With Yvonne Stokes out at HSE, what does this mean for an ever-changing school district?

The Hamilton Southeastern School Board made the departure of Yvonne Stokes official Wednesday, effectively buying out the district’s first Black superintendent just as the school year begins.

Stokes, who was hired in 2021, took over the helm at HSE following Allen Bourff’s retirement after a seven-year tenure. She negotiated a buyout across the past two weeks because she wanted to move on, board members said.

Her short-lived leadership began how it ended: with a public uproar.

At the 2021 board meeting confirming her job, protesters held signs urging the board to vote no, citing her lack of qualification and “indoctrination." Before taking the job in Fishers, Stokes served as assistant superintendent for the school district of Munster.Wednesday's meeting, though, drew many who said they believed Stokes was not given a fair shot from the start.

Throughout Stokes's tenure, the school district weathered several changes amid community tension, including a political shift on the school board.

Last school year, four school board seats turned over to conservative members who have since made swift changes, including removing microaggression language from student handbooks and ending a district wide survey on mental health.

All of this plus how Stokes's leaving was handled has left teachers frustrated. Particularly concerning was the board’s decision to keep this information quiet until just before the Wednesday meeting, held at an inconvenient time, said Abby Taylor, president of the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association.

“An unexpected meeting with no context or agenda was announced with an unusual start time, preventing many of our community from attending especially teachers who were directly impacted by this time frame, resulting in a series of rumors and speculations and contributed to the continued distrust in our board members, which impacts all teachers, students and community members alike,” Taylor said.

The board only gave notice of the meeting two days prior, which is allowed under Indiana law. The board posted details of Wednesday's meeting online Tuesday evening.

The terms of this meeting and how Stokes announced her decision to leave stemmed from legal negotiations by both parties, Board President Dawn Lang told IndyStar.

“I'd say we complied with the legal requests and process throughout this whole thing,” Lang said. “The timing and the transparency piece can certainly be front and center, but there was a legal process at play that we had to comply with.”

Chris Greisl, the school board’s attorney, said that Stokes and her own legal counsel contacted Greisl to negotiate a buyout at the month’s start.

Following the brief meeting, Lang said that due to confidentiality she could not say whether Stokes was informed her contract would not be renewed during her yearly evaluation.

“We had a confidential conversation with her about her performance and for her life and for her tenure in the district,” Lang said. “That’s kept confidential between board members and superintendents.”

Superintendent job performance evaluations are not made public in Indiana.

Stokes, who earned her doctorate in educational leadership from Purdue University, did not attend the school board’s meeting Wednesday. In a statement released by HSE, Stokes said she was grateful to the communities she served.

“The opportunity to serve as superintendent was one I never took lightly," Stokes said. "As this shift in leadershipcommences, I am committed to supporting the district and feel confident that our staff, students andfamilies will be in capable hands. The future is bright for HSE."

With Stokes’ departure, this freshman board will now oversee a superintendent search.

Here’s what you need to know.

Who will run Hamilton Southeastern Schools now?

Matt Kegley, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, will take on HSE’s interim superintendent role until board members appoint a new leader.

Kegley will hold all responsibilities of a district superintendent. But does he want the big job permanently?

Maybe, Kegley told IndyStar.

“I’m taking it right now, a day at a time,” Kegley said. “And see how things go.”

Kegley, who started at HSE in 2006, has risen from assistant principal to principal to the district’s administrative office and now interim superintendent.

What did the board say about a search for a new HSE leader?

Lang said the board intends to embark on a formal search in the coming months. She did not provide a timeline for the search.

But Lang said Kegley has the full support of the board.

“Change is never easy but it is always better to navigate it together,” Lang said at the meeting.

What is in Stokes’ buyout?

In her agreement with the board, Stokes agrees to never file a lawsuit against HSE or the board about her employment or anything else. The board agrees to do the same.

Stokes also agreed to a non-disclosure agreement barring her from disclosing any “confidential information” publicly. This includes a laundry list of topics like contracts, business plans, customers, students and processes.

For that, Stokes will receive her full compensation through her final year, which ends in June 2024. So, she will be effectively bought out of her contract.

According to her contract, Stokes made $196,292 yearly.

What does this mean for HSE’s referendum renewal?

In November, HSE schools will ask voters to approve a referendum renewal. The lack of a permanent leader could make it hard for the board to persuade voters to support the initiative.

Lang said she doesn't want to speculate.

“While timing is not ideal, by any stretch,” Lang said, “I think that this is something that we are here to focus on moving our district forward and making sure that we have the necessary supports for him (Kegley), as well as Dr. Stokes in her next career path.”

What referendum?: HSE approves referendum renewal for fall that would reduce tax rate

The referendum generates about $26 million a year for the district. If it doesn’t pass, significant cuts will be needed throughout the district.

What did the public say about this announcement?

For some, Stokes' departure fueled concerns about how the school board has handled race issues, specifically diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Across the country and in Fishers, DEI work has become a major talking point between advocates who want to see it cemented in policy and opponents who do not want to see it in schools.

More: How diversity, critical race theory controversy unfolded in each Hamilton County school

Fishers resident Norma Johnson made an impassioned speech to the board following the meeting’s conclusion.

Johnson, a 77-year-old Black woman, accused the board of setting Stokes up to fail in addition to not wanting her to succeed because of her race. Johnson said it’s a disgrace how the board handled Stokes leaving.

“They didn’t have to do this,” Johnson said. “They made it known that they did not want her here from the very beginning.”

After the meeting, Lang responded to critics who have said that board members are not motivated to ensure opportunities for Black educators and students.

“We provide opportunities for all students and all employees regardless of immutable characteristics to come and be successful in our district,“ Lang said. “Our focus and our goal is to ensure that we represent all students in our district.”

Rachel Fradette is a suburban education reporter at IndyStar. Contact her at rfradette@indystar.com or follow her on Twitter at @Rachel_Fradette.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Hamilton Southeastern Schools lost their top leader. What come next?