SOUTHERN HANCOCK — When longtime Southern Hancock School Board member Bill Niemier took office last week as a member of the New Palestine Town Council, he relinquished his seat on the school board.
That void was filled Monday, Jan. 6, when the school board selected Laura Haeberle to take Niemier’s place.
Haeberle, of New Palestine, wanted to join the board because she cares deeply about the education of the children in the community, she said.
“I feel I bring a unique perspective to our school board with my experience as a parent volunteer, former employee and substitute teacher in this district,” Haeberle said.
Haeberle was one of four candidates who applied for the position. She, along with the other three hopefuls — Suzanne Cannon, Jon Hooker and Ethan Maple — were interviewed by board members during a special meeting Monday night.
While all the candidates were qualified and expressed interest in the position, board members thought Haeberle was the best person for the job.
Matt Ackerman, who is the acting board president, said they’re excited to add Haeberle to the board. Other members of the school board are Dan Walker, Craig Wagoner and Brian McKinney.
Haeberle, a longtime resident in the district and a parent of students in the school system, will bring passion, attention to detail and research abilities to the board, Ackerman said.
“We are confident Laura will be a great fit on our board,” Ackerman said. “We are grateful to all four candidates for their interest.”
The board received a total of four applications in all. During a closed-door executive session in late December, they determined all four candidates were worthy and would be interviewed at the public meeting, district officials said.
Haeberle will serve the one year remaining in Niemier’s term. She can run outright for the seat this fall.
Haeberle has lived in the district for 16 years with her family. She said she thought she would be a good addition to a board that has done a solid job of meeting community needs.
“I think our school board has been doing a great job,” Haeberle said.
She likes the progress the board has made over the past few years, such as reopening New Palestine Junior High and moving forward with the renovation project at New Palestine High School.
Haeberle previously worked for the district as a media center assistant at New Palestine Elementary School; serves a classroom volunteer and as a HOSTS reading program volunteer; and has been a substitute teacher in the district. She also has served on nonprofit boards, she said.
She and her husband, Ben Haeberle, have two teenage children — a freshman and junior — who attend New Palestine High School.
Haeberle will be sworn in at the school board’s next regularly scheduled meeting, slated for 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13, at the district’s administration office in New Palestine. At that meeting, the district also plans to acknowledge Niemier for his many years of service to the school board.
