Three seats are up on the Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson school board this year.
Two people are running for the Nineveh Township seat while three people are running for the two at-large seats. The NHJ school board governs Indian Creek Schools.
Incumbent Thomas Burgett and challenger Brian Young are running for the Nineveh Township seat. Only people who live in Nineveh Township residents can vote for this seat.
Incumbent Ed Harvey and newcomers Cathleen “Cathy” Cook and Tessa Key are running for the two at-large seats. All residents within the school district — Nineveh and Hensley townships in Johnson County and Jackson Township in Morgan County — will vote for this office.
To help voters make their decision in this race, the Daily Journal asked the candidates their takes on issues affecting Indian Creek schools and the education field ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
Two candidates’ answers are not included: Cook was not comfortable responding to the questions and Burgett said he may not respond.
Why they’re running
Harvey, who works for an architecture firm, wants to continue working with other board members and the new superintendent to facilitate the growth and success of students and the community into the future, he said.
Key, a small business owner, is running for school board because she wants the best for the students and staff at Indian Creek. Having a voice on the board is the best way to do that, she said.
Young, who is president of the Johnson County Fair Board, is running because he is proud of Indian Creek and wants to give back to help when and where he can. He’s open to all ideas and suggestions, he said.
School budget, new buildings
When it comes to the district’s budget, Harvey said he would identify areas where officials could reduce spending, work with the treasurer and superintendent to craft a budget around the education and operations fund and maintain a healthy rainy-day fund. Harvey would also like to keep pay for teachers and staff competitive with districts that are the same size.
To balance school growth and low taxes, Harvey would strive to make the best use of existing spaces in each building and increase classroom sizes where possible. He would consider a school demographic study and future growth model when evaluating whether to spend taxpayer money on a new project. He would not increase the tax levy, Harvey said.
Safety of students, teachers and staff and teacher compensation are Key’s top budget priorities. Key understands there are “a lot of moving parts” when it comes to the budget and she is ready to learn about how school funding works to ensure “everything is being allocated in a way that makes the most sense.” Key would explore alternative funding sources and advocate for additional state funding when it comes to building new buildings if needed, she said.
Without being on a school board, or seeing where the funds come from, Young said he doesn’t feel like he can give an accurate answer to what he will prioritize when it comes to the school budget, he said. When it comes to school growth, Young would follow the plan for school growth and update it as needed, he said.
Teacher retention
To help with teacher retention, the district should be competitive with wages and incentives when they can, Harvey said. The district should maintain a safe and secure school environment, and be an advocate for the district by promoting community involvement, its culture and beliefs, and successes and challenges, he said.
Key believes the district can improve teacher retention by offering competitive compensation, a strong mentorship program and a healthy work-life balance for teachers, she said.
Young wants to work closely with teachers and administrators as a team to solve any issues that arise.
College, career readiness
To prepare for the state’s shift to college and career readiness with Indiana’s new proposed GPS diploma, Harvey believes the district should provide a balanced curriculum with opportunities for each student to succeed in the career path of their choice, he said. The district should also promote and support its continued association with Central Nine Career Center and vocational education opportunities, he said.
Indian Creek already does a “fantastic” job when it comes to college and career readiness, Key said. As for the state’s proposed GPS Diploma, she feels the district will follow suit to give students all of the options that they can. Indian Creek is ahead of the game when it comes to college and career readiness with Creek Cattle Co., Creek Manufacturing, and its abundance of FFA programs, she said.
Young would talk with teachers and administrators to see where they are struggling, and come up with a plan to get on the correct path, he said.
ABOUT THE JOB
What: Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson school board
Term: 4 years
Pay: $2,000 and a per diem
Duties: Reviews superintendent contract, approves school district budget, reviews and approves new school/district policies
Represents: The Nineveh Township seat represents only Nineveh Township, and only voters who live within that township can vote for this office. The at-large seats represent the district — Nineveh and Hensley townships in Johnson County and Jackson Township in Morgan County — as a whole, and all voters are able to vote for this office.
THE KEY FILE
Name: Tessa Key
Age: 51
Family: Husband, Jason; two children
Occupation: Owner of Yard Signs, Inc.
Educational background: Center Grove High School, 1991; Ball State University & Indiana Business College, 1994
Past offices held: First-time candidate
Memberships: Treasurer of Brave Backers; past member of the Board of Directors for Youth Connections
THE HARVEY FILE
Name: Edward “Ed” Harvey
Age: 65
Family: Wife, Sheri; two children
Occupation: Construction Administrator for Lancer Associates Architecture
Educational background: Indian Creek High School, 1977
Past offices held: Four-term NHJ School board member, elected in 2002, 2006, 2016, incumbent since 2020. Unsuccessfully ran in 2012.
Memberships: Indiana Carpenters Union; National Rifle Association
THE YOUNG FILE
Name: Brian Young
Age: 51
Family: Wife, Jill; three children
Occupation: Salesman at MacAllister Machinery
Educational background: Indian Creek High School, 1991
Past offices held: First-time candidate
Membership: Fair Haven Church; Johnson County Fair Association; Johnson County Fair Board
