The people who show up before the students are often the true strength of a school building. At Hamilton Southeastern High School, the S.A.G.E. Award standing for “Set A Good Example” serves as a monthly reminder of this behind-the-scenes dedication. This February, the honor was awarded to two women who define the grit and heart of the HSE community: Ms. Kathy Kleinrichert and Mrs. Lisa Boyle.
For many students, the school day begins with the frantic rush of a late arrival and the unpredictable Indiana weather. Waiting at Door 18, the first point of contact is Kleinrichert. She is more than just an administrative presence; she is the foundation of Student Services.
“She’s like the gatekeeper to door 18 from 8:30 in the morning when students start arriving late to 2:55 in the afternoon when they try and duck out early,” Cummings said. “Kathy is there.”
The role demands a specific kind of resilience. Stationed at an exterior entrance, Kleinrichert faces the bipolar nature of Indiana winter daily to ensure the building remains secure and students remain accountable.
“Her workspace is an exterior door, which throughout this winter has been extremely chilly, and she may have to wear a coat at times, but she doesn’t complain,” Cummings said. “She does her job wonderfully.”
In a high school environment that can often feel chaotic, Kleinrichert provides a necessary sense of consistency. She manages hundreds of check-ins, tracks down missing IDs, and ensures that every student is exactly where they are supposed to be. To the staff in Student Services, she is the quiet force that keeps the day grounded.
While Kleinrichert serves as the guardian of the school, Mrs. Lisa Boyle is the architect of the classroom. With over 20 years at HSE, Boyle has become a cornerstone of the math department. Her impact is easily measured in data, specifically the “Platinum” status the school achieved through her students’ success in AP Statistics.
“She consistently goes above and beyond for her students, instilling in them the skills needed to succeed, not only in her classroom, but also in the real world,” Dittoe said. “She holds them to a high standard, but they succeed because of that.”
For Boyle, setting an example is about much more than just test scores; it is rooted in a “first-in, last-out” work ethic. Colleagues describe her as a teacher who refuses to settle for the bare minimum, whether she is leading the Geometry PLC or coaching the Math Academic Super Bowl team.
“She is the most dedicated teacher that I know,” Cooper said. “She is one of the first people to arrive at school each morning, and frequently she is the last one to leave.”
Inside Boyle’s classroom, the focus is rarely on rote memorization. Instead, she pushes students for a deeper understanding of the “why” behind the numbers, helping them find clarity in complex concepts.
“She focuses on why things work and how ideas connect,” Cooper said. “She makes sense of the math in making sure that they understand how things work so they don’t have to memorize things.”
Whether it is managing busy Door 18 or leading a classroom through a rigorous AP curriculum, both Kleinrichert and Boyle represent the two halves of what makes HSE successful: reliability and rigor. The February S.A.G.E. Award is not just a monthly recognition, but a showcase of the tedious, daily commitments that never go unnoticed by the staff and students.
