'We’ve had a good run': Noblesville Schools superintendent Beth Niedermeyer to retire in June
Noblesville Schools Superintendent Beth Niedermeyer will retire June 30, 2022, the district announced earlier this month. She has led the district since 2014.
At a Dec. 21 school board meeting, hours after the announcement was made, board president Joe Forgey praised Niedermeyer for her leadership and the impact she has made on countless students.
“She’s done everything good here at Noblesville,” he said. “We’ve had a good run with a lot of years here with Beth.”
Forgey said the board will work with a superintendent search firm to find the next top leader for the district of roughly 10,500 students with plans to name the incoming superintendent this spring.
Noblesville will start its search in earnest in early 2022, and the spring semester is often the busiest time of the year for superintendent searches. Neighboring districts Hamilton Southeastern and Westfield Washington conducted superintendent searches largely in early 2021, naming new leaders in the spring of this year.
“Noblesville Schools is one of the best districts in the state and we’re confident that we’ll be able to find another strong leader to continue our tradition of excellence,” Forgey said in a news release.
8 years leading Noblesville Schools
Of the superintendents in Hamilton County, Niedermeyer has the highest pay with $204,877 in combined base pay and stipends for the current school year. Both she and Hamilton Heights Superintendent Derek Arrowood have the longest superintendent tenures in the county, both starting in 2014.
A news release from Noblesville Schools highlighted several of Niedermeyer's accomplishments including more than 50 school safety enhancements after a May 2018 shooting in the district such as school resources officers in all 10 schools and a safety director for the district.
Additionally, the district has academic scores above the state and national averages, two successful referendum campaigns, added resources for mental health as well as low incomes students and English language learners, and implemented diversity trainings for staff under her leadership. Niedermeyer also is a founding member of the Noblesville Diversity Coalition.
On the facilities side, all 10 schools in the district have had expansions and/or renovations since Niedermeyer became superintendent and the district also built a community center.
Before Niedermeyer was named superintendent at Noblesville, she was in leadership roles at HSE, the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township and Fort Wayne Community Schools. Throughout her career, spanning nearly four decades, she was named teacher of the year, principal of the year and Central Indiana superintendent of the year.
"This was a tough decision for me, as the years I have spent with Noblesville Schools have been the proudest of my career," Niedermeyer said in the release. "...I will continue to be committed to students, educators, public education, Noblesville Schools, and this community, and am rooting for your success.”
Search process underway in 2022
Hiring a superintendent is one of the biggest roles of a school board. The superintendent is the school employee the board interacts with most and the person who manages the day-to-day operations of the district.
The board is expected to name a new superintendent ahead of the 2022 school board election, which will see two of five seats, currently held by Forgey and board member Lisa Sobek, on the ballot.
School boards often hire search firms to guide them through the process, especially since many board members have not hired a superintendent before. In Noblesville, none of the current board members were on the board when Niedermeyer was hired. How involved the search team is depends on its agreement with the district.
In Hamilton County, HSE hired B.W.P. & Associates for their recent search and Westfield Washington hired University Superintendent Search Team. Forgey didn’t indicate which firm Noblesville will use or if the district has selected a firm.
The superintendent search process also often includes a way for the community to provide feedback early on and Noblesville has already said members of the community will be able to share their input to determine the qualities needed in a new leader.
However, much of the hiring process, such as interviews, is typically done in closed sessions as allowed by state law, and boards have moved away from announcing a list of top candidates. Once the board has a final candidate, state law requires the proposed contract to be presented for public comment at least seven days before taking a vote to ratify.
Call IndyStar education reporter MJ Slaby at 317-447-1586 or email her at mslaby@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @mjslaby.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Noblesville Schools: Superintendent Beth Niedermeyer to retire
