Tri-Creek shifts safety leadership, restructures staff and approves tuition-free online program

Tri-Creek School Corporation leadership told the board on June 12 that a set of staffing restructures and a new district-run online program are intended to preserve student programs while addressing a looming revenue shortfall.

Superintendent Dr. Anderson outlined the financial context: the district expects an Indiana Utility rate impact and “a NIPSCO rate hike that will impact our school district in the coming year by approximately a quarter of a million dollars,” and she said the 2025 Indiana General Assembly action is expected to reduce Tri‑Creek property tax revenue by an estimated $3.1 million over three years. “We can only play the deck of cards that were dealt,” Dr. Anderson said.

To contain costs while retaining services, administrators proposed redistributing safety leadership responsibilities and restructuring building leadership roles. Dr. Anderson said the district employs one full‑time safety coordinator, one full‑time school resource officer and about 15 part‑time SROs; she said Lowell Police Department Corporal Burkes and Dan Govert, soon to be assistant principal at Lowell High School, “are excited and willing to take on this role” as part of a plan to restructure safety coordination without eliminating safety services.

The board approved personnel items including the personnel report, the Lowell High School assistant principal contract and creation of a Lowell High assistant athletic director role; the meeting record shows motions passed by voice vote. The board also approved a construction trades agreement with Brooker Contracting LLC (a minor contract language change was made on page 2 to replace “may” with “will” for an item of student work). The board approved the administrative handbook for 2025–26.

On programming, administrators presented a proposal to create a tuition‑free district online option called the Bridal Academy, delivering asynchronous, Edmentum‑based courses aligned to Indiana standards for grades 5–12. The board voted to approve creation of the online program; district leaders said the program will cap enrollment at 99 students to avoid state requirements that create a separate school entity at 100 or more students (citing Indiana Code 20‑19‑94). The district said online students would remain Tri‑Creek students, would be eligible for extracurricular activities, would receive a Lowell High School diploma if they complete graduation requirements, and would be required to attend in‑person state assessments.

Administrators said the online program is not designed to supplant face‑to‑face instruction but to provide an option for students with health, faith‑based or other needs; applications will open in July with notifications in August and orientation before the school year. Mr. Goveritt (assistant principal) and the counseling staff were identified as administrators who will monitor progress, attendance and compliance for enrolled students.

District leaders framed the staffing and programmatic changes as cost‑savings and program‑preserving moves: Dr. Anderson said administrative reassignments, renegotiated contracts and schedule adjustments have produced savings while maintaining or expanding some services such as a career‑tech computer course and athletic training coverage tied to a CTE exercise science pathway.

Board members asked about prioritization for the online program if demand exceeds capacity and about minimum enrollment thresholds; administrators said priority will be given by needs (health, faith-based) and that open enrollment and superintendent approval processes still apply. The new online program is expected to open for the 2025–26 school year and will be capped at 99 students to keep it as an extension of existing schools rather than a separate school entity.