Submitted
Hamilton Southeastern Schools (HSE) and the City of Fishers convened a joint board meeting on Wednesday, March 11, producing several significant approvals that mark a new chapter in their long-standing partnership.
Following the joint session, the HSE Board of School Trustees continued in a separate meeting, taking additional actions to support student well-being, district stability, and continued excellence.
Together, the meetings strengthened athletic infrastructure, expanded arts opportunities for kindergarteners through a new partnership with The Arts Center, ensured continued school safety resources, and positioned the district for long-term success.
Editor’s note: In addition to the interlocal agreement formed between HSE Schools and the City of Fishers to expand and enhance student athletic facilities, the meetings also covered the following topics. You can read about the interlocal agreement in a story published here in the Thursday, March 12 edition of The Reporter.
Renewed School Resource Officer partnership
The Board and Council approved a renewed Interlocal Agreement between HSE Schools and the Fishers Police Department governing School Resource Officers (SROs) and School Safety Officers (SSOs).
Presented by Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart, the updated agreement replaces the 2023 agreement, reflects recent changes in Indiana law, and reaffirms the shared commitment to safe school environments.
Under the agreement, HSE will continue to share equally in the cost of officer salary, benefits, equipment, and training for SROs and SSOs stationed in district schools. Officers are trained through the National Association of School Resource Officers and will continue to serve as designated school officials for purposes of school safety planning.
Following the conclusion of the joint session, the HSE Board of School Trustees convened its regularly scheduled meeting to address several matters specific to the district.
Administrator contract renewals
The Board unanimously approved the renewal of administrator contracts and wage agreements for more than 70 district administrators, with contract terms extending through June 30, 2028, and June 30, 2029. The broad scope of renewals spans building principals, central office administrators, and district leaders, and reflects the Board’s confidence in the strength of HSE’s leadership team.
Expanded behavioral health services through Aspire Indiana Health
The Board also approved a new Memorandum of Understanding with Aspire Indiana Health to provide school-based behavioral health services, ensuring continuity of care following Community Health Network’s decision to end its behavioral health contracts with school districts.
The agreement, beginning June 1, will allow Aspire therapists to work on-site within HSE schools, providing directly enrolled students with access to mental health treatment while coordinating closely with school counselors and staff. Importantly, the arrangement carries no financial cost to the district, with Aspire billing through Medicaid and other accepted funding sources.
Board receives Apex contract review
The Board received a high-level overview of the district’s Apex Benefits contract from CFO Tim Brown and Apex Chief Strategy Officer Jim Harenberg. The presentation covered the scope of services Apex provides to the district, the cost-saving measures built into the partnership, and the value it delivers for HSE employees and the district’s overall fiscal health.
Since partnering with Apex in July 2024, HSE has worked to keep employee healthcare affordable while maintaining high-quality benefits:
- Approximately $3 million in district savings were achieved through strategic plan design changes (approximately $1.5 million) and pharmacy management improvements (projected $1.6 million).
- For 2026, premium increases were kept low. The district currently covers approximately 83 percent of total premium costs, keeping employee contributions at roughly 17 percent.
- As part of the agreement, Apex conducted a comprehensive review of service providers and ancillary benefits to ensure competitive pricing and strong care options for employees.
Overall, HSE Schools remains committed to responsibly managing healthcare costs while continuing to provide employees with strong, affordable benefits.
Applications are now open for students outside of HSE’s district boundaries to enroll for the 2026-27 academic year. For more information, please visit hseschools.org/about/enrollment/non-resident-transfer.