Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools Superintendent Dr. Allen Bourff announced on this week that he will retire at the end of the current 2020-21 school year. Dr. Bourff’s last day on the job will be June 30, 2021.
Bourff
Dr. Bourff joined HSE as superintendent in January 2015. He has steadily guided the school corporation since then, bringing innovative ideas and a student-centered focus that has contributed to the continued success of HSE Schools and its graduates.
“Dr. Bourff has transformed our instructional framework with HSE21 and fostering community partnerships with Conner Prairie and the City of Fishers,” said Michelle Fullhart, president of the HSE Board of Trustees. “He has also been integral in the opening of two new schools – Southeastern Elementary and Hamilton Southeastern-Fishers Academy. We especially appreciate his leadership during this unforeseen and challenging year.”
“When I accepted this appointment six years ago, we faced some tremendous financial challenges, and through working together, we have created internal structures that we now take for granted on most days – mental health therapists, assistant principals, community-based education programs, and more on the drawing board,” Dr. Bourff, said.
The Board of Trustees recognizes finding another leader with the unique skills to operate the school corporation will not be an easy task. It has hired BWP & Associates to conduct the superintendent search, which will include a series of focus groups with key stakeholders.
“Last spring when I planned this announcement, I was timing it for early January,” Dr. Bourff said. “However, the group hired to advise the Board through the process of hiring a new superintendent, asked if I could move up my announcement. This would allow them to begin conducting discussions with focus groups in December.”
Members of the school community are currently being selected to help determine the qualities to be prioritized in selecting the new superintendent. The Board hopes to name the new superintendent by early spring with a tentative start date of July 1, 2021.
“We are confident we will be able to find a new superintendent who will continue our tradition of innovation and success,” Fullhart said.
Prior to coming to HSE, Bourff was superintendent at Richmond Community Schools where he is credited with nearly doubling graduation rates there over an eight-year period and improving the corporation’s ISTEP scores. The Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents named Bourff State Superintendent of the Year in 2008.
Bourff began his career in education as an English teacher at Knox High School in 1978. He left Knox during the 1984-85 school year to take an English teaching position in Plymouth. From there he went to North Judson-San Pierre in 1986 and served as high school assistant principal and administrative assistant until his return to Knox during the 1990-91 school year. Bourff served as Knox High School principal for a year before being promoted to superintendent. He held that job for 13 years before leaving in 2004 to take the superintendent job at Richmond.