Silver Creek's wish to leave West Clark Schools won't be an easy process

SELLERSBURG, Ind. (WDRB) -- Silver Creek wants out of the West Clark School district in southern Indiana, but it won't be that easy.

In the wake of its failed $95 million school referendum, the West Clark Community School board unanimously approved a motion Thursday night for Silver Creek to secede from the district.

But it's a long way from a done deal, since the state would have to approve it. And the West Clark attorney said no district has been able to get this approved in the past.

Under the proposal, Silver Creek would be its own school corporation, while Borden and Henryville would remain with the West Clark district.

A board member said Thursday this secession was "plan B" after the referendum failed. Under this proposal, Silver Creek would be its own school corporation. Borden and Henryville would remain with West Clark.

The next step is to appoint a local committee, do studies, hold public hearings and make recommendations for the district moving forward.

Superintendent Chad Schenck said "differences" that date back decades prompted the board to pass the motion. He said if the motion had passed, the plan was to use about $80 million of the referendum for improvements to Silver Creek High School, with the rest of the money going to Borden and Henryville.

Under the motion, those who live within Silver Creek could make their own decisions about how to pay for school improvements without Borden and Henryville being involved.

"Just hearing the differences of equity and who has received what in the past and all of the things, I just feel like the community members quite honestly just feel like there are irreconcilable differences," Schenck said. "They're just not going to be able to support one district growing and one district receiving more."

This is just the beginning of the process. Schenck said the district now needs approval from the Indiana State Board of Education and will need to seek feedback from the community and consult a panel appointed by a Clark County judge.

He said it could be years before a final decision is made.