Great schools never stop raising the bar

Educators, safety, student support, unique experiences define HSE, community

By MATT KEGLEY
Superintendent, Hamilton Southeastern Schools

Families choose Hamilton Southeastern Schools with high expectations.

They expect strong academics, talented teachers, and their children to be safe, supported and prepared for life after graduation. And they expect HSE to offer opportunities that distinguish it from other districts.

Those expectations have shaped who HSE is, and as we look toward the future, the challenge is to maintain momentum.

Academic excellence will always be at the center of our work. Students continue to demonstrate high levels of achievement, and statewide assessments prove it. For example, three HSE schools reached 100 percent proficiency on this year’s IREAD with the district reaching a new six-year high of 97.3 percent of third graders passing.  Additionally, the district has a projected 99 percent graduation rate, and both high schools are in the top 5 percent in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report.

The goal, though, is to keep pushing forward, improving wherever there’s room to and ensuring we’re delivering the education the community expects.

That requires exceptional educators. There is no substitute for having talented, capable professionals in front of students every day. Great teachers challenge students academically, recognize when they need additional support, and become trusted adults our children and families depend on. When we retain educators who have demonstrated year after year they can help students thrive, we create consistency across schools.

Attracting and retaining great people matters now more than ever. The educator pool isn’t growing quickly. We need excellent teachers if we want students to reach new heights.

But, excellence is about more than academic results. What makes HSE special is its ability to give students experiences that connect what they learn in school to the world around them.

At the elementary level, we’ve developed guaranteed experiences that give students opportunities beyond the traditional classroom. For example, fourth graders learn at Conner Prairie, second graders learn at AgriPark and fifth graders engage in STEM learning at Hub and Spoke, all with teachers-in-residence. We want to build on those opportunities so students encounter meaningful, memorable learning experiences throughout their time at HSE.

At the high-school level, that same philosophy is helping us rethink how students prepare for life after graduation. For example, through a partnership with Ivy Tech and SMC, students have access to a precision-machining pathway that can include dual credit, industry certifications, and direct learning from SMC employees who work alongside students.

Both are examples of what work-based learning can become, bringing industry expertise into classrooms and connecting education more directly to future possibilities. These experiences will become even more important as Indiana’s high school diploma requirements evolve. HSE will be positioned to lead, not merely respond.

Maintaining that momentum also means recognizing students can’t reach their full academic potential unless they have the support they need.

HSE’s partnership with Ascension brings school-based therapists closer to students and families. Having behavioral-health professionals embedded in schools supports educators and makes services more convenient for families who otherwise might need to take a child out of school for an appointment.

Safety is equally fundamental. School resource and safety officers provide security throughout the school day, during arrival and dismissal and at large athletic and community events, resources that may not always be the most visible part of the student experience, but that create the environment in which everything else is possible.

These priorities – exceptional educators, academic achievements, unique learning experiences, student support and safe schools – are not separate ambitions. Together, they define our district.

There’s a reason so many families have chosen to make this community home. Strong schools contribute to a strong community, just as a community that values and supports education helps its schools thrive. That relationship has propelled HSE schools forward for years. Now, we must maintain that momentum.

We should be proud of the excellence HSE students and educators demonstrate today. But pride in what we’ve accomplished can’t become complacency about what’s next.

The question before us is what opportunities we want the next generation of HSE students to inherit, and what we can do today to make sure our district continues to expect, pursue, and achieve excellence. Vote YES to continued academic excellence on or before Nov. 3.

Matt Kegley is superintendent at Hamilton Southeastern Schools.