The Indiana state constitution promises Hoosiers a free public school system that is “equally open to all.” Hamilton County school board members are elected to make sure that their local schools deliver on this promise by providing financial oversight, setting strategy, adopting policies, and hiring and evaluating the superintendent for their school districts. The Noblesville, Hamilton Southeastern, and Westfield Washington school boards have all been recognized by the Indiana School Boards Association with Exemplary Governance Awards for pursuing continuing education about school governance in 2023. Effective school boards can be credited for helping Hamilton County maintain high quality schools, good student experiences, desirable communities and robust property values. School board elections are important.
School board elections in Indiana are nonpartisan by law. This means the ballot does not list school board candidates’ party affiliation, so straight-ticket voting does not apply to school board candidates. You have to vote on these races individually. Ideally, this encourages candidates to run with a focus on the school district and students without being concerned with usual party politics.
School board elections can be very close – in 2022, the Carmel District 3 race was decided by 106 votes. Your vote matters! Let this post be a starting point to help you make an informed choice on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
Carmel
Four candidates, none of whom are incumbents, are vying for the two at-large Carmel Clay School Board seats. All voters can cast a vote for each of the two seats. Jon Shapiro and Kristina (Kris) Wheeler are both endorsed by the Support CCS PAC, a PAC that, according to its website, supports candidates who “fulfill the district’s mission and guiding principles.” Robin L Clark and Dina Ferchmin are both endorsed by the Carmel Excellence PAC, a PAC that “supports common-sense conservative school board leaders,” according to its website. A Carmel Clay School Board debate is planned for Monday, September 30 at 7 p.m. at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts at 1 Carter Green in Carmel.
Recently our HamCo Dems Chair emphasized the benefits of a nonpartisan approach to the Carmel school board elections and lamented the political agendas that distract. You can read the article here. Additionally, Vare stated, "There are candidates who are running for school board to win some political battle. There are other school board candidates running to serve students. Find out who's who before you vote."
Noblesville
Six candidates are competing for three at-large seats. All voters can cast a vote for each of the three seats. Noblesville School Board President Christi Crosser and Vice President Stephanie Lambert are running for reelection. Bret Richardson is running with Crosser and Lambert as a slate. David L Dawson, Alison Hanley, and Bradley A. Helvey are running as a slate in opposition to the current board. Noblesville High School students will be leading a school board candidate forum on Wednesday, October 2 at 6 p.m. at the high school at 18111 Cumberland Rd. in Noblesville.
Fishers
There are three township races for the Hamilton Southeastern School Board. All voters can cast a vote for each of the three seats. Greg Lannan and Latricia A Schooley are the candidates for the Delaware Township seat. The candidates for the Fall Creek Township seat are the current HSE School Board Secretary Suzanne Thomas and former school board member, Terry Tolle. In Wayne Township, incumbent Sarah E. Parks-Reese is running for re-election against John F. Stewart. Lannan, Tolle, and Stewart are endorsed by conservative group Fishers One and the Friends of Fishers PAC.
Unfortunately, politics are at play in the nonpartisan HSE school board race. You can read the article here. The HSE school board debate will be rescheduled because it fell on "the same night as the Hamilton County Republican Party Fall Dinner. Since there are several HSE School Board candidates with ties to the local Republican Party, it was unlikely those candidates would attend the forum." How... weird.
Updates: The HSE School Board Forum was rescheduled and will be held Thursday, October 10, 2024. You can watch the video of the debate here.
HSEA announced in September their endorsements of Latricia A Schooley for the Delaware Township seat, Suzanne Thomas for the Fall Creek Township seat and Sarah E. Parks-Reese for they Wayne Township seat. You can find the announcement here.
Additional reading:
Westfield
In District 3, Westfield Washington School Board School Board Vice President Mike Steele is running against Matthew Hullinger. In District 1, Carrie Larrison is running unopposed.
Arcadia, Atlanta, and Cicero
Voters in Jackson Township can choose between School Board Vice President Dr. Kevin Cavanaugh and Elizabeth Fouch for Hamilton Heights School Board. School Board President Gretchen S. Pennington is running unopposed for the White River township seat.
Sheridan
The Sheridan School District includes portions of both Hamilton and Boone counties. The two Sheridan School Board seats in Marion Township in Boone County are up for election in 2024. School Board President Dan Fleming and member John Hunt are running for re-election. Eric Nyberg has also filed as a candidate.