Heads of the class

Four new faces were elected to area school boards on Tuesday, and voters kept four current members making decisions about spending money, improving student achievement and whether or how to construct new schools.

Voters across the county were picking school board members for contested races in Center Grove, Clark-Pleasant, Edinburgh and Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson school districts.

Clark-Pleasant

First-time candidate Brian Bair unseated incumbent Vernon “Butch” Zike for the at-large seat on the Clark-Pleasant school board.Bair took 57 percent of the vote Tuesday, compared to 43 percent for Zike.

Bair, a parent and former Central Nine Career Center teacher, had campaigned on a platform focusing on how to pay for schools and teachers due to growth in the district. He also wants to maintain an acceptable student-to-teacher ratio in light of the growing student population.

He said he would make sure that all employees and facilities have what they need to accomplish achievement goals.

Bair will serve a four-year term, and represent the entire Clark-Pleasant district.

In the other race on the ballot, Curtis Harris ran unopposed for the Pleasant Township seat on the school board and will serve for the next four years.

School board members are responsible for approving the school district budget, reviewing and approving new school policy and reviewing the superintendent.

Center Grove

Incumbent Carol Tumey and newcomer Rob Daniels were elected to two at-large seats on the Center Grove school board. Tumey received 34 percent of the votes, while Daniels got 27 percent.They defeated three other candidates running for the seats. Pingnan Shi, David DeGraaf and Nathan Williamson were making their first attempt at serving in an elected office.

Managing the Center Grove school district’s growth was the primary concern for both Tumey and Daniels. As school board members, they will be responsible for redistricting, if needed, and ensuring that classrooms do not get overcrowded.

That will be a challenge as district growth has been greater than previously projected.

School board members are responsible for approving the school district budget, reviewing and approving new school policy and reviewing the superintendent. Tumey and Daniels will serve four-year terms, and represent all of the Center Grove school district.

Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson

Voters in the Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson school district know that Ed Harvey will represent them on the school board for the next four years.Election officials still need to determine who the winning candidate is due to a problem with Morgan County ballots. The school district encompasses Nineveh and Hensley townships in Johnson County, and Jackson township in Morgan County.

Based on Johnson County results only, Harvey and incumbent Greg Waltz were both elected to the board, defeating first-time candidate Amanda Wilkerson due to a stipulation in the law regarding residency.

The three candidates were vying for a pair of at-large seats on the school board.

Waltz, a field superintendent with Chance Bros Marble and Tile, received 41 percent of the vote within Johnson County, compared to Wilkerson’s 36 percent.

Harvey, a construction administrator for Lance and Beebe Architectural Planning Interiors, received 23 percent.

But Harvey, a former board member, was all but guaranteed to be elected, according to Johnson County Clerk Susie Misiniec.

Bylaws from the school district say that at-large school board members cannot live in the same township. Both Wilkerson and Waltz are from Nineveh Township. Harvey is the only candidate running for an at-large seat from Jackson Township, making him the only option.

But an error with the ballots in Jackson County means that the final results cannot be determined as of Tuesday night. The ballots incorrectly told voters the number of candidates to choose in the at-large race, Johnson County Clerk Susie Misiniec said. Morgan County officials were not available to comment on Tuesday.

The ballots told voters to choose one candidate in the at-large school board race, when voters should have been given the option to vote for two candidates. Morgan County officials will decide how to address the issue, Misiniec said.

A fourth candidate, Thomas Burgett, was unopposed in his bid for the Nineveh Township school board seat.

Edinburgh

Incumbent Cathy Hamm and newcomer Curtis Rooks emerged victorious in the race for two Edinburgh school board at-large seats.Hamm received 29 percent of the votes, while Rooks got 27 percent. Incumbent Alice Nancy Taulman received 24 percent of the vote, and Bill Jones took 20 percent.

For both Hamm and Rooks, stemming the increasing teacher turnover rate was at the top of the list of issues facing Edinburgh. Though the issue is complicated, it would be up to the school board to help improve school performance and test scores, making the district’s schools more appealing to teachers.

School board members are responsible for approving the school district budget, reviewing and approving new school policy and reviewing the superintendent. Hamm and Rooks will serve four-year terms, and represent the town of Edinburgh.

[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”How You Voted” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]

Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson School Board at-large

Top two among Waltz and Wilkerson elected (Harvey guaranteed to win seat due to residency rules)

Ed Harvey;1,148

Greg Waltz;2,081

Amanda Wilkerson;1,849

— Johnson County results only

[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”How You Voted” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]

Clark-Pleasant School Board at-large

Brian Bair;6,372

Vernon S. “Butch” Zike Jr.;4,841

[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”How You Voted” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]

Center Grove School Board at-large

Top two elected

Rob Daniels;9,384

David W. DeGraaf;3,221

Pingnan Shi;3,456

Carol S. Tumey;11,716

Nathan T. Williamson;6,542

[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”How You Voted” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]

Edinburgh School Board at-large

Top two elected

Cathy Hamm;819

William “Bill” Jones;564

Curtis Rooks;780

Alice Nancy Taulman;675

[sc:pullout-text-end]