Top adviser to Superintendent Lewis Ferebee leaves Indianapolis Public Schools

Le Boler, a top Indianapolis Public Schools official and one of Superintendent Lewis Ferebee’s closest advisers, left the district last week.

Boler, who served as chief strategist, was one of several staffers who followed Ferebee from North Carolina when he was hired in 2013. She was a top administrator, overseeing public relations, strategic planning and parent involvement for the district. As of January, she was being paid $136,000 per year.

Boler’s resignation was disclosed on the June district personnel report, and she could not immediately be reached for comment. School Board President Michael O’Connor said Boler was leaving the district to move back to North Carolina and be closer to family. Two of her children graduated from high school this year, he added.

“It was the right time for her to rejoin the community in North Carolina where she came from,” O’Connor said. “We will miss her advice and guidance as somebody who was also particularly impactful in helping the superintendent make decisions.”

The departure of Boler, who was a visible member of Ferebee’s staff, comes at a delicate time for IPS. The district is trying to gain support for two referendums to seek more funding from taxpayers, a campaign that has already been rocky. Plus, Ferebee was publicly named a finalist for superintendent of the Los Angeles school district, a revelation that left some wondering how long he will remain in Indianapolis.

In her role in the district, Boler often appeared alongside Ferebee at public meetings and press briefings. She played a key role in the district’s handling of issues including high school closings, the planned referendums to increase school funding, and transportation changes.

Boler was also involved in a 2016 scandal where the district was accused of failing to report sexual abuse allegations to the Indiana Department of Child Services for six days.

Boler started her education career in administration support roles for districts in North Carolina and worked with Ferebee in Durham Public Schools and Guilford County schools.

Another top leader who came with Ferebee from North Carolina, Wanda Legrand, left last August for a job with D.C. Public Schools.

Chalkbeat Indiana is a not-for-profit news site covering educational change in public schools.