Superintendent: Why wait for tragedy?

Aiming to prevent a tragedy, Northeastern Wayne Schools’ leader is pleading with state officials for help after a serious accident near the entrance for most of its students. 

Superintendent Matthew Hicks said the high-speed two-vehicle accident on Sept. 12 at U.S. 27 and Wallace Road led to someone taking an ambulance ride, and it was dangerously close to becoming a traffic fatality.

When traffic was being redirected off campus, Hicks said many drivers rolled down their windows and said they believe a stoplight has been needed there for decades.

Wayne County Sheriff Randy Retter said five personal injury and 12 property damage crashes have taken place at that intersection since 2019.

The superintendent believes it’s a problem that needs solving now and shouldn’t require one or more deaths to spur change.

“Why do we have to wait until something horrific happens when we’ve seen so many near misses at this intersection?” he asked.

The solution isn’t as simple as sending one of NWS’ school resource officers to direct traffic before and after school, Hicks noted during the Sept. 18 school board meeting. 

Because U.S. 27 is a federal highway, Hicks said two officers must direct traffic unless there’s an emergency. Hicks said other communities would have a larger pool of off-duty officers available at school arrival/dismissal times to hire for traffic duty. 

After the recent crash, Hicks contacted State Sen. Jeff Raatz and State Rep. Brad Barrett, and Raatz said he’d ask Indiana Department of Transportation to take another look. 

Shortly after joining NWS, Hicks invited Raatz and Barrett to see and discuss the intersection, and they did. The lawmakers contacted INDOT, which conducted an in-depth traffic study.

However, INDOT denied the request, saying the intersection didn’t qualify for a light because it wasn’t needed more than twice a day.

Additional community attempts to get a stoplight have failed. Years ago, a locally initiated petition with many signatures didn’t get the desired result, board member Kim Claypoole noted on social media. 

Hicks disagrees with INDOT’s earlier assessment, saying two times a day, “we really, really need it” while “precious cargo” is on the roads. 

As a parent of a driver, Hicks understands the concerns of those sending young motorists to school.

Board member Keith Webster suggested Hicks reach out to other nearby high schools along highways, such as Union (Modoc), Monroe Central and Shenandoah, to see if they could work together toward a solution.      

Hicks said he’ll follow up with the legislators and INDOT as appropriate and encourages brainstorming to continue.  

In other business

• No one spoke during the 2025 budget hearing or the bond/appropriations hearings for about $5.9 million in wall repairs discussed at earlier meetings. The board unanimously approved related resolutions. 
• NWS approved its 2025-2026 calendar. First student day is Aug. 6 and last is May 21. The 2026-27 calendar was tabled for discussion after realizing the proposed start date is before State Fair Band Day, and deciding if graduation on Friday of Memorial Day weekend is OK. 
• NWS likely will buy diesel buses (not electric). NWS’ share for electric buses in 2025 would be about $200,000 instead of last year’s discounted $63,000. A cost study will be reviewed before deciding.
• The lowest bid, $119,200 from AAA Roofing, was approved to replace the final section of the original 1967-68 roof.  
• NWS began partnering with Ivy Tech for a no-cost part-time K-14 adviser who’s helping students earn college credits.  
• Early Learning Center’s new sixth classroom was licensed.
• Band director Daniel Eisenhofer’s resignation was approved at the meeting. The middle school band and choir fall concerts were canceled, but they’ll perform in December.   
• Northeastern Elementary earned nearly $10,000 from selling candy bars. 
• NWS is currently six students ahead of last fall’s count (1,272) before count day. 
• Donations: $3,000 for archery from Whitetails Unlimited, Inc.; $1,000 from Williamsburg Lions for elementary reading supplies