gary
The Distressed Unit Appeals Board has selected MGT Consulting, of Tallahassee, Fla., to manage the Gary Community School Corp.
Retired superintendent and Gary native Peggy Hinckley, of Schererville, will serve as the public face of the emergency manager.
DUAB commissioners cited the firm’s experience and background, including Hinckley’s knowledge of state school finance, as strong indicators that led to its selection.
“For me, there was something unique about having this emergency manager as a superintendent and actually owning that academic vision,” Commissioner Courtney Schaafsma said.
The firm’s ability to be present in Gary also was a strong factor, chairman Micah Vincent said.
“I think day one (of school) is going to be a really important day,” Vincent said.
MGT was the only one with a leader that “was going to be there on a day-to-day basis,” he said.
Hinckley not only has roots in the region, but is familiar with Indiana school finance and academics. She was named Indiana Superintendent of the Year in 1995 and served as interim superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools in 2013.
Hinckley, 65, attended Monday’s state Distressed Unit Appeal Board meeting in Indianapolis and plans to be in Gary on Tuesday morning to meet with Superintendent Cheryl Pruitt and other school officials.
Members of the DUAB said they were impressed with Hinckley’s background as an Indiana superintendent and her efforts in turning around the Warren Township school district, where she served as superintendent for 11 years until 2012.
She started her education career in the River Forest Community Schools, teaching first and fourth grades. She became an administrator in the district and later became superintendent. From River Forest, she became school chief at the LaPorte Community School Corp.
She started an education consulting business after she retired from Warren Township.
Gary School Board President Rosie Washington attended Monday’s meeting and spoke briefly with Hinckley afterward.
“With that kind of energy coming to Gary, personally, I felt like it was a good choice,” Washington said. “Peggy Hinckley is from our area and everywhere she’s gone, she’s made a difference.”
Gary Teachers Union President GlenEva Dunham felt Hinckley brought a strong academic background to the job. Dunham said Hinckley’s MGT Group was No. 2 on her list, behind another Gary native, Brandon Comer and his Comer Capital Group, from Jackson, Miss.
“I’m sure I can work with her,” Dunham said. “I just know we’ll have a big job ahead.”
Miller Citizens Corp. and Miller Business Association President George Rogge said he liked Hinckley’s plan to conduct community focus group meetings.
“Nobody else wanted to do that,” he said.
Seven firms were in the running for the position, including GateKeeper Accounting Services LLC; The Robert Bobb Group; The Bronner Group; Comer Capital Group; Martin, Arrington, Desai & Meyers; and Crowe Horwath.
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