Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools Superintendent Matt Kegley delivered a measure of good news to district teachers Wednesday night, announcing that six of the 18 educators who recently received Reduction in Force (RIF) notices have now been told they will have jobs for the next school year.

Kegley said the positions became available through the normal attrition process involving retirements and resignations within the district.

The superintendent made the announcement during an update to the HSE School Board from Chief Financial Officer Tim Brown on the work of the district’s internal Budget Task Force.

Brown said the district is facing a significant financial challenge after relying on approximately $8 million in cash reserves during the current school year to cover operating expenses — a practice district officials say is unsustainable.

To address the shortfall, the task force is recommending approximately $7.7 million in budget reductions, exceeding its original goal of finding at least $5 million in savings.

The largest share of the proposed reductions — roughly $6.7 million — would come from personnel-related savings, reflecting the fact that staffing represents the largest area of district spending.

District officials said declining student enrollment is a major factor driving the cuts. HSE enrollment has dropped 4.1 percent over the past three school years as the district’s demographics continue to change. Because Indiana school funding is largely based on student enrollment, fewer students mean less state revenue.

Most of the teaching position reductions are concentrated in kindergarten through sixth grade levels, where enrollment declines have been the greatest. Those reductions account for approximately $4.4 million in savings.

The task force is also recommending several central office and support staff reductions, including the elimination of positions such as Deputy Superintendent, Building Instructional Coach, Payroll Clerk, Custodial/Maintenance staff member, District Technology Instructional Coach and Telecom Specialist.

Additional savings are being explored through transportation efficiencies, building technology changes and reductions involving support instructional assistants and office staff not tied to special education services. Officials indicated bus driver layoffs are not expected.

The recommendations also include several potential new or reinstated student fees. One proposal would establish “consumable fees” for classroom materials, projected to save approximately $770,000. Another would bring back participation fees for athletics and performing arts programs, similar to measures implemented during previous rounds of district cost-cutting years ago, a savings of $225,000.

The task force also identified an estimated $24,000 in possible savings through reduced printing costs.

Specific recommendations are expected to come before the school board in June. At that time, board members are expected to consider the amount of proposed fees for athletics, performing arts and classroom consumables.

District officials noted Indiana law prohibits schools from charging textbook fees.

The board will conduct a work session May 27 on a possible referendum to be placed on the November election ballot.

If you love to parse numbers, HSE has now unveiled  new section of the district’s Web site.  It is a financial section, which school officials say will be updated on a regular basis.  You can peruse the school’s finances using this link.

The interim tag is expected to come off for Brent Farrell following expected action by the Hamilton Southeastern School Board at Wednesday night’s meeting. Farrell is being recommended for appointment as principal of Riverside Intermediate School under a contract that would run through June 2028.

Farrell has been serving in the interim role at Riverside and is now poised to take over the position on a permanent basis, pending board approval as part of the personnel agenda.

The same personnel agenda also includes several administrator resignations across the district:

• Jessica Paige Vinson, assistant principal at Hamilton Southeastern High School
• Jill Berry, assistant principal at Fall Creek Junior High School
• Chad Guest, athletic director for HSE Intermediate and Junior High schools

The HSE School Board meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

The Hamilton Southeastern Education Association is publicly criticizing HSE Schools’ decision to issue 18 reduction-in-force notices to teachers, arguing the district had alternatives that could have avoided the layoffs.

In a social media statement posted Wednesday, the union said it worked collaboratively with district leadership during recent discussions surrounding the RIF process, but contends school administrators chose not to pursue options such as retirement buyouts for veteran educators.

According to the statement, HSEA proposed buyouts during negotiations that union leaders believe would have saved money while preventing the loss of experienced teachers.

“We know many veteran teachers are delaying retirement because of the rising cost of health insurance and the gap before Medicare eligibility,” the union wrote.

The union said the 18 teachers affected represented more than 100 combined years of classroom experience. HSEA described the educators as respected building leaders, second-career teachers who felt “called to teach,” and instructors who had all received “effective” evaluations in what the union called one of Indiana’s highest-performing school districts.

HSEA’s statement emphasized the emotional impact of the layoffs on those educators.

“18 teachers left wondering what they did wrong,” the statement said. “18 teachers forced to watch the careers and futures they built suddenly disappear.”

The district has previously indicated the staffing reductions are tied to ongoing financial pressures and enrollment-related adjustments. HSE Schools officials have warned in recent months that state funding challenges could force difficult financial decisions, including staffing reductions and possible consideration of a future operating referendum.

Indiana law governing teacher reduction-in-force decisions places priority on teacher performance evaluations rather than seniority alone when districts eliminate positions.

The union acknowledged district and union leaders had worked together during the process but urged school administrators to “exhaust every possible alternative before resorting to RIFs in the future.”

“Teachers are not line items in a budget that can simply be cut,” the statement said. “They are human beings. They are mentors, leaders, neighbors, and caregivers.”

The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board is scheduled to meet Wednesday night.

Executives at FOX59 are likely smiling ear-to-ear Wednesday morning after the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced a grandstand sellout for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500, clearing the way for live local television coverage of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

For the second consecutive year, racing fans in the Indianapolis area will be able to watch the Indy 500 live at home without worrying about the long-standing local blackout rule.

Officials at IMS announced that all reserved seating for the May 24 race has sold out, triggering the lifting of the local blackout. The race will air live in central Indiana on FOX59.

“Anticipation for race day is approaching an all-time high right here in central Indiana and across the globe,” said Doug Boles, president of IndyCar and IMS. “We can’t thank the world’s greatest and most loyal fans enough. The stars of the NTT IndyCar Series are ready for an unparalleled showcase of speed, bravery and competition in front of a historic and massive crowd.”

IMS estimates approximately 350,000 fans will be on hand for race day festivities. Officials also said all badges and passes providing pit and garage access have sold out. Limited general admission tickets for the IMS infield remain available.

The sellout continues a recent trend of relaxed blackout restrictions for the iconic race. IMS lifted the blackout for the 100th Running in 2016 due to a sellout crowd. The race also aired locally in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19 attendance restrictions, in 2024 because of a lengthy rain delay, and again in 2025 following another sellout.

For decades, the Indianapolis 500 blackout was intended to encourage fans to attend the race in person rather than watch on television. While blackout policies have largely disappeared across professional sports because of changing media and streaming landscapes, IMS has continued the tradition longer than most major sporting events.

FOX59 will begin race day coverage at 5 a.m. on Sunday, May 24, with national FOX network coverage taking over at 10 a.m. The green flag is scheduled for 12:45 p.m.

Local viewers will also have a second opportunity to watch the race later that evening when FOX59 airs a tape-delayed replay at 7 p.m. The rebroadcast has long been a tradition for many fans returning home from IMS to relive the day’s action from a television perspective.

Fishers Police say a New York man has been arrested in connection with an elaborate fraud scheme that allegedly cost a Fishers resident more than $200,000.

According to police, 21-year-old Anmolpreet Singh of Levittown, New York, was arrested May 4 on felony charges of conspiracy to commit theft and conspiracy to commit fraud.

Investigators say the case began April 30 when a Fishers resident contacted police after believing they had been targeted by scammers posing as federal officials. Detectives say the suspects convinced the victim to complete multiple financial transactions, including cryptocurrency deposits and wire transfers totaling more than $200,000.

Police said the suspects also allegedly sent the victim a fake arrest warrant and instructed the person to make an in-person cash payment of $50,000.

Believing the scammers would continue trying to contact the victim, Fishers Police detectives worked with federal law enforcement partners to set up an operation aimed at intercepting those involved in the scheme.

According to police, the suspects told the victim they would arrive in Fishers around 4:30 p.m. on May 4 to collect the money. Detectives used Flock camera technology to identify the suspect vehicle as it entered the area, while officers also deployed drones to monitor movements in the neighborhood.

Police say investigators observed the suspect vehicle being driven in a manner consistent with counter-surveillance tactics. Detectives also said the suspect attempted to arrange a hand-to-hand exchange with the victim, a method authorities say is commonly used to avoid detection by law enforcement.

Officers eventually conducted a traffic stop and took Singh into custody without incident.

During the investigation, detectives determined Singh had been communicating with the victim and had knowledge of the fraud scheme, according to police.

“This case highlights the lengths scammers will go to manipulate and financially exploit victims,” Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart said in a statement. “We want our community to know that Fishers Police will use every tool available to identify, investigate, and pursue criminals who target our residents.”

Fishers Police are reminding residents to be cautious of unsolicited calls, emails, or text messages claiming to come from government agencies or law enforcement officials, especially when demands involve cryptocurrency, wire transfers, cash payments, or secrecy.

Police emphasize that legitimate government agencies do not demand payment through cryptocurrency or threaten arrest over the phone.

Hamilton County has received statewide recognition for a project that preserved a unique piece of engineering history while creating a new attraction for local residents at Geist Park.

The reconstruction of the historic Bell Ford Bridge earned the 2026 Grand Project Award from the Indiana chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies during the organization’s Engineering Excellence Awards ceremony held April 30. The honor represented the top award among 40 projects recognized across Indiana.

The Bell Ford Bridge was originally built in 1869 in Jackson County, Indiana, where it carried traffic for more than 100 years before eventually collapsing. The bridge is believed to be the only surviving combination Post truss bridge in the world, making preservation efforts especially significant.

Rather than allowing the remaining structure to disappear, historic components of the bridge were salvaged and relocated to Hamilton County. The reconstructed bridge now spans Fall Creek within Geist Park and serves as a pedestrian crossing.

According to Hamilton County officials, much of the original bridge material was reused in the project, including most of the iron framework and portions of the original 19th-century timber structure. The project combined modern engineering practices with historic preservation techniques in an effort to maintain the bridge’s historic character.

“A bridge built in 1869 has a story worth telling, and we didn’t want that story to end,” said Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Director Chris Stice in a statement released by the county. “It took a lot of people working together to make this restoration happen, and we’re honored that ACEC Indiana recognized the work everyone put into it.”

Hamilton County Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt said the award reflects cooperation between multiple agencies and organizations involved in the restoration effort.

“This project is a great example of what can be accomplished when strong partners come together with a shared vision,” Heirbrandt said. “From our Highway and Parks Departments to the City of Fishers, VS Engineering, and our partners in Jackson County, this was truly a team effort. We’re proud to help preserve this one-of-a-kind structure for future generations.”

The restored bridge has become part of the expanding trail and park amenities in the Geist area, while also preserving a rare example of 19th-century bridge engineering for future generations.