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2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Kosciusko Wawasee School Board

3 seats on the Wawasee Community School Corp's board are on this year's ballot, with 4 names on them. Which seats appear on your ballot depends on where in the corporation you live.

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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]
What the law puts in this job (12)
  • Hires, evaluates and can dismiss the superintendent, and approves the hiring and firing of principals, teachers and other staff recommended by the superintendent [1, 7, 3].
  • Adopts the annual budget, appropriates funds and oversees school finances [1, 3].
  • Decides whether to ask voters to approve an operating referendum (an extra property tax levy); the board adopts the resolution and the Department of Local Government Finance reviews the ballot language for compliance with state law [8].
  • Approves contracts, buys and sells property, and decides on construction, repair and demolition of school buildings [1].
  • Bargains with the teachers' union over salary, wages and wage-related benefits such as health insurance and retirement; state law excludes teacher evaluation procedures from those bargaining subjects [9].
  • Writes and updates policies and rules for schools, often in a policy handbook, including the student handbook [1, 3].
  • Buys curricular materials, provides them to students without charge, and runs programs such as student transportation and school lunch [1].
  • Must adopt a process for parents and residents to ask that library material be removed as obscene or harmful to minors, review requests at public meetings and keep a public catalog of library materials [10].
  • Hears written appeals of student expulsions, unless the board has voted not to hear them [11].
  • Must take official action openly; Indiana's Open Door Law says public agencies' official action is to be conducted openly so the people may be fully informed [12, 13].
  • A school board member must have lived in the school corporation (and, for a district seat, the district) for at least one year before the election, and a teacher or other employee of the school corporation may not serve on its board [2].
  • What the board does not control: the State Board of Education adopts statewide academic standards [14], the General Assembly sets the state school funding formula in the state budget [15], and voucher (Choice Scholarship) eligibility is set by state law [16].

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

About Wawasee Community School Corp

  • The district: Wawasee Community School Corporation is based in Syracuse in Kosciusko County. Its schools include Syracuse, North Webster and Milford elementary schools, the Wawasee Early Learning Center, Wawasee Middle School and Wawasee High School [24, 25]. In April 2025 Superintendent Steve Troyer said enrollment had fallen nearly 20% since 2016, from more than 3,100 students to about 2,537 [26]. Kent Myers has been superintendent since June 2026, and Dr. Michelle Walden is assistant superintendent [27, 28].
  • Board: five members. Candidates must live in the district they seek to represent, but voters across the school corporation vote for every seat [29, 30]. District 1 is Tippecanoe Township, District 2 is Turkey Creek Township, and District 3 includes Van Buren and Jefferson East townships [29]. In September 2026 the members were Andy Cripe (president), Donald Bokhart (vice president), Neil Likens (secretary), Beth Beer and Mike Fowler [24].
  • Seats on the 2026 ballot: three seats, one per race, matching the state list's "vote for 1" in each [29, 6]. District 1: Neil Likens won it in 2022 and is running unopposed for a second term [31, 29]. District 2: Andy Cripe was appointed to it in October 2021 and won it unopposed in 2022 [31]. He is not running, and InkFreeNews reported that he declined to comment on that decision [29]. Jason J. Ughetti and Kim H. Nguyen are running for the open seat [29]. District 3: Steven Baut won it in 2022 by 25 votes [31]. He resigned effective March 3, 2026 [32]. On March 17, 2026 the board appointed Beth Beer 4-0, and she is running unopposed [33, 29].
  • Party labels: on the state list, Jason J. Ughetti and Beth Beer are Republican, and Neil Likens and Kim H. Nguyen are Nonpartisan [6]. InkFreeNews reported that Likens did not list a party affiliation when he filed and that Nguyen did not disclose one [29]. Under a new state law, school board candidates must say whether they are affiliated with a party, are independent or choose not to disclose [29].
  • Budget and SEA 1 (2025-26): in April 2025 Troyer told the board the district was "bringing in less money than we're spending" and planned to cut up to 10 full-time positions [26]. He said the state's Legislative Services Agency estimated SEA 1 could cost Wawasee more than $1.9 million over three years [26]. Looking back on 2025, Troyer and board president Don Bokhart named SEA 1 as the district's biggest challenge [34]. In 2025 the district cut the student radio station and the gymnastics program and shelved plans for a Student Activity Center [34]. In January 2026 Troyer said tax caps and recent legislation were expected to cut the operations fund levy by about $687,500 [35].
  • 2027 budget and bonds: at the Sept. 8, 2026 budget hearing the district presented a 2027 budget of $48,315,914, with adoption set for Oct. 13 [24]. Chief financial officer Dr. Brandon Penrod also presented a timetable for 2026 general obligation bonds, with adoption planned for October [24]. In October 2025 the board adopted a $6.6 million bond for HVAC, roofing and safety work, which Penrod said was designed for no tax-rate increase [36]. Residents Lissa Krull and Rob Chalk questioned why project and bond documents were hard to find and why the district sought new bonds while unspent bond money remained [36]. Troyer and Penrod responded that some older bond funds were limited to specific projects [36]. In February 2026 the board voted 5-0 to refinance 2018 bonds and to hire Policy Analytics for a property-tax and revenue study [37].
  • Superintendent turnover: on Jan. 26, 2026 the board announced that Troyer had resigned and that Dr. Diane Woodworth, a retired Goshen superintendent, would be interim superintendent through May 2026 [38]. Board president Cripe said the board would use a university search team and post a public timeline [39]. Several residents asked the board not to rush the search [39, 37]. On May 26, 2026 the board voted 5-0 to hire Kent Myers [27]. Bokhart said Myers's contract includes a $5,000 stipend to encourage him to move into the district and ties his raises to teacher raises at Myers's request [27].
  • Facilities: the new Milford Elementary opened in April 2026, and demolition of the old building began in June [40, 41]. In March 2026 facilities director Wade Wirebaugh said the Wawasee Middle School pool renovation was at $8.2 million against an $8.5 million budget, with punch-list items still open [32]. Resident Curt Hursey repeatedly asked for pool updates and suggested an outside inspection [39, 42]. The high school Performing Arts Center opened with an Aug. 19, 2026 ribbon cutting [24].
  • Staffing and pay: in December 2025 the board approved a 50-cent hourly raise for noncertified staff [43]. In February 2026 it approved a $1.50-per-hour raise for instructional paraprofessionals, setting starting pay at $16 an hour [37]. Residents raised payroll and paystub problems and unpaid snow days for hourly staff [44, 37]. Administrators said paraprofessionals could make up lost hours [32].
  • Transparency and governance: in 2025 resident Lissa Krull objected to the board's frequent executive sessions, and Rob Chalk questioned the board's oversight of the administration [45]. The board then added monthly work sessions and began posting agenda documents, minutes and recordings online [34, 39]. In August 2026 board members said they wanted to return to one meeting a month and asked for public feedback [25]. In September 2026 Curt Hursey asked the board to keep the work sessions, saying they had helped rebuild community trust [24].
  • Academics: the state is reintroducing A-F school grades beginning in 2026-27, and the 2025-26 school year is a baseline year [37, 46]. In September 2026 the district reported a 92% IREAD pass rate for third graders in spring 2026, just under the state target of 95% [24].
  • Forums: no 2026 candidate forum or questionnaire was found. The main coverage is an InkFreeNews preview of the District 2 race, published Sept. 17, 2026 [30]. Both District 2 candidates said they would focus on cooperation and respectful disagreement on the board [30]. Nguyen's priorities center on enrollment, staff development and financial planning, while Ughetti lists responsible spending, support for staff and parent involvement [30].

Kosciusko Wawasee Community School Board, District 1

Unopposed

Neil Likens

Nonpartisan

Incumbent. Elected to the District 1 (Tippecanoe Township) seat in 2022 and has been board secretary since March 2026. Running unopposed; listed as Nonpartisan [31, 46, 6].

Likens's background

  • In 2022 InkFreeNews described him as having worked as an EMT and firefighter and as a detective sergeant with the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department [47, 31]. It also reported that he and his wife own a small business in the district [47].
  • Parent of students in the district, according to 2022 coverage [47].
  • In 2022 he served on the board of directors of Lakeland Youth Center [47].

Likens's positions

Budget & taxes

  • In 2022 he said he planned to work hard to conservatively spend school tax dollars [47].

School safety

  • In 2022 he said his law enforcement experience would help him offer practical ways to keep students safe [47]. In October 2025 he and board member Mike Fowler told residents that in an emergency "law enforcement assumes command" once officers are on scene [36].

Transparency & community input

  • In October 2025 he asked residents to keep reaching out directly, saying, "It shouldn't be you against us, it should be us against the problem" [36].

Likens on the current officeholder

  • Is a current board member [24]. He made the motion to appoint Beth Beer in March 2026 and the motion to hire Superintendent Kent Myers in May 2026; both passed unanimously [33, 27].
  • At the February 2026 meeting, after residents criticized the board during public comment, Likens responded that the meetings had become "you against us," that everyone wanted the same things, and that it was time to come together and move forward [37]. A resident thanked Likens at that meeting for being the only board member who answered his email [37].

How Likens got on the ballot

  • Won the District 1 seat in November 2022, defeating Heather Coy 2,778 to 2,357 [31].
  • Filed for reelection in 2026 without listing a party affiliation and is unopposed [29]. Listed on the state list as Nonpartisan [6].

What we could not find about Likens

  • No 2026 campaign statement, website or questionnaire was found. His positions above come from 2022 coverage and from board meetings.
  • His current occupation was not confirmed. The detective sergeant title comes from 2022 coverage.
  • His individual votes were not reviewed beyond 2026 minutes, which record unanimous votes on the items checked.
  • No endorsements or campaign finance reports were found in sources reviewed.

Sources for Likens

Kosciusko Wawasee Community School Board, District 2

2 candidates

Kim H. Nguyen

Nonpartisan

Former Wawasee High School principal who now directs training and development for a Warsaw company. Running for the open Turkey Creek Township seat; listed as Nonpartisan [29, 6].

Nguyen's background

  • Director of training and development at Wildman Business Group in Warsaw for the past seven years [30].
  • Spent 18 years with Wawasee Community Schools as a chemistry teacher, athletic director, career and technical education director and principal of Wawasee High School [29].
  • Graduated from Wawasee High School in 1994 [29]. Holds degrees from Grace College and Indiana Wesleyan University and has completed doctoral coursework at Capella University [29].

Nguyen's positions

Enrollment & school choice

  • Names enrollment as one of his three priorities and said the district should try to understand why some families choose schools outside Wawasee [30].

Teachers & staff

  • Names employee development as a priority and said teachers and administrators should get coaching, mentorship, feedback and professional development, with clear expectations and support for improvement [30].

Budget & taxes

  • Names long-term financial stewardship as a priority [30]. He said the board must understand the difference between restricted funds and money for everyday operations, plan long-term and explain finances clearly to taxpayers [30]. "The board has a responsibility to do its due diligence," he said [30].

Transparency & community input

  • Favors a public district "scoreboard" tracking enrollment, student achievement and readiness, attendance, staff retention, college and career opportunities and long-term finances [30].

How Nguyen would run the office

  • Said his experience in education, leadership, curriculum development, training, career and technical education and organizational development could help the district move forward [29].

How Nguyen got on the ballot

  • Filed for the District 2 seat in June 2026 and did not disclose a political affiliation [29]. Listed on the state list as Nonpartisan [6].

What we could not find about Nguyen

  • No website, forum appearance or questionnaire was found.
  • The years he served as Wawasee High School principal, and when and why he left the district, were not found in sources reviewed.
  • No statements about the current board's decisions were found. He said Wawasee has many strengths but, like many schools, faces challenges [29]. On disagreements, he said he would "come prepared, listen carefully, ask respectful questions, and focus on facts and what is best for students and the school corporation" [30].
  • No endorsements or campaign finance reports were found in sources reviewed.

Sources for Nguyen

Jason J. Ughetti

Republican

Zoning compliance officer for the City of Elkhart, running for the open Turkey Creek Township seat. Listed as Republican [29, 6].

Ughetti's background

  • Works as a zoning compliance officer for the City of Elkhart and previously worked in planning and zoning administration in Michigan communities [29, 30].
  • Holds certifications in code enforcement and zoning compliance and has been active in professional groups focused on code enforcement and land-use planning [29, 30].

Ughetti's positions

Budget & taxes

  • Lists responsible spending among his priorities [30]. He said he wants the schools to "use resources wisely" [29].

Teachers & staff

  • Lists supporting teachers and staff among his priorities [30].

Academics

  • Wants to prepare students for the paths they plan to pursue after graduation [30].

Transparency & community input

  • Lists parent involvement and communication with the community among his priorities [30].

How Ughetti would run the office

  • Said he wants the schools to "stay focused on students and school faculty" and to keep serving the community well [29].

How Ughetti got on the ballot

  • Filed for the District 2 seat in June 2026 and identified himself as a Republican [29]. Listed on the state list as Republican [6].

What we could not find about Ughetti

  • No website, social media page, forum appearance or questionnaire was found.
  • No ties to the district's schools (such as being a parent or alumnus) were reported in sources reviewed.
  • No specific proposals on the budget, SEA 1, enrollment or facilities were found.
  • No statements about the current board's decisions were found [30]. On how the board should work, he said members should cooperate while staying open to different viewpoints and should focus on the whole corporation rather than individual agendas [30]. "I believe respectful disagreement can lead to better decisions," he said [30].
  • No endorsements or campaign finance reports were found in sources reviewed.

Sources for Ughetti

Kosciusko Wawasee Community School Board, District 3

Unopposed

Beth Beer

Republican

Incumbent by appointment: the board appointed her in March 2026 to the District 3 seat Steven Baut had left. A retired Wa-Nee Community Schools educator running unopposed; listed as Republican [33, 29, 6].

Beer's background

  • Retired from Wa-Nee Community Schools in 2025 after a 41-year career in education [29].
  • Tutors at the B.E.A.R. Reading Center in South Bend and is an adjunct professor of education at Bethel University [29].
  • Graduated from Wawasee High School [29].

Beer's positions

Budget & taxes

  • Lists fiscal responsibility among her priorities [29].

Academics

  • Lists supporting student success among her priorities [29]. In her interview she said, "I just want to be an advocate … for kids" [48].

Transparency & community input

  • Lists communication among her priorities [29]. In her interview she said residents want transparency, better morale and clear long-term planning amid concerns about enrollment and finances [48].

Beer on the current officeholder

  • Is a current board member [24]. She seconded the motion to hire Superintendent Kent Myers, which passed 5-0 on May 26, 2026 [27].
  • In May 2026 she agreed to serve on a committee planning the proposed Milford community park with the town [41]. In August 2026 she reported on the staff opening day [25].

How Beer got on the ballot

  • The board interviewed three applicants for the vacancy (Shane Bucher, AJ Risedorph and Beer) on March 17, 2026 and appointed Beer 4-0 [33, 48]. The motion cited her experience, her willingness to serve beyond the interim term and her familiarity with the school system [48].
  • Filed for a full term as a Republican and is unopposed [29]. Listed on the state list as Republican [6].

Beer's endorsements and funding

  • During the March 2026 interviews, fellow applicant AJ Risedorph voiced confidence in her qualifications [48].

What we could not find about Beer

  • No website, forum appearance or questionnaire was found.
  • No specific proposals on the budget, SEA 1, enrollment or facilities were found beyond her stated priorities.
  • No campaign finance reports were found in sources reviewed.

Sources for Beer

Key points

  • The district: Wawasee Community School Corporation is based in Syracuse in Kosciusko County. Its schools include Syracuse, North Webster and Milford elementary schools, the Wawasee Early Learning Center, Wawasee Middle School and Wawasee High School. (Wawasee Community School Corporation (BoardBook))
  • Board: five members. Candidates must live in the district they seek to represent, but voters across the school corporation vote for every seat. (InkFreeNews)
  • Budget and SEA 1 (2025-26): in April 2025 Troyer told the board the district was "bringing in less money than we're spending" and planned to cut up to 10 full-time positions. (InkFreeNews)

Sources

Researched Saturday, October 10, 2026

  1. Indiana Code 20-26-5-4: Specific powers of governing body (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  2. 2026 Indiana Candidate Guide (School Board Offices) (Indiana Election Division)
  3. 800 school board seats are up for election in Indiana (Chalkbeat Indiana / WFYI)
  4. Why there are no education elections on your primary ballot (Chalkbeat Indiana)
  5. Indiana Code 20-26-4-7: Compensation of governing body members (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  6. 2026 General Election Candidate List (Indiana Election Division)
  7. Indiana Code 20-26-5-4.5: Selection and discharge of employees (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  8. School Tax Levy Referendum (Indiana Department of Local Government Finance)
  9. Indiana Code 20-29-6-4: Subjects of collective bargaining (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  10. Obscene, or just objectionable? Here's how Indiana schools are tackling library book complaints (Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism / Indiana Capital Chronicle)
  11. Indiana Code 20-33-8-19: Expulsion appeals (FindLaw (Indiana Code))
  12. Indiana Code 5-14-1.5-1: Open Door Law policy (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  13. What We Do (Indiana Public Access Counselor)
  14. Indiana Code 20-31-3-1: State academic standards (FindLaw (Indiana Code, current as of 2026-01-01))
  15. Indiana K-12 State Tuition Support Annual Report FY2023 (Indiana Department of Education)
  16. Indiana lawmakers expand voucher eligibility, increase school funding in budget (Chalkbeat Indiana)
  17. Regular school board meeting minutes, Sept. 8, 2026 (Wawasee Community School Corporation (BoardBook))
  18. Regular school board meeting minutes, Aug. 10, 2026 (Wawasee Community School Corporation (BoardBook))
  19. Wawasee School Board talks staffing cuts, facility upgrades (InkFreeNews)
  20. Special meeting minutes (superintendent contract hearing), May 26, 2026 (Wawasee Community School Corporation (BoardBook))
  21. Regular school board meeting minutes, June 9, 2026 (Wawasee Community School Corporation (BoardBook))
  22. School Board Filing Deadline Passes, Cripe Not Seeking Reelection (InkFreeNews)
  23. Nguyen, Ughetti Vie For Wawasee School Board District 2 Seat (InkFreeNews)
  24. Baut, Likens, Cripe Win School Board Elections (InkFreeNews)
  25. Work session minutes, March 2, 2026 (Wawasee Community School Corporation (BoardBook))
  26. Special meeting minutes (board vacancy interviews), March 17, 2026 (Wawasee Community School Corporation (BoardBook))
  27. A Year In Review, Look Ahead For Wawasee Schools (InkFreeNews)
  28. Wawasee Board Hears Student Proposal, Athletics Alignment, Financial Outlook (InkFreeNews)
  29. Wawasee School Board Adopts 2026 Budget, Talks Transparency (InkFreeNews)
  30. Regular school board meeting minutes, Feb. 10, 2026 (Wawasee Community School Corporation (BoardBook))
  31. Troyer resigns at Wawasee, interim superintendent named (InkFreeNews)
  32. Work session minutes, Feb. 2, 2026 (Wawasee Community School Corporation (BoardBook))
  33. Regular school board meeting minutes, April 21, 2026 (Wawasee Community School Corporation (BoardBook))
  34. Work session minutes, May 4, 2026 (Wawasee Community School Corporation (BoardBook))
  35. Regular school board meeting minutes, July 14, 2026 (Wawasee Community School Corporation (BoardBook))
  36. Wawasee Board Approves Noncertified Pay Increases, Hears Athletics, Pool Comments (InkFreeNews)
  37. Regular school board meeting minutes, Jan. 13, 2026 (Wawasee Community School Corporation (BoardBook))
  38. Governance, Gymnastics Concerns Voiced At Wawasee School Board Meeting (InkFreeNews)
  39. Regular school board meeting minutes, March 10, 2026 (Wawasee Community School Corporation (BoardBook))
  40. Five Running For Wawasee School Board Seats (InkFreeNews)
  41. Wawasee Board Appoints Beth Beer To Fill Vacancy Following Interviews (InkFreeNews)
What's included
the U.S. House, statewide offices, every Indiana House and Senate district on the ballot, Indiana's statewide public questions and judicial retention questions, and county, township, city, town and school board races from the Indiana Election Division's candidate list.
Everything else
Local races (county, city, school board, judges) and anything else on your ballot are on your official sample ballot: IndianaVoters.in.gov.
Candidate lists
As of Sunday, October 18, 2026.
At the polls
Indiana law lets you bring a list of candidates and public questions into the polling place, including one stored on your phone, as long as you don't electioneer. IC 3-11-8-18.5

This is not an official ballot. Confirm your registration, polling place and ballot with your election office through vote.gov.