There are decisions to be made about how to utilize school buildings in the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School District and the local school board held a lengthy Tuesday morning work session looking at options to consider.

The future of Fishers Elementary School was discussed at length and the board appears to be forming a consensus around keeping the staff together, whether at a newly-remodeled structure at the current site or a new building at a nearby location.  The board also appeared to move in favor of turning the current Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate & Junior High (also known as the HIJH) into just a junior high school and construct another building nearby to house an Intermediate school (grades 5 & 6).

The future of Durbin Elementary School is also part of the mix, with possible future uses as a preschool, professional development center, a home for the Academy, Transition & Focus Day programs or a possible return to an elementary school.  Buying a current commercial building is also a possibility housing the Academy, transition or a possible preschool.

There were discussions of how each option, or mix of options, would impact the school district financially.  Administrators Matt Kegley and Katy Dowling told board members they were looking for direction to guide next steps.  Adding a new Intermediate School will provide some operational challenges, due to the need for administrators, security and guidance staff to be placed in the new school building, according to school staff.

There were no votes taken or actions by the board during the work session.

Superintendent Yvonne Stokes told board members the staff will move forward based on the guidance from board members and will provide more specific proposals, including more precise cost estimates, at a board meeting in August.