As budget challenges continue to squeeze Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools, district staff and the school board are preparing to consider a new round of fees — covering classroom “consumables,” athletic participation and a higher monthly rate for the district’s preschool program.

The proposals are scheduled to be presented at the board’s June 10 meeting.

Consumable Fees

Indiana state law prohibits local school corporations from charging book fees or book rental fees, but it does permit public schools to charge for what are commonly described as “consumables” — the materials a student uses up while taking part in a particular class, such as art supplies in an art course.

HSE Schools currently do not charge for these items. An internal HSE committee has been studying the issue and will recommend that the board begin charging for consumables beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.

State law also caps how much a student can be charged for consumables in a single year. The committee will present the following limits by grade level:

These figures represent the maximum any student would be charged in a school year; many students will not reach the cap. Students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch will not be charged a consumable fee at any grade level.

For more details on the proposed consumable fees, use this link

Athletic Participation Fees

The committee is also recommending that the board adopt a fee schedule for students who participate in athletics. If the board agrees, the following fees would take effect in the 2026-2027 school year:

• Grades 7-8: $50 per student, per sport
• Grades 9-12: $75 per student, per sport

According to district officials, these fees are intended to supplement — not replace — the district’s existing funding for athletics, helping cover the cost of personnel, equipment and supplies.

School officials emphasized that they will work with any family that cannot afford the fees. The stated goal is that no student be denied the chance to participate in athletics because of cost.

Preschool Fees

Finally, the committee is recommending changes to the fee structure for the HSE preschool program, effective September 1, 2026:

• Monthly Participation Fee (non-special-education students): $350 — up from $300
• One-Time Material Fee: $90 — unchanged

The board is expected to take up all three proposals at its June 10 meeting. Families with questions are encouraged to attend or to reach out to the district for more information.

The beach and swimming area at Geist Waterfront Park will open for the season Thursday, June 4, following a delay caused by conditions at Geist Reservoir.

The swimming season was originally scheduled to begin May 23, but Fishers Parks postponed the opening because of cooler water temperatures, high rainfall, elevated water levels and an unfavorable weather forecast.

Fishers Parks is advising visitors to continue monitoring its social media channels for the latest announcements regarding beach and swimming conditions.

Geist Waterfront Park is a 70-acre public park on the east side of Fishers along Geist Reservoir. The park, which opened in 2023, includes a beach, swimming area, walking trails, a pirate-themed playground and public gathering spaces, including shelters available for rent.

The park also provides water access through a non-motorized boat launch and dock for kayaks, canoes and paddle boards.

Located at 10811 Olio Road, near 111th Street, Geist Waterfront Park is the only public parcel on the 1,900-acre Geist Reservoir.

The Fishers Plan Commission voted unanimously Wednesday evening to send a favorable recommendation to the City Council on ordinance changes governing the city’s impact fees.

The action is required by changes approved earlier this year by the Indiana General Assembly as part of House Enrolled Act 1001. The new state law places additional requirements on local governments that impose impact fees on new development to help pay for infrastructure needs created by that growth.

One of the key changes involves the membership of the city’s Impact Fee Advisory Committee. Although the mayor will appoint members of the committee, the new law gives industry organizations a major role in who is selected.

Under the new requirements, the committee must include community members representing a single-family builder, a multifamily builder and a realtor. Those members must be selected based on recommendations from the statewide trade associations representing each of those industries.

The ordinance change before the Plan Commission amends the city’s existing Impact Fee Advisory Committee provisions to bring Fishers into compliance with the new state membership requirements.  The details of how the appointment process will work is not yet available from state officials.

HEA 1001 also places new limits and conditions on how impact fee zones are structured. For impact fees imposed and collected after June 30, 2026, local governments must ensure the impact zone has a functional relationship to the infrastructure being funded, provides a reasonably uniform benefit throughout the zone, and consists of contiguous areas.

The law also requires that the impact zone be connected to the new development, tied to certain utility service or distribution lines, or located within five miles of infrastructure related to road or drainage impact fees.

Impact fees are generally charged to new development to help pay for infrastructure improvements needed as a result of growth, such as roads, drainage and other public facilities. Cities such as Fishers have used those fees as one tool to help growth pay for some of the costs it creates.

The proposed Fishers ordinance is designed to update local language on impact zones and the advisory committee so the city may continue collecting impact fees under the revised state law after the June 30, 2026 deadline.

With the Plan Commission’s favorable recommendation, the ordinance change now moves to the Fishers City Council for final consideration.

There were no comments during the public hearing.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Plan Commission President Howard Stevenson praised Angie Frazier for her service on the Plan Commission, as well as the city Arts Commission.  Mr. Frazier has served on the Plan Commission since 2024 as an appointee of Mayor Scott Fadness.  Wednesday was her last session as a Plan Commission member.

Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) on Wednesday endorsed Gov. Mike Braun’s decision to extend the state’s gasoline tax suspension for another month, even as the prolonged holiday revives questions about lost road funding and the limits of the governor’s emergency powers.

Braun confirmed Wednesday that he is extending the suspension of both the 7% Gasoline Usage Tax and the Gasoline Excise Tax through July 7. The existing suspension had been set to expire June 7. The governor said the combined relief saves Hoosiers more than 62 cents per gallon.

“Indiana has the cheapest gas in the country because we are using every tool in the toolbox to save Hoosier families money. Affordability is my number one priority,” Braun said. The announcement coincided with AAA figures showing Indiana’s average price for regular at about $3.59 a gallon — the lowest statewide average in the nation and well below the national average of roughly $4.26.

The move marks the latest step in a relief effort that began April 8, when Braun first declared a 30-day suspension of the Gasoline Usage Tax under an energy emergency. He extended the order on May 6, adding the excise tax, and has now extended it again. Huston has said the governor possesses the authority to keep the taxes suspended for additional time before the General Assembly would need to act.

A question of authority

The speaker’s support comes with a legal backdrop that is not entirely settled. Under the energy emergency Braun declared in April, the governor can issue relief for a maximum of 120 days without convening lawmakers. Once that window closes, Braun would have to call a special session of the General Assembly to continue the suspension.

Complicating the picture, state law governing other emergency executive orders bars a governor from renewing or extending a proclamation more than once without legislative approval — a provision that has drawn attention as the suspensions stack up. Huston has suggested the gas tax statute’s wording gives Braun room to continue, but top Republican lawmakers have acknowledged that any further extension beyond the current legal declaration would ultimately require a special legislative session. Leaders have said there has been talk of legislative action but no decisions have been made.

The cost to roads

The relief is not free. Indiana’s gasoline taxes fund road and infrastructure work for state and local agencies, and the suspension represents a loss of more than $100 million a month. Local governments have raised concerns about the impact on roadwork budgets.

Braun has said he would support diverting money from the state’s cash reserves to substitute for the lost revenue, an approach that would protect drivers at the pump while drawing down savings the state has accumulated.

Reaction across the aisle

Republican legislative leaders largely lined up behind the governor. Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray (R-Martinsville) said he backed the extension, citing constituent concerns about affordability. “Even though Indiana has one of the lowest costs of living in the country, high gas prices continue to be a major concern for many households across our state, which is why I support the governor’s move to temporarily extend the suspension,” Bray said.

Democrats offered a more critical take. Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington) said Hoosiers “deserve relief from rising gas prices” but argued the suspension treats a symptom rather than a cause. “Gas prices have risen and continue to rise because of instability in the Middle East and uncertainty in global energy markets,” Yoder said. “Governor Braun is trying to shield Hoosiers from the consequences of policies he and his political allies support. While temporary relief may help today, Hoosiers deserve more than a band-aid after the damage is done.”

What’s next

The current order runs through July 7, and Braun has signaled he is weighing whether to keep the taxes suspended into early August. Whether the relief can continue without lawmakers convening — and how the state will backfill lost road money — are likely to dominate the debate in the weeks ahead. At the federal level, Congress continues to weigh a suspension of the 18-cent federal gas tax, which would deliver additional savings if approved.

Many people in the busy Fishers District area may have seen smoke or flames earlier Wednesday morning after a moving truck caught fire at The Yard at Fishers District.

The Fishers Fire Department says crews were called to the scene after the truck caught fire. Everyone inside the vehicle was able to get out safely before firefighters arrived.

When fire crews reached the area, they found the truck heavily involved in flames. Firefighters quickly worked to bring the blaze under control.

No other vehicles or nearby structures were affected, according to the department.

The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time.

Fishers fire officials used the incident as a reminder that vehicle fires can spread quickly. Anyone who notices smoke, flames or a burning odor while driving should pull over safely, turn off the vehicle, move everyone a safe distance away and call 911.

Hamilton County Democrats are looking to build momentum heading into the November election, and County Party Chair Josh Lowry says that effort includes everything from opening a party headquarters in Fishers to supporting candidates up and down the ballot.

In this podcast interview, Lowry discusses the party’s new office at the Eller House in Fishers, the hiring of Raleigh Brown as executive director, and his efforts to help make Democratic candidates more competitive in Hamilton County. He also talks about how he will encourage local Democratic candidates to address President Donald Trump in their individual campaigns.

Lowry also previews the upcoming Indiana Democratic Party convention and explains why the Hamilton County Democratic Party is not taking a position in the race for the party’s Secretary of State nomination.

The LarryInFishers podcast series is sponsored by Citizens State Bank.

Listen to the full podcast at this link, or the link below.

Students in Hamilton Southeastern Schools could soon be required to keep their cell phones and other wireless devices powered off and out of reach throughout the school day under a new policy the district’s Board of School Trustees is set to vote on June 10.

The proposed policy, discussed by the board’s Policy Committee Wednesday morning, chaired by Jason Urban, Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools, would require students to store their devices in lockers or backpacks during instructional hours. Phones, smartwatches, earbuds, tablets, gaming devices and similar internet- or cell-connected gadgets would all have to be turned off and inaccessible while school is in session.

The restrictions apply only to the school day. Students would still be allowed to use their devices before and after school and while riding the school bus.

District officials say the policy was crafted to align with recent changes in Indiana law. “Inappropriate use of cell phones and other wireless communication devices can be detrimental to the well-being of students and the academic climate of classrooms,” the proposed policy language states, noting that the devices “can disrupt the learning environment and take valuable time away from instruction.”

Under the policy, designated Code J13.00, students may still bring a wireless device to school but are prohibited from possessing or using it during the day. The measure defines a wireless electronic device broadly to include cellular phones, tablet and laptop computers, digital cameras, gaming devices, headphones and earbuds, smart glasses, smartwatches and any similar device connected to a phone, cell tower or the internet.

Students would still be permitted to use school-sanctioned devices that meet district specifications for instructional purposes.

The policy carves out several exceptions in which its restrictions would not apply. Students may use a device during an emergency when authorized to do so, to manage a documented medical condition under a health care provider’s order, as part of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan, or for language translation when no school-managed device is available.

Students who violate the policy could face discipline, up to and including suspension or expulsion. School administrators may confiscate a device, which would then be returned to a parent or guardian.

The policy also reminds families that students are solely responsible for the care and security of any devices they bring to school. Hamilton Southeastern Schools assumes no responsibility for theft, loss, damage or misuse of personal wireless devices on its property.

The Board of School Trustees is scheduled to take a vote on the policy at its June 10 meeting.

Hamilton Southeastern Schools will celebrate 1,754 graduates this week as Fishers High School and Hamilton Southeastern High School hold commencement ceremonies at the Fishers Event Center.

For the second consecutive year, both high schools will hold graduation at the Fishers Event Center, giving graduates and their families a shared community venue to mark the milestone.

Fishers High School will hold its commencement ceremony Wednesday, June 3, at 7 p.m. Hamilton Southeastern High School will follow Thursday, June 4, at 7 p.m.

District officials say the Class of 2026 leaves Hamilton Southeastern Schools with a strong record of academic achievement and preparation for the next step after high school.

Combined data from the two high schools shows a projected graduation rate of 99 percent, with an average GPA of 3.5. One in four graduates earned a GPA of 4.0 or higher.

The district reports that 91 percent of graduates plan to pursue post-secondary education, while 9 percent plan to enter the workforce or military. Students in the Class of 2026 also earned 380 industry certifications.

“This graduating class has demonstrated excellence both inside and outside the classroom,” Superintendent Dr. Matt Kegley said. “Whether their next step is college, military service, the workforce, or another pathway, these students leave HSE prepared to make meaningful contributions to their communities. We are proud of all they have accomplished and excited to see what comes next.”

HSE officials said the Class of 2026 has built a legacy of academic success, leadership, service, athletic achievement, artistic excellence and community involvement throughout their time in the district.

Both graduation ceremonies will be livestreamed and recorded for those unable to attend in person.

The Fishers High School livestream is available at:

https://www.youtube.com/live/gZVlPmfhhZM?si=WEzZFdHVHPuM5fNT

The Hamilton Southeastern High School livestream is available at:

https://www.youtube.com/live/iDAZJzG5foU?si=cnefISYbQnToKkhB

Recordings of each ceremony will be available following commencement through the district’s YouTube channel.

Soccer fans across central Indiana will have three chances this month to watch Team USA chase World Cup glory on the big screen — for free.

Fishers Event Center will host three World Cup Watch Parties at the FORUM Credit Union Plaza, the open-air space just outside the venue, as the United States men’s national team opens its tournament run. Each party features giant screens, interactive fan activations, giveaways, games, and food and beverages available for purchase, all in a stadium-inspired atmosphere built for cheering alongside fellow supporters.

The watch parties are presented in partnership with sponsor Michelob ULTRA, which is staging fan experiences nationwide as the World Cup returns to U.S. soil for the first time since 1994.

The schedule:

• Friday, June 12 — Gates 8 p.m., kickoff 9 p.m. (USA vs. Paraguay)
• Friday, June 19 — Gates 2 p.m., kickoff 3 p.m. (USA vs. Australia)
• Thursday, June 25 — Gates 9 p.m., kickoff 10 p.m. (USA vs. Turkey)

Admission is free, with no tickets or registration required, and free surface parking is available. Because the plaza is an open-air venue, organizers encourage fans to bring lawn chairs or blankets and to dress for the weather — sunglasses, ponchos and similar gear depending on conditions.

Fishers Event Center, which opened in November 2024, seats 7,500 and hosts concerts, comedy, family shows and sporting events. It is home to three pro teams: the Indy Fuel (ECHL hockey), Indy Ignite (Major League Volleyball) and Fishers Freight (Indoor Football League).

More information is available at fisherseventcenter.com.

Retiring Hamilton Southeastern High School social studies teacher Chad Janney received a surprise honor on the final day of school, capping a 28-year career with Hamilton Southeastern Schools.

Janney was presented with a Distinguished Hoosier proclamation from Gov. Mike Braun during a year-end gathering of his social studies department colleagues. The presentation was made by Jason Urban, HSE assistant superintendent of secondary education.

The Distinguished Hoosier award is one of Indiana’s highest honors, recognizing individuals whose service, leadership and contributions have made a lasting impact on their communities and the state.

Janney was nominated for the recognition in honor of his nearly three decades of dedication to students, his passion for history and civic education, and his work to create meaningful classroom experiences.

His efforts received additional attention earlier this school year during the U.S. Department of Education’s History Rocks! tour at Hamilton Southeastern High School, where Janney’s work to bring history to life for students was highlighted.

As Janney retires from teaching, the award serves as a tribute to a career devoted to helping students better understand history, citizenship and public service.