Hamilton Southeastern Schools Grow to Meet Population
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Any Fishers resident has seen the steady growth in the area. Nowhere has this been more visible than in its top-notch schools.
In fact, Hamilton Southeastern School District is the fastest growing school corporation in Indiana, with enrollment increasing from 5,474 in the 1995-1996 school year to 14,175 in the 2005-2006 school year.
Now, the district anticipates needing room for an additional 1,000 students just for the high school by the 2011-12 school year. Officials are considering a few different solutions: expanding the existing high schools, building a new high school or constructing a nontraditional learning facility.
To aid in the development of long-range plans for additional facilities and programs in the 21st century, the school district is relying on public forums and demographic studies as well as community input.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Sandra Hollingshead, who leads a committee made up of school employees and community members who recommend how to prepare for the ever-increasing growth, has said that expanding Hamilton Southeastern High School to accommodate 4,000 students was one option. That school currently has about 2,230 students. But the majority of the area’s growth is on the east side, where the existing high school is located, and there is room to add on.
The area’s other high school, Fishers High School, is currently just over its 2,000 capacity, with an enrollment of 2,010, and growing.
Of course the district doesn’t want to rule out the possibility of a third high school because another school will eventually be necessary. If that happens, the new high school would probably be in Wayne Township, which currently doesn’t have enough growth to sustain a high school. That would mean several students would have to be redistricted and perhaps travel farther to school if a third high school were to be built now.
A report for the district that was published in May 2006 addresses all of the possible scenarios for dealing with the increased growth in Wayne Township and Hamilton County, but the recent economic downturn is making it possible for the district officials to carefully weigh all of their options before making any decisions. In fact, according to Interim Superintendent Steve Tegarden, the school district wants to determine how current economic conditions will impact future enrollment as it considers possible solutions to the growth of its student population.
Story by Hollie Deese
Photo by J. Kyle Keener
