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The district picked the three meeting locations to try to reach Indianapolis' different neighbourhoods. Wednesday's meeting took place on the westside.
Carter BarrettWFYIIndianapolis Public Schools hosted its first public input meeting on the upcoming search for a new superintendent Wednesday afternoon.
Around 50 people came out to the event –– including school leaders and volunteers, teachers and parents. People broke into small groups to answer a handful of questions about the direction of the district and what they want to see from the new superintendent.
The search begins after former superintendent Lewis Ferebee announced late last year he was leaving the district to lead Washington, D.C. public schools. Then, Aleesia Johnson was appointed the interim superintendent for IPS.
During the meeting people voiced a range of concerns –– including the financial stability of the district, keeping parents engaged in schools, retaining teachers and addressing the mental health of students.
“One thing I was surprised how many people were here, and the variety and diversity of opinions, of experience,” school board commissioner Susan Collins says.
Some people in attendance said they want to see the district continue the growth of innovation schools and charter partnerships.
“Continued growth mindset for the district, the growth of relationships with other partners,” IPS alumnus Darius Sawyers says. “Whether that’s charter schools who are doing great things for students or more programs and more offerings for kids.”
Carolina Figueroa, a parent activist with school reform group Stand for Children, says she wants to see a superintendent that knows Indianapolis.
“As much as we could bring in an expert that might be able to have some magical equation to solve it, if you don’t have connections with the actual community I don’t believe that's going to get done,” Figueroa says.
In an online survey conducted by Stand for Children, 77 percent of participants said they want a superintendent that’s had success with a population similar to students in IPS.
In January, the school board released a timeline for the search. The information gathered during the district’s public input sessions will be compiled for the school board to consider and given to the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis School of Education to create a job posting.
The districts plan to have a new superintendent hired in May. The position is not yet open, as board members say they want to spend time gathering community input.
On Monday, the IPS Community Coalition –– a group critical of the district –– hosted its own community input meeting. At that meeting, attendees asked for a variety of changes including increased transparency and more community engagement. Many expressed concern over the growth of charter partnerships and innovation schools – schools that are autonomous from most district policies.
The district will hold at least two more community input meetings, people can submit feedback electronically via the IPS website.
Locations of Future IPS Superintendent Search Meetings
- March 7, 6-8 p.m. at Arsenal Technical High School
- March 13, 6-8 p.m. at George Washington Carver Montessori School 87
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