IPS to begin search for new principal, assistant principal at School 87 after investigation

INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Public Schools has announced its plans to replace the principal and assistant principal at George Washington Carver 87 following an investigation into a recorded video of a 1st-grade student beating a special needs student.

The district said in a statement FOX59/CBS4 obtained Friday night that the district will begin a search for “new leadership” for the principal and assistant principal roles at the IPS school for the 2024-25 school year.

“While our goal is to have a new principal and assistant principal in place in time for the upcoming school year, I also know that it is more important to ensure we execute a selection process thoughtfully, with engagement from the school community, and with the time it takes to be sure the right people are chosen to lead the school moving forward,” said IPS Superintendent Dr. Aleesia Johnson. “There will be more shared about the selection process in the coming weeks.”

IPS confirmed that Heather Haskett, administrator on special assignment, and Executive Director of Schools Adrienne Kuchik would continue serving as the school’s leaders until a new leadership team is hired.

IPS said it also utilized a third-party company to deploy family surveys to gather feedback from parents, students and staff as part of a wider investigation into the school’s “culture and climate.” Families received the surveys via SchoolMessenger and Kinvoi.

Superintendent Johnson said in the statement that social workers have carried out classroom visits with students who were in class on the same day a former 87 School teacher allegedly recorded a video encouraging students to fight .

“To ensure that we are diligently caring for each child’s social and emotional well-being, members of our CARE team — clinical social workers and members of our Unified Student Supports team — have conducted a classroom visit with students in that classroom and have initiated follow up opportunities for additional support, as necessary,” said Superintendent Johnson. “Since April 25, there has been a member of the CARE team, Special Education team, or Equitable Supports team, on site at George Washington Carver to support identified needs across the student body.”

The news comes amid allegations against IPS teacher Julious Johnican that were laid out in a civil lawsuit filed by the family of a special needs 7-year-old student against Indianapolis Public Schools, the district and administrators. The student attended George Washington Carver Montessori IPS School 87. FOX59/CBS4 originally broke the story on April 17.

The lawsuit states that the woman’s special needs son was scared of attending class for weeks as he told his mother that his teacher was allegedly encouraging students to beat him up on multiple occasions. The boy’s teacher Julious Johnican allegedly recorded one of those incidents on a phone.

The Indiana Department of Education recently confirmed it was also investigating the incident and former IPS teacher Johnson.

The student’s mother, Corrie Horan, released a statement Monday saying it was her “deepest hope that this painful episode leads to significant changes that will protect countless other children from ever experiencing similar harm or having to go through what our family did.”

Horan also shared with FOX59/CBS4 that she visited the school on multiple occasions requesting answers about the alleged abuse and claimed that she was told that she was lying.

IPS officials previously stated that the abuse was reported to the Department of Child Services immediately after becoming aware of the video. Attorneys for Horan have refuted that, stating that Horan raised concerns about her son’s treatment several months before that.

The statement included a list of suggestions that the district said it intends to implement in the future. Those can be viewed below:

• Reviewed mandatory reporting requirements with staff at the May 1 staff meeting.
• Increased the number of staff who are transitioning with each class to ensure student safety and visibility in the hallways.
• Adjusted protocol of teachers greeting students in the mornings while also watching the students in their classrooms. This increases visibility of students to ensure safety in hallways.
• Modified communication protocols for teachers regarding notifying administration when there is a level 3 or 4 Code of Conduct infraction so corrective actions can be determined and implemented immediately.
• Increased behavioral support for classroom teachers by school administrators.
• Implemented social emotional Support for staff with the introduction and use of “Mind, Body, Medicine Strategies” facilitated by the district’s Equitable Supports Team.
• Increased presence of staff during lunch times in the cafeteria.
• Implemented morning walks of the building by administration after daily announcements.
• Implemented administration presence in hallways to greet students during arrival.
• Implemented administration presence at dismissal for Car Rider duty.
• Identified additional staff at Car Rider duty during dismissal to increase efficiency and safety.
• Implemented an open-door policy for administration to receive feedback from staff or families.
• Increased communication with families regarding upcoming events.

The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office is continuing to investigate the former teacher and the incident.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 59.