Griffith School Board

What a school board does

A school board is the elected or appointed governing body of a public school corporation, the legal unit that runs a local school district ^{[1, 2]}. The board hires and evaluates the superintendent, adopts policies, and approves the annual budget, while the superintendent and staff run schools day to day ^[3]. Most boards have five or seven members serving staggered four-year terms ^[3]. Starting in 2026, candidates may list a political party, run as independents, or list no affiliation on the ballot, and there is no primary for these seats ^{[2, 4]}.

Term

4 years, with elections staggered so part of the board is chosen every two years ^[3]

Elected

At the November general election (November 3, 2026, or November 2028 for some seats); depending on the local organization plan, members represent the whole school corporation (at large) or a district within it, and some boards are wholly or partly appointed ^[2]

Ballot label

Each candidate chooses a party label, 'Independent', or no affiliation, shown next to the name; no primary and no straight-ticket voting for these races ^{[2, 4]}

Pay

Set by board resolution: an annual amount of no more than 10% of the lowest starting teacher salary in the school corporation, plus a capped per diem ^[5]

On the 2026 ballot

632 races in 276 school corporations; 1,035 candidates, 197 races contested ^[6]

The job in full — what the Indiana Code puts in it, what it pays, and what to ask a candidate.

About Griffith Public Schools

• Griffith Public Schools serves most of the town of Griffith in Lake County ^[24]. The district reports 1,995 students in three schools: Wadsworth Elementary (mainly grades PK–2), Beiriger Elementary (mainly grades 3–5) and Griffith Jr/Sr High School (grades 6–12) ^[25]. Leah Dumezich is superintendent ^{[26, 27]}.
• The board has five members, all elected at large ^[26]. Its 2026 officers are President Emily Conner, 1st Vice President Jesse Adduci, 2nd Vice President Tina Adams, Secretary Kathy Ruesken and Assistant Secretary Jason Jaques ^{[28, 27]}.
• Seats on the 2026 ballot: two at-large seats, according to the state's Who's on My Ballot lookup ^[29]. The Lake County sample ballot this guide reviewed earlier said 'Vote for not more than Three (3)' ^[30]; this guide follows the state lookup, and voters should check their own ballot. The three terms ending Dec. 31, 2026 belong to Adams, Adduci and Ruesken ^[26]; no source found explains why only two seats are on the ballot. Adams and Ruesken are running again; Adduci is not on the candidate list ^[31].
• In 2022 the three at-large winners were Adams (1,995 votes), Jennifer Gooldy (1,816) and Ruesken (1,769); Adduci finished fourth with 1,410 ^[32]. The 2026 county directory lists Adduci in a seat whose term ends in 2026 ^[26]. This guide did not confirm how he joined the board.
• Not on this ballot: Conner and Jaques won the two at-large seats on the 2024 ballot, and their terms run through 2028 ^{[33, 26]}.
• Candidates: Tina Adams, Lori A Rose and Kathy Ruesken are printed on the ballot, and Patrick Janke is a declared write-in candidate. That makes four candidates for two seats ^{[31, 29]}. The ballot says a write-in vote counts only if it is for a declared write-in candidate ^[30].
• Operating referendum (2022): in May 2022 voters approved Griffith's operating referendum 1,309 to 796 ^[34]. It runs for eight years at a rate of $0.3294 and was projected to raise about $2.29 million a year, $2.08 million of it for retaining and attracting teachers and staff ^[35]. The district's website lists the staff salaries paid from referendum funds ^[25].
• Budget (2025–2026): at the Oct. 9, 2025 meeting, which included the public hearing on the 2026 budget, Dumezich explained how the referendum and tax rate work and said the district 'will have to keep looking at reductions each year due to the tax rate' ^[36]. At the Sept. 10, 2026 meeting, Chief Financial Officer Terri Chance reported that the budget is down $1.6 million from circuit-breaker tax caps, which will affect transportation and maintenance. She said the 2027 budget hearing would be held in September and the budget adopted in October ^[27]. In July 2026 the board unanimously approved transfers from the Debt Service Fund and the Education Fund to the Operations Fund (Resolutions 2026-18 and 2026-19) ^[37]. The minutes this guide read do not quantify the effect of the 2025 property-tax law (SEA 1).
• Facilities (2025–2026): the Oct. 9, 2025 meeting also included a project hearing and a second preliminary determination hearing ^[36]. In January 2026 Dumezich gave target completion dates of June 5, 2026 for the indoor athletic facility, July 14 for the football, soccer and track fields, and July 31 for the varsity locker rooms. She said the aquatic center would be finished at the end of September, with a public opening hoped for in the second week of October 2026 ^[38].
• Storm recovery (2026): an Aug. 11, 2026 storm delayed the start of school, and the district had about $170,000 in insurance claims as of Sept. 10 ^[27]. That month the board unanimously adopted resolutions declaring an emergency requiring mitigation and restoration, and authorizing pay for classified staff during unplanned emergency closures ^[27].
• Other 2026 board items: the board unanimously kept the superintendent on a three-year contract in July 2026 ^[37]. In January 2026 Dumezich reported that 26 students were enrolled in the district's online Region Virtual Academy, with a goal of 50 by the end of the school year, and described it as a way to bring in revenue ^[38]. In September 2026 the board approved a peer tutoring course, a test security policy and an amended 2026–2027 strategic plan. Audience members that month questioned athletic pass prices and bus fees for fine arts trips ^[27].
• Forums: this guide found no candidate forums, questionnaires or news coverage of the 2026 Griffith school board race.

Griffith Public School Board, At Large

3 candidates · 2 seats · 1 declared write-in

Declared write-in candidates

Key points

• Operating referendum (2022): in May 2022 voters approved Griffith's operating referendum 1,309 to 796. (Lake County Board of Elections and Registration)
• Budget (2025–2026): at the Oct. 9, 2025 meeting, which included the public hearing on the 2026 budget, Dumezich explained how the referendum and tax rate work and said the district 'will have to keep looking at reductions each year due to the tax rate'. (Griffith Public Schools)
• Storm recovery (2026): an Aug. 11, 2026 storm delayed the start of school, and the district had about $170,000 in insurance claims as of Sept. 10. (Griffith Public Schools)

Sources