Hamilton Southeastern School District Superintendent Brian Smith addressed the Fishers Chamber of Commerce Sept. 19, announcing new initiatives and statistics for the school system.
Smith spoke about several programs, including one that involves “one to one computing.” “HSE 21” is set to put a tablet in the hands of every HSE School student.
Three officials from HSE Schools explained the workings and rollout of the program, which will take place over the next three to four years.
The program focuses on collaboration, critical thinking, creative problem-solving and “information fluency.”
Smith said to make it work, the district is asking teachers to think and teach differently, as well as how to discern good information from bad information on the Internet.
“We’re asking teachers now before we deploy all these computers, we want you to think about teaching differently, otherwise those tablets just become very expensive work sheets,” Smith said, “and that’s not what we want.”
To demonstrate HSE 21’s potential, three students took over the presentation and in real time shared notes and information, as well as a video the group made using only the tablets they were provided. Each student currently works in the technology arena.
Aside from HSE 21, Smith elaborated on senior academies, a new teacher evaluation plan, statistics and more.
Smith said each high school is planned to have a senior academy that reflects post high school life, whether students choose the path of college or the immediate working world.
Parents can expect teachers to be evaluated differently in the future, according to Smith.
Teachers in the HSE Schools district are to be evaluated each year, including “objective measures of student achievement and growth.”
“Once you close that classroom door, the only thing that makes a difference is capability and confidence of that teacher,” Smith said.
At HSE’s new freshman center, special education is kept in house after leaving the joint program with other area schools.
“We’re reaching for the extraordinary,” Smith said.
HSE School District by the numbers:
- 19,812 Students
- 1,100 Teachers
- Approximately 2,200 total employees
- Ranked 10th in ISTEP+
- SAT Composite Score Average: 1597
- 1,548 students took 2,389 Advanced Placement Exams
- 12 percent on free or reduced lunch
- Fourth largest district in the state