Josh Perry credits Hamilton Southeastern Schools with preparing him for college. Now, as an HSE parent and candidate for the District 2 school board seat, he wants to help preserve that academic preparation while expanding opportunities for students pursuing other paths.

Perry joins me on the latest LarryInFishers podcast to discuss his candidacy, school finances, teacher retention and how board members should handle disagreements.

An HSE High School graduate with children attending Harrison Parkway Elementary, Perry studied agricultural education at Purdue before building a career in insurance. He says managing a team has taught him the importance of listening, working through competing ideas and making people comfortable disagreeing.

Those lessons shape a central theme of his campaign: bringing a steady, collaborative approach to the school board.

Perry says board members should be able to cast different votes and explain their positions respectfully. Once a decision is made, however, he believes members should help carry it out and avoid continued political grandstanding that he says can damage the district’s reputation.

We also discuss Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness’ endorsement of Perry. Asked how he would respond if city and school interests diverged, Perry says his responsibility as a board member would be to do what is best for the schools, while maintaining honest communication with city leaders.

On finances, Perry supports the operating referendum, citing district presentations outlining projected budget shortfalls. He says competitive teacher pay and benefits, academic programs and opportunities beyond the traditional college pathway should be priorities.

If the referendum fails, Perry says protecting a competitive compensation package for teachers would be important. Before supporting changes to staffing, programs or building use, he would want to examine long-term enrollment projections.

Teacher retention, in his view, also depends on workplace culture. Perry says greater stability and less board infighting could help make HSE a place where educators want to work.

Our conversation explores his support for the HSE Network Model and opportunities in the skilled trades. Perry says partnerships with employers could help the district determine whether programs prepare students for worthwhile careers.

We also cover his experience as an instructional assistant working with students with emotional and behavioral disabilities, school safety and artificial intelligence. On AI, Perry favors teaching students how to use the technology as a tool and recognize when its answers are wrong.

Asked how voters should evaluate him after a year in office, Perry points to following through on campaign commitments, collaboration and progress toward a strategic plan.

The LarryInFishers podcast series is sponsored by Citizens State Bank.

Listen to the full podcast at this link for the link below.