Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board members spent time Tuesday afternoon asking questions of the four finalists to fill the remaining term of Mike Bottorff. Now the board must come to a decision on which candidate to select. However, board members are still uncertain how to go about deliberating.
Board attorney David Day said the law is not clear on whether school boards may discuss candidates to fill board vacancies in a private executive session or open public session. At first, board members were leaning toward scheduling an executive session to meet in private to discuss the four candidates, filling the term for the Fall Creek Township at-large seat.
Day did tell board members there is nothing in the law preventing private one-on-one discussion between two members of the school board.
After a lengthy discussion, the board left open the possibility of scheduling an executive session to talk about the four candidates vying to fill the vacant seat, but did not schedule one. The board will vote on who will be selected at the June 26 regular meeting.
Here is a synopsis of what each board candidate said in answering questions and providing a brief opening a closing statement. All four appeared before the board at the same time, sitting at the same table as each spoke to the board.
Clint Wilson
His family has lived in Fishers six years. He has three children. Wilson is an agent with State Farm Insurance.
Wilson’s involvement as a volunteer for the Youth Mentoring Initiative and participation in the Finance Academy motivated him to seek this board seat. He has observed many of the challenges students face in school these days. He understands he will be one of seven members of the board.
As an insurance agent, Wilson collaborated with other agents to establish programs bringing potential clients into the office to discuss what is needed in each individual case.
The greatest challenge for public education, in his view, is figuring out which challenge is the greatest one. Even with the many positive parents in the HSE Schools, students face challenges in dealing with social media. He has found that students learn much differently compared to when Wilson was in school. He says critical thinking is very important for students to learn.
In his final statement, Wilson said his experience will add value to the board.
Jason Lantzer
He moved to the HSE school district 11 years ago. He has two children in local schools. He is a professor at Butler University, working in the admissions office and the honors program.
He sees HSE grads and students from other schools through the Butler admissions office, but does not want the local school district to just be a pipeline for the university system. As a board member, he would be focused on results.
Lantzer collaborated with others at Butler to establish a program where students traveled to Germany and received credit for the trip, including observing what is left of the Berlin Wall. He pointed to the effectiveness of his work establishing an honors program by dealing with virtually all parts of Butler University.
There are a number of challenges facing public education, with the technology gap being a major one. Lantzer added that public education often does not do a good job telling its own story to the public.
He would invite parents to become a bigger part of their child’s educational experience. He believes one thing local schools could do better is communicate with parents and the general public.
His family moved to Fishers because of the HSE school district and he has never regretted that decision.
Peter Griffin
Griffin retired as a classroom teacher in HSE Schools just two weeks ago. He has a large family, including adopted kids, and has children in HSE Schools.
He believes one of the greatest parts of teaching is having an influence on the lives of kids. He is a big believer in “feedback loops.” When asked about collaborations, he described marriage as an important exercise in collaboration. He also pointed to the collaborative nature of his service on nonprofit boards.
Griffin pointed to his experience in handling diversity. He has children that are gifted and talented, as well as in special education programs. He taught in an urban school system before moving to Fishers. He describes social justice as a part of his family growing up.
As to the greatest challenge facing public education, Griffin also believes the greatest challenge is picking the one greatest challenge. He is concerned about the pace of life and the challenges to get students to read. In his view, reading and writing are critical skills for students to learn, along with the value of resiliency and grit.
In his closing remarks, Griffin said education is in a unique place in time. He believes his skills are what the board is seeking in a new member. He would focus on relationships as a board member.
Travis Brown
His family moved to Fishers six years ago from Lafayette. He and his family chose to live within the HSE school district. He specializes in communications
He was motivated to apply for this board opening because he is a minority and wants to be a part of making changes in the school system, bringing a unique opportunity for diversity on the board.
Brown related a story about a speech he gave at a school: A student came up to him afterward and said Brown saved his life, because that student had planned to take his own life the next day and his speech turned his thinking around. Changing school culture over time is something he believes is important.
Because Brown is African American, he believes all diversity is important to HSE Schools. With three biracial children, he says he lives with that each day.
He finds one of public education’s biggest challenges is equity, not equality. Equity is more about providing everyone with what is needed to be successful.
Brown believes that in many ways the HSE district is “getting it right,” but you cannot know that until school officials actually know what’s going on. He also believes HSE Schools can do a better job of telling its story to the local community.
In closing, Brown said he was inundated with phone calls once the process for replacing Board Member Mike Bottorff was announced. He believes he has the qualities the board needs.
* * *
Whether or not the board decides to discuss this issue in executive session, when the vote is conducted June 26, it will take four votes to select the new board member. If no candidate can muster at least four board votes, Hamilton County Circuit Court Judge Paul Felix would make the selection, based on Indiana law.