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Board approves termination of EnRICH U contract after pleas from program leaders and parents
Summary
The South Bend Community School Corporation board voted to terminate its professional services agreement with EnRICH U, authorizing 60‑day written notice. EnRICH U leaders and families urged postponement, saying hundreds of students rely on the after‑school program.
The South Bend Community School Corporation board moved to terminate the professional services agreement with the after‑school provider EnRICH U and authorized general counsel to deliver the required 60‑day written notice.
Leslie Wesley, president and CEO of EnRICH U, told the board the decision would affect “hundreds of students” who rely on free, school‑based after‑school programming and asked trustees to postpone a final vote to allow “additional dialogue with families, community stakeholders, the Indiana Department of Education, and EnRICH U.” Jorge Juarez, speaking for EnRICH U’s Pathway to Success program, urged the board: “So I ask that you do not close this program down and to keep it open for students who can have this opportunity.”
The board’s motion to terminate, moved and seconded during the action‑items portion of the meeting, passed after a legal review of board policy. Legal counsel explained the board was taking the action “pursuant to section 1 a 2 of the agreement” and would provide the 60‑day notice required by the contract. The public record shows the vote carried by a majority of the quorum; the meeting record later summarized the tally as 3 yeas, 2 noes and 1 abstention.
Wesley told trustees EnRICH U is the direct grantee with the Indiana Department of Education and asked for more time to work with the department and families, saying the partnership supplies mentors, homework help and no‑cost enrichment that “helps them learn, grow, and thrive.” The board did not adopt a postponement; members who opposed termination spoke during the vote discussion and some asked for additional legal clarification about quorum and majority thresholds before the motion was certified.
The action authorizes counsel to issue the contractual notice and take steps to effectuate the termination. Board documents and the meeting record do not specify transition plans for students currently enrolled in EnRICH U programs; trustees and district staff said they will coordinate steps required by the contract and follow up on implementation details.
The meeting record shows EnRICH U supporters submitted a petition and that district staff accepted and will manage any follow‑up inquiries. The board did not take further, separate action at the meeting to replace or reassign after‑school slots that may be affected by the termination.
