The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School board has authorized Superintendent Allen Bourff to negotiate a recommended deal for the board to buy land for a new Durbin Elementary School.  The board voted 7-0 Wednesday evening allowing the school administration to negotiate on the board’s behalf.

The board was told at the previous meeting that extending utilities to the current Durbin location would cost at least $5 million.  Attorney David Day said Wednesday that local land owners would be involved along the utility extension route, with negotiations or condemnation proceedings, which would take time.  CFO Mike Reuter said his financial analysis boils down to acquiring the 20 acres required for a new elementary building and holding onto the current Durbin property, with that land value likely to rise over time.

The board was told there are 228 more students in HSE Schools, compared to this same time last school year, but the number is not yet final.  Brooks School, New Britton, Sand Creek, Southeastern and Thorpe Creek Elementary schools are either at or over capacity.  The building most over capacity is New Britton, by nearly 70 students.  Bourff says that means the future of Durbin impacts the student population numbers for these schools.

With authority to negotiate, Bourff told board members he may have a Durbin recommendation by the next board meeting August 28th.

In other school board news from Wednesday’s session:

–The school calendars for the coming school years (2020-2021 & 2021-2022) were discussed and the board spent time talking about the proposed 2020-2021 calendar.  It calls for the first day of school to be Wednesday, August 5th.  There was a lively discussion on how that date could be moved back, but no consensus was reached.  The calendars will be on the August 28th board agenda for approval.  You can review the proposed 2020-2021 school calendar at this link.  The proposed 2021-2022 draft calendar can be found at this link.

–Dr. Bourff says the administration is researching the possibility of having later start times for high school students.  He plans on having discussions with high school students and will bring this before the board at a later date.

–Dr. Bourff announced plans to establish a Purdue Polytechnic High School at the Hub and Spoke facility now under construction near 106th Street and I-69.  Bourfff says this program is consistent with the HSE Schools’ HSE21 concept.

–Board member Amanda Shera voted “no” on the consent agenda, normally a routine item at each board meeting.  She said after the meeting that her vote related to objections she had over the custodial contract.

–Stephanie Madison was introduced to the board as the new Director of Business for HSE Schools.  She replaces Cecilie Nunn, who will take over the Chief Financial Officer duties for the retiring Mike Reuter beginning in 2020.  Madison previously worked for the Charles A. Beard School Corporation in Trafalgar, Indiana.

–This meeting began at 4:30pm, the only instance where this reporter has attended a board session at that hour.  The earlier start time allowed board members to attend parent-teacher night activities at their respective children’s schools.