zionsville newsletter january 2015

JANUARY 2015

EXPLAINING THE ABC’S OF ZCS’S FUNDING CRISIS

2 / ZIONSVILLE COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER / JANUARY 2015 / atZionsville.com

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22 / COVER STORYEXPLAINING THE ABC’S OF ZCS’S FUNDING CRISISWriter / Janelle Morrison Photographer / JJ Kaplan

PUBLISHERTom Britt

[email protected] / 317-496-3599

BUSINESS MANAGERNeil Lucas


VP OF SALESLena Lucas


CONTROLLERJeanne Britt


DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION Toni Folzenlogel

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Alyssa Sander

ADVERTISING DESIGNER Austin Vance

EDITORSAllie Nash / Katelyn Bausman

JANUARY WRITERSJanelle Morrison / Ray Compton

Rebecca Wood / Bethann Buddenbaum

JANUARYPHOTOGRAPHERSJJ Kaplan / Jessica Strickland

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The TownePost Community Newsletter Zionsville edition is published by Britt Interactive, LLC and written for

and by local Zionsville area residents. Newsletters are distributed via direct mail to more than 8,000 Zionsville

area homeowners and businesses each month.

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atZionsville.com Business Spotlights are sponsored content.

6 Branching Out: Indiana Vein Specialists

8 Wreath Event at Tudor Gardens

33 Telsa Offers New Car Buying Experience

13 Zionsville’s Artic Eagles Hockey Club

17 Eric Simpson Pastor to the Pros and the Community

* Subject to account type** Coming soon ©2015 The National Bank of Indianapolis Member FDIC

CONVENIENT ACCESS:

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Consumer Mobile Banking

Private Portrait Internet Banking

Private Portrait Online Bill Pay

Electronic Statements

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Apple Pay**

It’s a rare combination you won’t find anywhere else.

TRANSACTION ALERTS:

Debit Cards

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This month’s cover features Dr. Scott Robison, ZCS’s superintendent, and the school’s CEO Mike Shafer in an effort to explain to the community the cause and proposed remedy for ZCS’s funding crises. As Dr. Robison explains, this is not just a ZCS problem but one effecting a number of suburban Indiana schools.


BRANCHING OUT: INDIANA VEIN SPECIALISTS

Writer / Janelle Morrison

Dr. Jeffery Schoonover, Diplomate, American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine, was one of the first physicians in the nation to be certified by this board in 2008. As a venous and lymphatic medicine specialist, Dr. Schoonover is dedicated to treating varicose vein disease and related disorders. He and his team at Indiana Vein Specialists are committed to providing minimally invasive treatment of venous

disease while caring for their patients as if they are members of the family.

After graduating from Michigan State University, Dr. Schoonover served as a physician for four years in the United States Air Force, achieving the rank of major. Following his time in the Air Force, he went into private practice as a family physician. “I obtained additional training in varicose vein treatment because I found working with my patients with chronic

venous insufficiency or vein disease to be challenging,” Dr. Schoonover explained. “They had long-term swelling, chronic issues and some had wounds that wouldn’t heal.”

Approximately 40 million Americans are affected by vein disease. Prior to the technological advancements in this field, there were only two treatment options available: long-term use of compression stockings or surgical vein stripping, an

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in-patient procedure with significant downtime and a high recurrence rate.

In 2004, there was a tremendous change in the philosophy of the treatment of varicose veins as new technology was introduced. “An ultrasound guided laser now allows the doctor to go in and seal the faulty veins,” Dr. Schoonover said. Indiana Vein Specialists was one of the first practices in central Indiana to offer endovenous laser therapy with the newer 1470 nanometer wavelength system. This process uses laser wavelengths that targets the vein wall, resulting in less bruising and a quicker recovery. “Our group was the first to have that system and to use it,” Dr. Schoonover explained. “We also offer ultrasound guided sclerotherapy. That is an innovative way of taking care of the leftover branches following laser treatment. To treat those areas is key to long-term management of the disease.” The newest treatment development is using an injection of a prescription medication called Varithena® with ultrasound guidance to seal off the vein. “Again, we are one of the first offices in central Indiana to offer Varithena. We can treat the same segments that were traditionally treated with laser therapy and it is even less invasive,” Dr. Schoonover said. “The pendulum has clearly swung over to these minimally invasive treatments. Our patients can return to their normal activities quickly.”

Indiana Vein Specialists opened their first office in Fishers in 2011, and with a growing need to have a second facility to meet the needs of patients, they opened their west Carmel office in August of 2014. Dr. Schoonover’s staff of 11 includes a nurse practitioner and a physician assistant.

Dr. Schoonover resides in Carmel with his wife of 20 years, Kari, and their two sons, 15-year-old Erik and 9-year-old Kristian.


Once again, The Hearth at the Tudor Gardens kicked off the holiday season with their annual “Deck the Hearth” silent auction wreath event on Dec. 6. While all the proceeds benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, it is also a great family experience for all ages.

There were 28 handmade wreaths donated by local Zionsville merchants and businesses. Santa Claus even made an appearance to allow the children one last chance to let me him know what they want for Christmas! This is always the highlight of the day! The event was accompanied by a variety of house made hors d’oevours by the

Hearth chefs including succulent prime rib sandwiches and delicious spinach artichoke dip.

“Deck the Hearth” has always been the main fundraising event for the annual Walk Against Alzheimer’s Disease hosted by the Alzheimer’s Association. The Hearth has a personal tie to finding a cure for Alzheimer’s as many of their residents have been diagnosed with the disease. The Hearth would like to thank the members of the Zionsville community that came out to bid on the wreaths and helped raise money for a worthy cause. The Hearth is already looking forward to what’s in store for next year!

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1915 when it was an auto dealership. Af er time it fell into complete disrepair, but af er much work, the building received a national award for its restoration. In 2012, resident Cori Brown wanted to start a business and saw the old building, close to the courthouse, as an ideal location and an opportunity to breathe new life into the Johnson County seat.

It took Cori and her husband Scot – owner of the Brown Remodeling Company – a year to bring the building back to life. T eir work received national recognition in November when Window & Door

magazine, the authority on the most innovative and trending window and door products on the market, named Franklin Window & Door “2014 Dealer of the Year: Excellence in Showroom Design.”

As a highlight of the downtown revitalization ef ort, Franklin Window and Door is a warm, welcoming and elegant space. “Restoring the building was no simple task,” Cori says. Reconstruction included raising the southwest corner of the building four inches. T e original pressed metal ceiling was uncovered and restored. T e interior restoration includes wooden beams from a local 1800s era barn and the entire front façade was rebricked.

Window & Door quotes Krista Linke, the director of community development for the city of Franklin as saying, “What [Cori Brown] did with that building was just amazing. It was one of our worst buildings downtown. T ey basically rebuilt it and made it historically appropriate. It’s a great example of the kind of work we want to see take place.”

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ZIONSVILLE ’S ARTIC EAGLES HOCKEY CLUB

Writer / Ray ComptonPhotos / JJ Kaplan

When Aaron Wallace returned to his Midwestern roots from the Arizona desert a few years ago, he rediscovered his lifelong passion of being around a sheet of ice and a bunch of hockey players.

Wallace – a native of Michigan and a collegiate player in Wisconsin – joined the coaching staff of the Zionsville High School club hockey team, the Artic Eagles, three years ago. In looking back, Wallace knew very little about his players and even less about the team’s goaltending coach.

“I didn’t really know anything about what was going on in Indiana,” said Wallace. “I knew we had a guy named Bob as our goalie coach.”

Eventually, Wallace learned a little about the diminutive, bespectacled coach. His last name was Kravitz as in Bob Kravitz. Yes, that Bob Kravitz, the former sports columnist for the Indianapolis Star and now current columnist/commentator for WTHR.

“I really had no idea who Bob Kravitz was,” Wallace admitted. “But then I put two-and-two together and realized he was the guy who everybody hated. He was kind of like a rock star.”

Thus, the Wallace-Kravitz partnership was formed. Wallace took over as the head coach of the Artic Eagles two seasons ago and the Wallace-Kravitz pairing helped propel Zionsville to the 3A state championship last March. Team Zionsville peeled out to a 21-3-2 start this season and are projected to

again be among the favorites for a state title in March.

“This is the best team that I’ve coached,” assessed Wallace after his team finished 3-0-1 in a prestigious December tournament in South Bend. “We still have our core of players from last year and we have had some really, really nice players fill in.”

With six different high schools feeding into the Zionsville team many players have to travel for practice. A new leading player is freshman goaltender Logan Dickey, whose father journeys to the Westfield ice rink for practice from their home in Lebanon. A year ago, Dickey, 15, was playing youth hockey at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum. Now, he is facing wicked slap shots from potential future college players.

It is Kravitz who provides tutoring for his young netminder.

ZVille hockey coach Aaron Wallace


“Logan loves Bob,” said Eric Dickey of his son. “He listens to everything that Bob says. He has a lot of respect for him.”

And so does Wallace, who turns to Kravitz for tips on handling the minds of goaltenders.

“He gives me his honest opinion,” Wallace said. “Sometimes I can be quick to jump on goaltenders and Bob will me to calm down.”

Although his hockey skills are mostly unknown by Hoosiers, Kravitz confronted bullets to the five-hole several years before he collided with former Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian. His hockey game in Indiana has been limited to the club team at Indiana University and the huffing and puffing adult leagues in Indianapolis. But as a high school junior, the now 54-year-old Kravitz was the starting goalie for the New Trier team that won the Illinois state championship.

“I threw up on the way to the rink,” recalled Kravitz on his confrontation with Homewood-Flossmoor at a suburban Chicago arena. “But during warm-up, the puck looked like a giant beach ball. The coach told me that he needed me and I was ready.”

Included on the playing resume was a dramatic stop on a three-on-zero breakaway for Homewood-Flossmoor. New Trier eventually won, 10-1, and Kravitz still

laments a second rebound goal sacrificed at 1:08 left in the game. Yes, he remembered the exact time.

“It was my greatest thrill as an athlete,” he said. “I was a flopper and probably went down too quick. But I loved goaltending.”

And he now loves his duties for the Artic Eagles, including guiding Dickey, who has had to fast forward his playing career after senior Jack Sigman led Zionsville to the 2014 state championship. “He [ Jack] played lights out for us,” remembered Kravitz. “He was a stone wall for us in the tournament.”

Wallace has noticed a coaching shift this season.

“I believe Bob tried to stay out of the way with Jack,” Wallace said. “He was kind of like saying ‘let’s go get them, Jack.’ But Bob has been able to really sink his teeth into helping Logan. It made him excited. We are lucky to have him.”

However, the writer turned coach downplays his additions to the team and player.

“It’s been fun watching Logan,” said Kravitz. “He didn’t always stay down on the puck but now he’s breaking that habit.

“I really don’t feel that I have that much to offer. I get more from the kids than I give them. I can be a sounding board.

I really enjoy being here.”

And the Artic Eagles enjoy their high-flying status in high school club circles. Their accomplishments went a notch higher after the impressive showing in South Bend, which included one outdoor game. The tie was against a powerful Penn team, which could again be looming in state competition. Both Zionsville and Penn will learn their classification on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 1, when a hockey board assigns teams to different classes based on their regular season marks. Top tier teams play in 5A.

“We would like to get a chance to be in 5A,” Wallace said. “We could be 4A but we believe we can compete at 5A.”

The Artic Eagles have speed in senior forward Max Warr and his brother Thomas, whom Wallace says “is the best sophomore player I’ve seen.” Seniors Danny Mateja and Kevin Anderson join the Warr brothers up front, while junior Chandler Horton anchors the defense.

Meanwhile, when state tourney arrives, Kravitz will step away from the computer and cameras and saddle up to Wallace on the team bench.

“I will be here as long as they have me,” he said.

Expect that to be a while, Coach Kravitz.

Zionsville players with coach - left to right:Max Warr, Kevin Anderson, Coach Aaron Wallace, Thomas Warr, Danny Mateja and Chandler Horton.


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IN THE CREASE WITH BOB KRAVITZ:DID YOU GIVE A THOUGHT TO PLAYING COLLEGE HOCKEY WITH AN NCAA TEAM?“Not really. I had a chance at a Division III team, but I knew I was destined to be a journalist.”

DID YOU EVER GET INTO A FIGHT WHILE PLAYING GOALTENDER?“Once. In New York, we were ahead, 8-0, and I whacked a guy who was in the crease. Both benches cleared.”

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT HOCKEY?“I love the speed and the passion of the game.”

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE MEMORIES ABOUT HOCKEY?“The 1972 summer series between Russia and Canada. I remember watching it on a black and white television.”

DO YOU WATCH NHL GAMES?“Whenever I can. I like to watch the [Colorado] Avalanche games.”

DO YOU WISH INDIANAPOLIS HAD AN NHL FRANCHISE?“I wish it every day. But it just wouldn’t work.”


BRETT SEACHBrett was our monthly winner in July. He is an IMPD detective that while battling cancer organized the annual 911 Slugfest boxing match event between IMPD and IFD. This event raises money for the Make a Wish Foundation. Congratulations Brett on your great work on behalf of the Make A Wish Foundation and being the overall 2014 Zionsville Helping Hands Award Winner!

RANJ PUTHRAN “HELPING HANDS AWARD”

CONGRATULATIONS TO BRETT SEACH, OUR OVERALL WINNER OF THE HELPING HANDS AWARD FOR 2014!

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Writer / Rebecca WoodPhotographer / Jessica Strickland

Zionsville Pastor Eric Simpson stands on the sidelines during Indianapolis Colts’ games. It’s a coveted spot offering an unobstructed view of the playing field. For many, this experience would evoke a flurry of excitement. Simpson, however, discusses those moments with a level of normalcy. His voice lacks fanfare. His expression remains calm.

But when the conversation turns to the spiritual transformation and growth of those within the Indianapolis Colts’ organization, Simpson becomes animated.

Simpson is an Indianapolis Colts Chaplain and Lead Pastor at Eagle Church. He refers to himself as “Lead Servant,” and he considers it a privilege to serve the Colts’ community, Eagle Church and the Zionsville populace.

MINISTERING THE TEAMFor the last 19 years, Simpson has acted in the voluntary position of Colts Chaplain. He shares this responsibility with local evangelist Ken Johnson.

Simpson says his role with the team isn’t rooted in a passion for football, but rather in a love for people.

“I enjoy football, but I do this more out of a calling for the spiritual development of people; it’s anchored in that,” Simpson said.

Kendra Simpson, Simpson’s wife, adds, “I think a big reason Eric is such a good chaplain is that he truly cares about the players. It does not matter that they are professional athletes. What matters to Eric is that they are growing in the Lord and being challenged in their faith.”

Simpson says every NFL team has a chaplain, but team owners and coaches determine the chaplain’s role and availability with the team. He praises Colts owner Jim Irsay, general manager Ryan Grigson and coach Chuck Pagano for being supportive of the chaplain’s involvement with the team.

“They say, ‘We want you around and involved, and we value your help,’” Simpson said. “I don’t take that support for granted. I think it’s pretty special when you have that level of support from the top down. They recognize the value in building into young men’s lives beyond how they perform on the field.”

Simpson and Johnson maintain a heavy presence with the team. “I try to get a clear picture from coach Pagano about what message he wants to see consistently delivered to the team, and then my role as a chaplain is to see in God’s word how can I reinforce that message,” said Simpson.

The duo lead a weekly Bible study for players and an additional weekly study for coaches. They conduct a chapel service the night before each game. Simpson estimates that half the coaches and players typically participate in those services.

Simpson attends every home game and about 80 percent of away games.

“Game day involves a lot of praying,” Simpson says.

Pregame, Simpson floats around the locker room praying with an average of 25-30 players who request individual prayers. Before the team runs out onto the field, the players huddle together and offer up one more collective prayer.

During the game, Simpson stands on the sidelines and assists with warming up punter Pat McAfee, and he continues to pray. He says players approach him periodically during play to request additional prayers. If an injury occurs, Simpson is there to pray with and support that player and player’s family.

At the game’s conclusion, Simpson joins the team and team opponents on the field for a final prayer. Per NFL etiquette, the

ERIC SIMPSON: PASTOR TO THE PROS AND THE COMMUNITY

ERIC SIMPSON: PASTOR TO THE PROS AND THE COMMUNITY


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home team leads the prayer. “It’s neat to see players who were beating on each other for hours, grabbing hands, kneeling and saying we’re brothers in Christ,” says Simpson.

Postgame, the team recites the Lord’s Prayer at the conclusion of Coach Pagano’s talk.

Beyond game day responsibilities, the chaplains offer spiritual mentorship, discipleship and counseling for those within the organization. Simpson has assisted with numerous marriage ceremonies and funerals.

Simpson says his favorite part of his role as chaplain is the relationships he grows with those within the Colts organization. “It’s been 19 years of life together,” he said.

Hunter Smith, former punter for the Indianapolis Colts, appreciates how Simpson makes relationships with everyone within the Colts organization.

“Though he’s only been asked to minister to players and coaches, you will see Eric having conversations at all levels of the organization,” Smith said. “Eric sees souls, not titles.”

PATHWAY TO THE MINISTRYSimpson says he was raised in a loving but unchurched home in Newton, Iowa. As a high school student, his then girlfriend, now wife, invited him to church.

“I was in high school, and I didn’t know what Good Friday was; I kinda knew about Easter,” he admits.

At the age of 17, thanks to a nurturing youth pastor, Simpson became a Christian.

Simpson enrolled at Iowa State University and earned a business administration degree. Upon graduation, Simpson accepted a position with Eli Lilly & Company and relocated to Indianapolis.

Within a few months of his move, Simpson joined Eagle Church, a start up church on the west side of Indianapolis with less than 100 attendees. Simpson spent all of his free time serving the church.

Eric with Colts Head Coach Chuck Pagano and Quarterbacks Coach Clyde Christensen

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Simpson confesses that although he enjoyed his position at Lilly, he was feeling more alive outside of work and in the ministry.

In 1994, Simpson was still working for Lilly when then Lead Pastor Kerry Bowman offered him an Associate Pastor role within the church.

“He said, ‘By the way, we can’t pay you,’” Simpson laughs. “I’ve never been part of a job interview where there is no pay involved.”

Simpson agreed to pray about the position. A few months later, the pastor offered some pay, and Simpson accepted the job. He refers to his transition from Lilly to the pastorate as a “holy crazy” moment.

“Sometimes God asked us to do something that doesn’t make sense; that’s the crazy part,” Simpson said. “It was crazy looking on the outside. Why would you walk away from such a successful young career? Many said I was crazy. But I knew that was what God was calling me to do.”

Kendra was on board with her husband’s decision to leave Lilly and join Eagle Church. “When the opportunity arose, I knew in my heart this was something I could see him doing.”

When Simpson started with Eagle Church, the church was housed in a west side office building. Simpson recalls walking into his makeshift office on the first day of his job. Pinned to his desk chair was a note that read “Welcome Pastor Eric.”

“I stood there and stared at the chair,” said Simpson. “It was the first time I’d ever seen pastor attached to my name. I was a bit overwhelmed and humbled.”

Simpson spent the next seven years working at the church while simultaneously attending seminary and becoming ordained in his church.

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“I enjoy football, but I do this more out of a calling for the spiritual development of people; it’s anchored in that.” —Eric Simpson


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MINISTRY IN ZIONSVILLEMeanwhile, Eagle Church was growing. Attendance had blossomed to 300-400 people, and the church was outgrowing its space. In 1998, to accommodate the larger congregation, the church purchased 94 acres of land in Boone County. Simpson calls the purchase a “congregational holy crazy” moment.

“It was a very large vision for a small group of people,” Simpson says. “When we moved up here, it was in the middle of a cornfield. We believed this was the land God gave us.”

In 2000, Eagle Church’s 82,000-square-foot Boone County facility was complete. Within the last 14 years, attendance has ballooned to 600-700. Simpson prays the church continues to grow and reaches the unchurched within Boone County and neighboring areas.

“We’re holy crazy enough to believe God can double our outreach,” Simpson says.

In 2013, Simpson accepted the job of Lead Pastor.

Kaylynn, Eric, Kendra and Lilly Simpson

ZIONSVILLE HOMESimpson, his wife Kendra, and daughters Lilly, 14, and Kaylynn, 9, have called Zionsville home since 2003.

“I’m really grateful the Lord led us to Zionsville,” Simpson asserts. “I’m grateful our church home is here. I can’t think of a better place to raise our kids.”

Simpson continues, “I drove to Indianapolis with a car with three boxes in the back seat knowing one person in Indianapolis, and I land in the best suburb. I get to pastor in a church and live here; my kids get to go to school here. Who would have thought that 22 years ago? Jesus is so good at guiding lives.”


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According to the superintendents of several large suburban school districts, Indiana’s current school funding formula jeopardizes the long-term sustainability of their schools. Despite a common misconception,

the presence or absence of robust commercial development within these communities plays no more a part in the schools’ funding

crisis than the day of the week affects the day’s weather pattern. As a result, school systems in communities that have experienced explosive commercial development in the past few years, such as Carmel and Fishers, are suffering from the same financial shortfalls as Zionsville.

EXPLAINING THE ABC’S OF ZCS’S FUNDING CRISIS

Writer / Janelle Morrison Photos / JJ Kaplan


So why are the schools in some of the state’s most affluent communities, paradoxically, experiencing a funding shortfall while school systems in other areas of the state are doing much better? More importantly, what are the respective superintendents doing to alleviate the problem?

To find answers to these questions, I recently sat down with Scott Robison and Mike Shafer, the superintendent and the CFO, respectively, for the Zionsville Community Schools.

In order to understand the funding problem, it is helpful to have at least a general understanding of how schools are funded in Indiana. Indiana’s school funding is a complex arrangement where specific funds are created and they are typically restricted for specific uses by law. For example, a school’s ability to use its general fund money for costs associated with capital improvements such as new buildings or their upgrade is generally prohibited. Likewise, local property taxes generally cannot be contributed to increase the general fund.

“We are the one of the lowest funded school districts in the state of Indiana,” Robison explained. “We’re talking about the general fund, the life blood fund that pays for teachers and the core mission. Because of the funding formula we do not receive anything more than a bit above the foundation level. The foundation level is not a sustainable budget for a school district.”

Shafer explained even further.

“The funding formula [for the general fund], as it is currently set up, is made up of two major components,” Shafer said. “One of them is that foundation that Dr. Robison referred to and is equal to about 80 percent of the funding that goes to school corporations statewide. The other piece is a variable piece called the ‘complexity grant’ that is designed to provide about 20 percent of the money that goes to school corporations. However, it [complexity grant] is variable so each school corporation gets a different amount of money and therefore a different percentage of financing from that complexity piece. The way that the funding formula is set up, that works for the majority of the school corporations in the state but

there are a number of us who are actually getting far less money that we really need to survive and operate.”

Shafer continued his explanation of the funding formula. “In our particular case, we are getting the least amount of complexity money per pupil in the entire state of Indiana. When you look at the total amount of money per pupil, we are tied for third least. School corporations like Carmel, Westfield, Zionsville, Southwest Allen, Hamilton Southeastern, etc., we are all pretty much down at the bottom receiving several hundred dollars, per pupil, less than the state average as a result of the issues with the way that the funding formula is set up and how it operates. If you multiply $800 per pupil, which is the ballpark we’re talking about for us that we’re below that state average by, times our enrollment, which is 6,200, then you see right away that the difference is around $5 million a year for us. That is also the approximately amount of the last referendum that we did. The funding formula causes a funding short fall, which forces us to go back to a referendum to be able to make ends meet. In regards to federal funding, we get about $30 per pupil and in contrast IPS gets about $2,200. The high poverty school districts receive much more money from the [Indiana] funding formula and are getting more money from the federal government than Zionsville is getting from the state. Additionally, they are receiving over $2,000 per pupil in complexity money while Zionsville is getting approximately $120.”

The previous referendum was passed in 2012. It is a three-year referendum that finishes with the last tax distribution in December of 2015.

“Obviously, we are hoping for legislative change to the funding formula in an effort to reduce the size of or eliminate any future referenda,” Robison said. “The members of this community pay a disproportionately high share of income and sales taxes. When those monies go into the state funding formula, they get redistributed and we get among the lowest shares. We don’t suspect that we’re ever going to see the exact same amount for every school district and we don’t believe that we should. We believe in differentiation of funding for districts in poverty; however, the skew has become so absurd that it leaves schools like Carmel

CEO Mike Shafer and Superintendent Dr. Scott Robison


near last and a lot of communities around Indiana that pay a disproportionately high share in, can’t make ends meet. They have to lay off teachers and cut programs, and it creates great instability.”

The shortfalls from the current funding formula are impacting programs that Zionsville offers students.

“We had to cut our elementary science special program, our elementary physical education, some of our music and art programs, library science at the elementary levels and some at the middle level,” said Robison. “We lost our international baccalaureate program at the high school level. The IB program is a program that turns the heads of college admissions folks. Something that we’d like to have that we don’t currently and what is becoming a staple in Indiana is Project Lead the Way. This is very much an engineer-aimed town. We have a lot of engineers that live here and have children in our schools and yet this world-class level, pre-engineering program is unavailable to our students because we can’t staff and pay for it because of our general fund scarcity.

“Zionsville is a relatively affluent community with a very poor government entity in its schools. There are so many rules and regulations related to those funds that come and they receive among the lowest per pupil in the state and the only way at law, that they can elevate that is to go back to the taxpayers and do a referendum for that when the taxpayers are already paying among the highest shares of income and sales taxes in the state and that is a paradoxical situation to be in.”

With respect to the misconception of this being a commercial tax base issue, Robison stated, “Back in the day when, by law, the school funding formula included a levy piece that was in local property taxes, we floated our own boat to the tune of about 64-65 percent every year,” Robison said. “The state kick-in was 30-35 percent, and while we were fine in that regard, it did foster higher taxes than in most places. Then we got tax reform that set that 1 percent cap, 2 percent and 3 percent and take all of that I just said about property taxes and throw it out the window because we’re no longer talking about property taxation. It is now illegal to have property taxes in your general fund unless you go the ballot. We’re handcuffed with this money that comes through the redistribution of which we get amongst the smallest shares.”

In order to fix the problem, Robison outlined several measures that he and similarly situated superintendents are undertaking. “We’re going to be reaching out to all of our special groups in the schools, the booster clubs and the folks that are active in our schools and begin educating them, again. We did this before when we went through our referendum about why this is happening and so we’re going to educate them as the session gets started. We do have a website that is up, indianaschoolfunding.org, and it has some key documents and facts that people may want to review. We will have activities with small groups learning about this

and will be asking for some folks to do letter writing to contact legislatures and so on.”

In May, Robison and Shafer convened with representatives from 30 school districts from around the state to introduce the “Indiana Fix-It Coalition” initiative.

“We found that going in and speaking with legislators on our own just as a couple of guys from Zionsville, legislators would have that perplexed look like ‘well you’re from Zionsville so why would we need to talk to you?’” Robison explained. “Many of the legislators didn’t even know, in detail, about how the funding formula impacted us so Mike and I determined that we needed some geographic diversity, folks from other towns who are in a similar condition and that’s why we have Batesville, Avon, Center Grove, Brownsburg, Southwest Allen and Northwest Allen County, Munster, Fairfield, Porter County Schools, etc., involved so that this is spread around a bit.”

“Currently, there are 41 school corporations in the state that are affected just like us,” Shafer pointed out. “Those are the people who we see as our natural allies and are attempting to enlist them into our coalition. They are the school corporations that will be benefited if we can get a fix in the funding formula.”

“We’ve proposed three solutions,” Robison said. “Mike Shafer from our district and Mike Reuter, CFO of Hamilton Southeastern Schools, have worked with Chris Himsel, superintendent of Northwest Allen County schools to develop three proposed solutions. One solution is a performance grant, the second is to create a floor on the complexity grant and the third is reform of the complexity grant that elevates the outlier-low funded school districts without harming others.”

“We looked at the school corporations and we plotted the amount of money that each school corporation receives on a per pupil basis versus their ISTEP scores,” Shafer explained. “Not that we’re big proponents of ISTEP, but it is a uniform benchmark where you can get data across the board for all of the schools in the state and one of things, ironically, when we’re talking about the schools that are disproportionately underfunded you’re also talking about schools, that for the most part, are high performers. The highest performers in the state are those that are worst affected by this problem with the funding formula. If you take the top 25 performers in ISTEP, 21 of them are in this group.”

“One of our best allies in this effort is Scott Fadness, the new mayor of Fishers,” Robison said. “Fadness has essentially said that he doesn’t want to be the mayor of a town that has a declining school district. He knows that attracting business and continuing to prosper as Fishers has really depends on excellent schools. Several Hamilton county mayors and town/city councilors support the schools in these efforts.”

According to Robison, if the school funding formula is not


changed by the legislature future class sizes will skyrocket again and the schools will have to be back in the decision-making process of what will they have to cut. Will they cut additional world language programs, as they lost German the last time they were here?

“We’ve been here before,” Robison warned. “We closed our science labs at high school because our class sizes were so large that we didn’t meet the safety requirements for doing experiments. We must contemplate class sizes that skyrocket and programmatic decision-making. When we lose staff, which programs will that impact?”

Shafer explained the simple economics of the situation. “Without a legislative fix, Zionsville will continue to see a decreasing amount of money per pupil, through 2018,” Shafer concluded. “This year we lost $83.48 per pupil, and over the next two years, we will lose about the same amount, each year, so when you add that up over three years, that is $250 a student and then multiply that by the 6,500 students that we’ll have then, we’re talking about real money.”

The money also impacts teachers. “The delta that marks the territory between our current per pupil funding and the state average is $832 for 2015. That’s about $5.2 million, 75-80 teachers.” Robison calculated. “What could we do if we had the resources to put into these classrooms? We believe that differentiation of funding is appropriate and necessary, but the skew has become so broad that we’re down to a level that we can’t operate and offer programs that students in this community deserve.”

“ We are one of the lowest funded school districts in the state of Indiana. We’re talking about the general fund, the life blood fund that pays for teachers and the core mission. Because of the funding formula, we do not receive anything more than a bit above the foundation level. The foundation level is not a

sustainable budget for a school district.”— Scott Robison


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Cardiac electrophysiologist Louis Janeira believes similarities exist between doctors and detectives. He said both professions explore unknowns and solve “whodonits.” While detectives may investigate perpetrators of crime, doctors explore perpetrators of disease. This parallel may explain why Janeira writes medical mystery novels.

Janeira never aspired to be an author. He enjoyed his medical practice; he didn’t think he’d find anything more fulfilling, until he discovered writing. “I always thought I was a scientist, but there was a creative side to me that I never knew was there, and that I’m having a wonderful time exploring!”

Writing murder mystery novels takes time. So, how does one busy cardiologist, husband and father find time to write books?

The answer rests in a four-hour daily commute.

Janeira works with Providence Medical Group in Terre Haute. When he accepted this position four years ago, he and his wife Jane Crawford-Janeira didn’t want to leave their Zionsville home. The couple agreed that in order to stay in Zionsville, Janeira would endure a lengthy daily commute. The

question was how could he maximize that drive time so as to protect family time when Janeira arrived home.

“Part of the discussion with Jane was I either sit behind the wheel four hours a day totally bored out of my mind and unproductive or I get a driver where I can become productive, and that idea was much more appealing,” Janeira asserts.

Every morning, a driver shuttles Janeira to and from Terre Haute. Janeira refers to this as “me time.” He devotes an hour of this time to “doctor things,” like reading patient tests, dictating charts and perusing medical journals. Janeira used to spend his remaining travel time devouring mystery novels, but then he thought about writing his own books.

“After reading so many of these, I thought, ‘I bet I could come up with interesting medical stories that I could write up and see how it goes,’” Janeira declares.

Writing became Janeira’s creative outlet and means of escape.

“It puts me into a different world,” Janeira says. “I can almost feel my creative neurons working. It puts me in a state where I can relax and sort of get away from life.”

Since Janeira began commuting, he has written three medical mystery novels. All three are self-published under the pen name of “Jan Eira.” His books appear in print and in e-book form. His third book, “Still,” is based on a fictitious Zionsville family composed of a police detective, physician and a Zionsville high school student.

Janeira derives some of his stories from medical procedures and surgeries he’s performed. “I thought we do this for this good,” Janeira says. “What if we use this for evil intents? What would come of that?”

His wife admits some of the storylines are a bit creepy. “I’m thinking I can’t believe this is the same person I know,” Crawford-Janeira maintains. “He is such a tender and gentle spirited person. It was sort of comical. I thought it was so interesting he thought that way.”

To improve his skills, Janeira attended a couple of writing seminars. He credits the course “How to Write Fiction for Physicians,” taught by physician novelists Michael Palmer and Tess Garrison, as providing a great deal of guidance and direction. The seminar pointed out mistakes he was making in his writing.

“When I first started writing, I thought,

ZIONSVILLE CARDIOLOGIST PENS MURDER MYSTERY NOVELSMurder He Wrote


‘I’ll write these books and incorporate in there lessons about heart disease,” Janeira declares. “Michael Palmer’s first words were ‘don’t teach,’ because he knows that doctors like to teach. He said don’t use your fiction to teach. By my third book, there is none of that in all.”

Currently, Janeira is working on a medical science fiction trilogy catered to the young adult reader. The books, entitled “Traveler’s Secrets,” are again set in Zionsville. The plot centers on future teens’ attempts to eradicate an overpowering epidemic of heart disease. Janeira says the books are mostly finished, but he is still perfecting an “impactful” conclusion.

Janeira’s newest projects involve playwriting. After taking several play write courses at Marian University, Janeira converted his original books into plays. Janeira is shopping around for homes for his plays.

“Feeling of getting a play of mine on stage will be very intense,” Janeira gushes.

Janeira was born in a small town in Portugal. From an early age, he expressed an interest in being a doctor. His parents, a teacher and a postmaster, wanted to fund this dream, but didn’t have the means to support such a lofty goal. So his parents moved to the United States for better employment opportunities when Janeira was 6 years old. Janeira and his brother were left under the care of his grandparents.

At 15, Janeira graduated from high school. He moved to the United States and reunited with his parents. At the age of 16, Janeira enrolled in Rutgers University. Upon graduation, he attended Rutgers Medical School. He completed his residency and fellowship training in New Jersey.

Janeira’s first job was in Evansville. “I loved Evansville,” Janeira asserts. “New Jersey has positive things, but not a good place to live or raise a family.”

Eight years ago, Janeira moved to

Zionsville so his wife could return to her Indianapolis hometown.

“I just love it here. I love the people. I love the town,” Janeira gushes. “I love how I can be close to a big city, but live out in the country.”

Janeira refers to himself as a “big family

man.” He is father to three children: Brian (age 25), Adam (age 22), and Ellie (age 8).

Janeira says if he could become a successful writing, he’d retire from medicine. Until then, he’s content to be the doctor who writes, or is he a writer who practices medicine?

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Tesla Motors is winning over car enthusiasts worldwide. Their success comes despite attempts by detractors to discredit the company’s viability in an oil-driven economy. Wall Street analysts frequently reevaluate the company’s future. And, if they are to be believed, Tesla Motors is doomed every time the price of filling your tank drops below $4.

Yet, Tesla Motors continues to add stores, service centers and charging stations in cities across the globe. The company remains a shining example that American entrepreneurism and ingenuity are alive and well. Year over year, Tesla increases both its production and its profit. Analysts, who expected Tesla to post a loss in the third quarter of 2014, were surprised when the company recently announced a profit of two cents a share. Sales of the Model S began modestly with a figure of 2,650 vehicles sold in North America in 2012. By 2013, global Tesla sales reached over 25,000 units. And, although sales estimates were reduced, Tesla had already reached global cumulative sales of 46,948 by September 2014.

Tesla’s stellar track record in safety and performance certainly adds to its appeal.

Just last month, the Model S received a 5-Star safety rating from the Euro NCAP. This makes Tesla one of the few vehicles ever to receive a 5-Star rating both from Euro NCAP and the U.S. National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Model S became the first electric vehicle to win “Motor Trend’s” Car of the Year award in November 2012. In May of this year, “Consumer Reports” gave the Model S its highest car rating ever — 99 out of 100.

Here in Indiana, Hoosiers have given Tesla Motors a warm reception. The company opened its Indianapolis location last December at The Fashion Mall at Keystone at the Crossing. The Tesla store sits on the perimeter of the food court. Its open, gallery-like setting is visually inviting, and the sleek Model S vehicles just inside of the entry make people stop in their tracks. And now 200 Hoosiers are Tesla owners.

The only way that customers can see or test drive a Tesla vehicle is by stopping into a local store, which is typically located in a shopping mall. Unlike the major auto manufacturers, Tesla Motors maintains full control over its vehicles from the drawing board to your door.

“It takes a lot more touch points and knowledge to sell our vehicles,” said Tesla communications manager Will Nicholas, explaining why the company chooses to control the sale of its vehicles rather than turn it over to a third-party dealership.

This choice has caused Tesla some trouble in states such as Texas, Arizona, Michigan and New Jersey. Legislators in these states have blocked the company from opening shop specifically because they do not involve a dealer in the sales process. Indiana had no such hesitation in welcoming Tesla, as the Fashion Mall location was Tesla’s first Midwest store.

Visitors to Tesla’s store will find a buying experience that is completely different from a traditional car purchase. Demonstration Model S vehicles are parked in the showroom. Test drives are available. But, you will have to wait three to four months for the car to show up in your driveway. Each car is made to order in Tesla’s Fremont, California, manufacturing plant, which churns out an average of 2,000 vehicles per month. Customers purchasing a new Tesla have one model from which to choose. Everything else is all about the options.

The average selling price of a Tesla Model

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Tesla is located at the Fashion Mall at Keystone.


S in North America is in the $90,000 range (including a $7,500 federal tax incentive for EV purchases). This figure is comprised of the $69,900 base price plus customization. The most popular upgrade is to the 85 kWh battery vehicle, which provides a range of 230 miles; an equivalent of 88 mpg in the city and 90 mpg on the highway. If your Tesla is used primarily as a commuter car and to get you around town during the week, it’s likely that you don’t need the extended battery life. But it’s tough to let go of the fear of being stranded on the roadside

standing beside an electric vehicle with a gas can in hand.

Hoosier drivers will want to consider the Subzero Weather option package. This package contains everything that you need to make cold weather driving tolerable: a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, a windscreen wiper de-icer and heated wiper nozzels.

The Tesla pricing structure is very simple. Whether you walk into a store in Indianapolis, Los Angeles or Miami, it’s all the same price and customer experience. The only difference that customers will pay from location to location is registration and taxes. You won’t get the hard sell on option packages, either. Tesla does not incentivize upsizing with its sales staff, so their primary concern is getting you in a vehicle that fits your needs and budget.

Look for the P85D, Tesla’s latest Model S version, to arrive in stores this month. This

all-wheel drive vehicle is the world’s first dual electric motor production car. Each axle on the P85D has its own dedicated motor, which acts independently and controls torque to the front and rear wheels. What this means for drivers is unparalleled traction control and 0 – 60 in 3.2 seconds, which makes the Model S P85D the fastest four-door car in the world.

The launch of P85D also introduces Tesla’s new Autopilot feature. Besides warning drivers when they exceed the prevailing speed limit, once the signal is turned on and the car deems it safe to do so, Autopilot will change lanes for the driver. These are just early capabilities for the hardware. Adaptive cruise control will be added before the close of 2014 and self-parking is slated for addition next year.

These are the last major feature updates expected between now and the release of Tesla’s more affordable crossover vehicle, the Model X, in 2017.

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29 / PROJECT FEEDERWATCH AT ZION NATURE CENTERProject FeederWatch is a winter-long survey of birds that visit feeders at backyards, nature centers and other locales in North America. Participants periodically count the birds they see at their feeders through early April. The data they collect help scientists track winter bird populations. Join us on the weekends this winter and help us identify and count the birds that come to our feeders.10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays, 12-5 p.m. Sundays Zion Nature Center, 690 Beech St., Zionsville317-873-8950 or zionsville-in.gov

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ECRWSS POSTAL CUSTOMERP.O. Box 36097Indianapolis, IN 46236-0097

PRSRT STDUS POSTAGE

PAIDLebanon Junction, KY

Permit No. 942

zionsville newsletter january 2015

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