HSE board choose Pat Mapes as new superintendent

The Hamilton Southeastern school board Wednesday night unanimously approved Pat Mapes to be the district's new superintendent.

Mapes has technically already been working for the district since Friday when the district approved a three-day contract but now the district has approved a three-year contract for Mapes.

The appointment follows a tumultuous school year for HSE schools after its former superintendent Yvonne Stokes departed the district abruptly in September.

Mapes previously served as superintendent of the Perry Township School District for seven years before announcing his retirement in Dec. 2022.

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The HSE board approved Mapes's new base salary of $215,270, about a $20,000 bump from Stokes’ last contract.

His contract also allows for an annual salary bump not exceeding $20,000, depending on the results of the school board’s performance evaluation.

On top of the salary, the contract awards a monthly stipend of $1,000 as an automobile allowance. A technology allowance of $100 per month is also listed.

Since leaving his position at Perry Township, Mapes has been working as the vice president of school academic operations for Stride, an education company that provides online and blended educational programs for schools.

Mapes told IndyStar after the meeting on Wednesday that during his time working for Stride, he missed being a superintendent.

“I found that the online world wasn't the best for me,” Mapes said. “Not being able to see kids daily, and not seeing a lot of impact of what we were doing, there just wasn't a lot of job satisfaction for me.”

HSE board president Juanita Albright said on behalf of the board Wednesday that with the hiring of Mapes, the board is confident that the district has a “bright future.”

“We are confident Mr. Mapes will be a great addition to our administration and will spearhead continued efforts to enhance our schools and communities,” Albright said.

Mapes said in the coming weeks and months he plans on visiting school to familiarize himself with the district. He will start work on creating a strategic plan for the entire district.

Mapes also serves on the Indiana State Board of Education. He was appointed in 2023 for a four-year term.

Before serving as Perry Township’s superintendent Mapes was the chairman of the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board and before that served as state director of teacher licensing and assistant superintendent of operations for the Indiana Department of Education.

During Wednesday's meeting, the board appointed interim HSE superintendent Matt Kegley deputy superintendent.

HSE is hosting a welcoming reception from Mapes that anyone in the district is invited to attend on March 4 at 6:30 p.m. at the HSE administration building.

IndyStar archives contributed to this reporting.

Contact IndyStar reporter Caroline Beck at 317-618-5807 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @CarolineB_Indy.

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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: HSE taps former Perry Township leader for new superintendent