Facing upcoming challenges in securing workplace opportunities for high school students, Wayne County’s six school leaders have collaborated on a plan that could become a state model, officials say.
At its March 19 meeting, Northeastern was the county’s first school board to support Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce hiring a director of employer engagement. The vote was unanimous.
Western Wayne, Centerville-Abington, Richmond Community Schools and Nettle Creek boards are expected to vote on the memorandum of understanding by mid-April. Seton Catholic has also expressed interest in the collaboration.
NWS Superintendent Matthew Hicks said schools’ career coaches are doing great work with students. However, superintendents believe a one-stop shop is needed for businesses to directly partner with schools to secure work placements.
About 60-70% of Wayne County’s future graduates are expected to be impacted by the work of this one person, Hicks said.
As superintendents are all equally committed to this collaboration, equal contributions will make them equal partners in controlling the program despite enrollment differences.
By pooling $25,000 per district per year for five years, plus a $4,000 annual contribution from the much smaller Seton, they hope to offer an enticing salary and benefits for a human resource professional with many community connections. Program materials will come from that pooled funding, too.
If any district opts out, the financial deal will need restructuring or grant funding would need to be secured.
However, Hicks said all Wayne County educators want kids to be successful in the long term and stay in the county, so he’s hopeful consensus can be reached.
“We’re not one of those places that doesn’t want our neighbors to succeed,” Hicks said.
The five superintendents meet regularly and call each other frequently — even daily — for feedback, ideas and support when things get difficult.
Hicks said this project might not have succeeded a few years ago when there was a lot of superintendent turnover, but now that all of the county’s superintendents have settled into their roles, their collaboration, relationships and trust have grown.
Hicks said this project has been one of the greatest collaborative efforts he’s been part of.
Attorney A.J. Sickmann, who worked on the agreement, thinks this could be a model for the rest of Indiana.
Chamber officials are excited about the prospect of new opportunities to retain talent, offering to contribute office space, furniture and other in-kind support. The 37-member chamber board voted unanimously for the project, Hicks said.
Chamber President/CEO Melissa Vance would supervise the employee, and superintendents will have input on the performance evaluation. Hicks, already a chamber board member, and RCS’ Curtis Wright, representing the largest district, have support from the other superintendents to help chamber and Economic Development Corp. staff make the hire.
Hicks said grants are being pursued to defray the cost, and once the business community sees the position’s value, superintendents are hopeful that employers will eventually offset the schools’ burden.
A version of this article appeared in the March 26 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.