Gary Schools picks former HSE superintendent Yvonne Stokes as new leader

Yvonne Stokes is the new leader of Gary Community Schools, the district’s school board announced last week. 

Stokes will be Gary’s first board-appointed superintendent since the state took control of the district in 2017 because it was insolvent, with a $22 million operating deficit and more than $100 million in long-term debt. She previously led Hamilton Southeastern Schools and was assistant superintendent in Munster schools.

The state’s emergency management of the district is set to end June 30. The five-member appointed board, who hired Stokes, will then take control of the district.

Stokes, who was hired by HSE in 2021, resigned from her role at the beginning of the school year. Following a monthslong search, HSE’s school board selected Pat Mapes as her replacement in February. 

Mapes was the longtime superintendent of Perry Community Schools who retired in 2023. He also sits on the State Board of Education. 

In a statement, Stokes said she recognizes that the Gary community and school board are committed to eliminating inequities that negatively impact students. 

“These efforts resonate with me because I am passionate about breaking down barriers and creating access and opportunity for all our students to be successful,” Stokes said. 

“Therefore, in the spirit of continuous improvement, I am grateful for the opportunity to support the empowerment of all our students so they can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.”

Stokes will face multiple challenges leading the district, including a years-long enrollment decline that slowed in the past year.
 

During her tenure at HSE, Stokes frequently dealt with community tensions about her leadership from her first day until her resignation. 

Stokes’ departure was controversial for the Hamilton County district that battled accusations of forcing their first Black superintendent out. Details of why Stokes left were not discussed publicly. 

In her final agreement with HSE’s board, Stokes agreed to never file a lawsuit against HSE or board members related to her employment or anything further with the entity. The board agreed to the same terms. 

Stokes also agreed to a non-disclosure agreement barring her from disclosing any “confidential information”.

According to her Gary contract, Stokes will make $215,000 yearly. Stokes begins her new position on July 1. It runs for three years.

Since 2017 the district was operated by the Florida-based company MGT, under a contract with the Distressed Unit Appeals Board, a state oversight body that currently controls the district. 

DUAB will hand over control to the new board in July because the district is no longer considered financially distressed. In past years, closing schools, an influx of local, state and federal money, and some debt forgiveness, improved the dire financial situation.

Rachel Fradette is the WFYI Statehouse education reporter. Contact Rachel at rfradette@wfyi.org.