The Hamilton Southeastern School Board voted Wednesday night to reject all bids for 16.14 acres of district-owned land at 136th Street and Prairie Baptist Road in Fishers. Administrators recommended rejecting the bids after the October auction fell short of the district’s target price.

The vote clears the way for a real estate broker to seek offers. The district expects a sale to close in 2027, and the board would still have to approve the final sale. Tim Brown, HSE’s assistant superintendent for finance, previously told LarryInFishers.com that the auction drew 45 bids. He did not disclose the highest offer or the district’s target price.

The property is leased for farming and is part of a larger tract the district once owned at the intersection. A portion of the original tract was used for a Fishers fire station. District officials told the board’s finance and facilities committee in August that the remaining acreage was too small and poorly situated for a future school.

Brown has said the district plans to use the proceeds to pay down part of the $8 million its health insurance trust owes the operations fund.

The board also approved a 3% pay raise for non-certified staff in 2027, with a maximum increase of $1,828. The percentage matches the increase approved for teachers. A decision on raises for administrators was deferred.

The board extended its agreement with the City of Fishers for hands-on learning programs and added the district’s kindergarten arts program to the agreement. The program, piloted last spring, is already underway this school year. It brings kindergarten students to the Fishers Art Center and Hamilton East Public Library for activities that connect visual art, music and movement with storytelling.

Board members were also briefed on a proposal to authorize up to $40 million in general obligation bonds for 2027, with a decision expected in December. The board set the same borrowing limit for 2026, when the district determined it needed $33 million.