School Board Honors Shirley Deckard's 32-Year Legacy

The M.S.D. of Wayne Township School Board celebrated a historic moment at Monday's meeting as they honored longtime board member Shirley Deckard, who attended her final meeting after 32.5 years of dedicated service to the district. In a touching tribute to her legacy of family and community service, her great-grandchild led the Pledge of Allegiance at her final board meeting.

 

During her remarkable tenure, Mrs. Deckard has been a pivotal force in shaping the district's growth and innovation. Her signature appears on over 40,000 diplomas, representing thousands of lives impacted through education. She has served alongside three of the district's five superintendents throughout its history, playing a key role in hiring the two most recent leaders.

 

Under her leadership, Wayne Township has achieved numerous groundbreaking milestones in educational equality and innovation. The district marked historic appointments, including Gwendolyn Boyd as the first African-American elementary principal and Sheryl Garrett as the first African-American secondary principal. Another significant achievement was Sandra Squire becoming the first woman to lead Ben Davis High School.

 

Mrs. Deckard's tenure saw a remarkable expansion of educational facilities and programs. The district constructed several new buildings, including North Wayne Elementary School, Bridgeport Elementary School, and the Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center. The Wayne Enrichment Center was built and later rebranded as Wayne Preparatory Academy. Two major renovations transformed former junior high schools into the Lynhurst and Chapel Hill 7th and 8th Grade Centers.

 

Her commitment to educational innovation is evidenced by the establishment of several pioneering programs. The district launched the Lighthouse Schools initiative, introducing networked PCs into classrooms, and later established Indiana's first virtual content provider, the Indiana Online Academy. This was followed by Achieve Virtual Education Academy, Indiana's first public virtual high school. Ben Davis University High School, established during her service, became the nation's most successful early-college high school. Additionally, Area 31 broke new ground as Indiana's first career center to offer early college pathways.

 

Mrs. Deckard's leadership extended through challenging times, including 28 years during Indianapolis's desegregation order and the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. Her fiscal stewardship helped secure two voter-approved referendums to offset property tax cap losses and implement energy management initiatives saving the district $1.5 million annually.

 

The district's commitment to diversity and inclusion grew significantly during her tenure, with initiatives including the establishment of the Language Assistance Program and the opening of an Immigrant Welcome Center branch at Ben Davis University High School. Mrs. Deckard's 32.5 years of service have left an indelible mark on Wayne Township's educational landscape, touching countless lives and helping to build a stronger, more inclusive community for future generations.