Noblesville Schools Superintendent Dr. Libbie Conner has announced that she will retire on Sept. 1, 2014. Conner has served as superintendent since 2009.
“I want to see the big construction project through,” she said. “I didn’t want to leave it in the last two months in someone else’s lap so I’m going to stay on through the start of school.”
Conner said she was “at peace” with her decision and feels good about it.
“I’m getting old and honestly I have had some health issues. It’s just time,” she said. “My husband retired last year and he’s ready to have some help at home and we have plans to do some traveling.”
During Conner’s tenure, the district has had two community referendum projects approved – one expanding space at elementary schools buildings, building Promise Road Elementary and supplementing the operating fund and the other one currently under construction is expanding Noblesville High School’s main and freshman campuses and selling Noblesville East Middle School to become an Ivy Tech campus. Facility changes also included the move of the central administrative office staff from Field Drive to River Road without raising taxes.
“The sale of the old East Middle School and Ivy Tech coming here – what a huge benefit that’s going to be for our students and our community,” she said. “All of our successes in the last five years are due to people. It’s the people I’ve worked with who have made all this possible.”
While facility changes were in progress, Noblesville Schools adopted a new vision and mission that focuses on engaging students in intellectual pursuits, inspiring them to challenge the present, and empowering them to adapt, innovate, and succeed today and in the future. Student-centered learning integrates 21st century skills and integrates technology into interdisciplinary and authentic instruction.
“These have been exciting, glorious years,” Conner said to the school board on March 18. “I am so proud of the accomplishments of our students and staff and the progress Noblesville Schools has made with facilities and community relationships. I feel confident that Noblesville Schools will continue its momentum into the 21st century, and students’ experiences will excel.”
Formerly principal at Noblesville Middle School, Conner moved into an administrative position for Carmel Clay Schools and served there for 11 years before named Noblesville superintendent. Conner and assistant superintendent Dr. Steve Stephanoff have been colleagues for 20 years and previously worked together in Carmel.
“She has accomplished so much in five years that you’d think she’d been her much longer,” he said. “She’s impacted teaching and learning … We’ll miss her greatly.”
School board members said they were excited about the place Conner has put Noblesville and what retirement will mean for her.
“The best thing I have done as a board member is hiring Libbie Conner,” said Julia Kozicki, board member. “She has done so much to move Noblesville Schools forward.”
“We’re excited for her and her decision. Look at the last five years and what’s happened in the school district with technology, curriculum, facilities, enhancing the teaching staff and 21st century learning concept, it’s pretty amazing to look at where we were and where we are now,” School Board President Pat Berghoff said.
Berghoff said the board is going to put a plan together to begin the search process for a new superintendent. Due to Conner’s retirement date, Berghoff said the district may hire her replacement before the school year starts and she retires.
“I anticipate we might have some overlapping,” he said.
In February, the school board approved amendments to Conner’s salary, which increased her salary and also offered her a retirement incentive of $25,000 if she gave 90 days notice to the board on or before Sept. 15. At that time, Conner said she did not know whether or not she would retire when her contract was renewed.
