With two seats on the ballot in the November general election, Carmel Clay Schools aims to ensure anyone considering a run for school board understands what the role entails – and doesn’t.
A Prospective School Board Candidate Seminar is set for 10 a.m. May 21 at the CCS Educational Services Center, 5201 E. Main St. During the 90-minute program, attendees will learn about the role of a school board member, legal requirements and other related matters.
“This would be a great opportunity for you to know what you’re getting into and have your questions answered,” CCS Supt. Michael Beresford said.
Speakers will include Steve Horton, director of board services for the Indiana School Boards Association, and Andrew Manna, an attorney with Church Church Hittle + Antrim who specializes in education law.
Beresford, 64, who said he does not plan to seek an extension when his contract ends in 2026, said the school board’s three primary responsibilities are to set policy for the district, oversee finances and hire, evaluate and – if necessary – fire the superintendent.
“If you (join) the school board and you want to fire the coach, or (implement) a dress code, that’s not your role,” he said. “The daily operations side of it is left to the folks that are running the buildings in the district.”
School board members are elected to four-year terms. This year, two at-large seats will be on the ballot in CCS. Candidates may file to run for school board from May 21 through June 20.
The school board election is Nov. 5 and will be on the ballot with presidential, national, statewide and other races. Beresford said it’s important for voters and candidates of all ages – whether they have students attending CCS or not – to pay attention to local races in a busy election year.
“I think you can see from districts around us and across the country that if a majority of people get on the board with a special interest, it will disrupt the educational system that this community has been so proud of,” he said. “I know it’s a presidential election, I know there will be a lot of wild ads on TV and a lot of weird texts, but the impact the school district has on the daily lives of students and the daily lives of families in our community is huge.”
Learn more and register for the Prospective School Board Candidate Seminar at ow.ly/TMcL50Rm8m7. The event is open to anyone considering a run for school board this year or in the future and to community members who want to learn more about the process.
