecting on a journey that began roughly two decades ago when he first applied for a principal position at Hamilton Southeastern High School.
He got that job and spent several years leading the building — the start of a long tenure in the district that has included roles as a teacher, coach, building administrator and central office leader.
Kegley thanked his family for their support throughout his career in education.
“I continue to want to make this a destination district — a place where people want to come and raise their kids, where they want their kids to be challenged academically, where future educators want to come and teach alongside some of the best teachers around, and administrators want to be here to be challenged by the folks around them,” Kegley told the board and a large audience. “I look forward to what lies ahead for us as a district, and I again thank you for your support.”
Board members who spoke before the vote offered strong praise for Kegley. Having covered numerous superintendent hires, I can say it is rare to see what could best be described as a near-unanimous show of enthusiasm from both the board and the community as trustees voted unanimously to approve his contract.
Public comment during the required hearing was limited to one speaker — Hamilton Southeastern Education Association President Tyler Zerbe — who noted Kegley’s long history within the district and described the relationship between district leadership and the teachers union as one of “collaboration and collegiality.”
“That being said, it is difficult to overlook the last 26 months here at HSE,” Zerbe said. “However, we are optimistic that we can continue to move forward together.”
Zerbe also urged the board to conduct an open search process in future superintendent hires to allow for broader stakeholder involvement.
In other action, the board confirmed that Kegley’s former role as deputy superintendent will not be filled as part of a cost-saving measure.
School attorney Chris Greisl also outlined minor corrections to the superintendent’s contract as originally posted online, including increasing the monthly car allowance to $750 and fixing an error in the life insurance example. The board approved those changes as part of its final vote.
Kegley now takes over at a time of significant challenges for the district. State lawmakers have introduced a new funding framework, while enrollment declines due to demographic changes — a key factor in determining state support — are expected to impact future budgets.
