After working in education for 35 years, eight of which was spent as superintendent of School Town of Munster, Dr. Jeffrey Hendrix will officially retire from his position July 1, 2022. Now paving the way for Mr. Bret Heller to take on the position next school year, Dr. Hendrix looks forward to watching the district continue to grow for the betterment of students.

“We have a saying that we are a district of National Distinction,” Dr. Hendrix said. “I think we’ve been able to reach that level quite a few times while I’ve been here, and I hope my legacy is that we continue to do that, that we’re always looking to get better every year.”

During his time as superintendent, Dr. Hendrix not only worked to maintain Munster’s academic standing, but also spent years pulling the district out of its financial crisis of 2015. More recently, he worked with other staff members and students to create a more diverse and inclusive environment throughout the district, with the start of programs such as IDEA that helped bridge the gap in communication between administrators and students. Whether it was hiring the district’s first Black woman as assistant superintendent last year, or getting the ball rolling in terms of construction and infrastructure, Dr. Hendrix looks forward to seeing Munster continue to build from the groundwork already laid.

“(As superintendent) I’ve learned that I don’t have to do it all myself,” Dr. Hendrix said. “I think everyone thinks you’ve got all the answers. What I have found is that I usually ask a lot more questions than provide all the answers. For the most part, it’s allowing people to do what they do—to experiment, to take risks, to take chances, but with the mission of ‘how does it best help every student every day?’ That’s been the lesson I’ve learned—having faith in people that they’re going to do the right things.”