00;00;00;03 - 00;00;06;11 Steve Wittenauer We feel like we're part of the Muncie Community School Corporation, have been here two years. We know Muncie Community School Corporation as good as anyone knows it. 00;00;06;17 - 00;00;24;26 Stephanie Wiechmann That's Administrator Assistance co-founder Steve Wittenauer. He and the other Steve, onsite emergency manager Steve Edwards, have been the faces of emergency management at Muncie Community Schools. Wittenauer says when the team first started its relationship with MCS, the state Distressed Unit Appeals Board gave them three goals in six months. 00;00;24;28 - 00;00;34;02 Steve Wittenauer We needed to settle a teachers contract. We need to give a clear financial picture of where Muncie was, and we had to market the buildings. 00;00;34;04 - 00;00;49;18 Stephanie Wiechmann Once those goals were met, the district's 18 to $ 20 million deficit was made public and AA was put in full control of the district within hours, as his team had to make the hard decisions that not every school superintendent or board wants to make. But AA had an advantage. 00;00;49;20 - 00;01;00;02 Steve Wittenauer We can come in to a situation and be objective. We don't have to worry about a three year contract. We can say what we think we need to say and make the recommendations we need to make. 00;01;00;04 - 00;01;18;01 Stephanie Wiechmann Wittenauer says his team's success came in partnering with community organizations, including Ball State University, by a law passed in 2018 that made the university the next steward of MCS. And there was the matter of a $ 12 million loan granted by the state legislature to pay off misappropriated building repair bonds. 00;01;18;04 - 00;01;26;13 Steve Wittenauer In fact, Paul, when we first decided to apply for this job, I said, well, I'm not going over there unless we're assured with $ 10 million, because he knew how bad we were off. 00;01;26;15 - 00;01;29;24 Stephanie Wiechmann The team's time at MCS wasn't all smooth sailing, though. 00;01;30;01 - 00;01;39;02 Steve Wittenauer About the first day we were here, I was in front of the cameras talking to all the Indianapolis TV stations about the transportation problems we had here. 00;01;39;05 - 00;01;49;07 Stephanie Wiechmann The district had to quickly close for two days after the first day of the year in 2017, because of massive problems with its new bus carrier. Steve Edwards agrees that was a surprise. 00;01;49;10 - 00;01;57;03 Steve Edwards I thankfully we remedy that situation. Yeah, there was a lot of well, not a lot. There were several shocking issues that were difficult. 00;01;57;05 - 00;02;11;07 Stephanie Wiechmann Like the tornado in November of 2017. The first confirmed tornado to touch down in Muncie in 150 years did major damage to the Fieldhouse, Central High School's historic gymnasium. Although, Wittenauer says that one seemed like divine intervention. 00;02;11;11 - 00;02;30;26 Steve Wittenauer Without that storm tearing up our Fieldhouse, I'm not sure we would be in the position we are today to get the things done that we're going to get done. The floor is being done. It's pretty well done. I haven't got the letters painted on it, but it's going to be a it's going to be a showpiece again. It's going to be something we're all going to be very, very, very proud of. 00;02;31;03 - 00;02;48;21 Stephanie Wiechmann The team stayed on longer than expected while the MCS school board searched for a new superintendent. Board President Jim Williams says interviews are still being conducted and that new leader will begin sometime this July. Wittenauer has advice for that person, too. He wants to see continued partnerships with Muncie community organizations. 00;02;48;26 - 00;02;59;17 Steve Wittenauer We need to be partnering with them many more times than what we have in the past. They have so many things that they can offer our students. We just need to reach out to them and try to figure out what can they provide for our kids. 00;02;59;19 - 00;03;23;25 Stephanie Wiechmann And he says the next superintendent might have to make new, tough decisions on what he calls the district's building situation. Right before the emergency management team came on, the district's then board closed three elementary schools but opted to keep open Northside Middle School. Ball State bought two elementary schools and surprisingly, Northside, leasing it back to the school district for practically nothing. Wittenauer reminded the MCs board that that agreement isn't forever. 00;03;24;00 - 00;03;36;26 Steve Wittenauer Very difficult decisions are going to have to be made with great leadership. You'll figure out what has to happen, but that is something that as we go forward, we need to take a look at our buildings and decide, what are we going to do? 00;03;36;29 - 00;03;47;05 Stephanie Wiechmann The new MCS superintendent will partner with Ball State, which, according to the Indiana General Assembly, has responsibility for the district through some undetermined date in the future. Again, Steve Edwards. 00;03;47;07 - 00;03;55;12 Steve Edwards I think moving forward, Ball State is the best answer to help the school system long term. So I'm just proud to be part of it. 00;03;55;14 - 00;04;05;00 Stephanie Wiechmann And by state statute, Ball State is working on a long term plan for MCS. It's due to lawmakers in June of 2020. In Muncie, Stephanie Wiechmann, IPR news.