South Vermillion 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.

What has changed in this job lately

Changes in the law the next officeholder will work under, most distant first.

1. 2025

   Senate Enrolled Act 287 allowed school board candidates to declare a party affiliation; the Indiana School Boards Association opposed the change, and a supporter quoted by WNDU, a Noblesville school board member, said it adds transparency ^[17].

2. 2026

   Candidates choose a party, 'Independent' or no affiliation on their nominating petition, and that choice appears on the ballot; a candidate claiming the Democratic or Republican party must have voted in that party's primary in the two most recent primaries they voted in, or have certification from the county party chair, or can be challenged and removed from the ballot ^[2].

3. July 2026

   Chalkbeat reported, citing Indiana School Boards Association data, that 524 of 1,044 candidates chose a party, about 72% of them Republicans ^[18]; the Indiana Election Division's 2026 guidance and the wording of the law differ on the primary-voting test, a question county election boards decide ^[19].

4. February 2026

   Senate Enrolled Act 25 set the order of school board candidates on the ballot, grouped by party, with candidates who list no affiliation placed after the party and independent candidates ^[20].

5. 2025

   Senate Enrolled Act 1, a property tax law, limits how much operating revenue districts can raise through taxes and restricts school referendums to statewide general elections in even-numbered years ^{[21, 22]}.

6. 2025

   The same law requires districts to share operating revenue with brick-and-mortar charter schools that enroll their students, statewide starting in 2028 ^{[21, 22]}.

7. 2025

   The state budget opened Choice Scholarship vouchers to all Indiana families starting in June 2026 ^[16].

8. 2026

   The Indianapolis Public Education Corporation, rather than the Indianapolis Public Schools board, now certifies Indianapolis Public Schools referendum questions for the ballot ^[20].

9. 2023

   Senate Enrolled Act 391 changed the so-called $1 law so the Indiana Department of Education can order districts that lost at least 10% of enrollment over five years to close schools under 60% capacity and offer them to charter schools ^[23].

10. 2023

    House Enrolled Act 1447 required school districts to set up procedures for complaints that library material is obscene or harmful to minors ^[10].

About South Vermillion Com Sch Corp

• The district: South Vermillion Community School Corporation, based in Clinton, operates South Vermillion High School, South Vermillion Middle School, Central Elementary and Van Duyn Elementary ^[24]. Superintendent Dr. Micah Williams, a former SVMS teacher and the district's assistant superintendent since August 2023, was promoted to superintendent in July 2025 ^[25]; he succeeded Dave Chapman, who had led the district since 2008 ^[26]. In August 2026 Williams reported that enrollment came in below the district's projection of about 1,550 students and was lower than the prior year ^[27].
• The board has seven members ^{[24, 28]}. Seats are tied to residence areas, Clinton City, Clinton Township, Helt Township and one at-large seat, with Clinton City, Clinton Township and Helt Township seats elected in 2024 and the at-large seat plus one seat from each of the three areas elected in 2022 ^{[29, 30]}. The 2026 sample ballot for a Clinton City precinct includes all four South Vermillion races, each 'Vote For One (1) Only' ^[31]. Current members are John Paul Roehm (president), Kelli Hill (vice president), Jon Beardsley (secretary), Jeff Goeppner, Jeff Sisson, Brandae Stateler and Bruce West (legislative liaison) ^{[24, 32]}.
• Seats on the 2026 ballot: four seats, one each for At Large, Clinton City, Clinton Township and Helt Township, matching the state list ^{[6, 31]}. Three incumbents are running again: Jeff Sisson (At Large, elected 2022 over Christina M. Barnes), Brandae Stateler (Clinton Township, elected 2022 over Jon E. Beardsley, 1,532 to 1,500) and board president John Paul Roehm (Helt Township, unopposed in 2022) ^{[29, 33]}.
• Clinton City seat: no candidate filed for the Clinton City seat in 2022 ^[29]. At the January 2023 reorganization, Roehm stated that Beardsley was 'a holdover member from his previous appointment on the board' and did not need to be sworn in ^[28]. The minutes do not name Beardsley's seat; that he holds this Clinton City seat is an inference. Beardsley is not on the 2026 ballot, so the Clinton City race between Bryan Alan Lemmons and Meghan L. Bell will seat a new member ^[6].
• The district's other Clinton City seat, won in 2024 by Jerry Hawkins, became vacant in 2025 ^{[30, 34]}. On Aug. 20, 2025, after interviewing five applicants, including 2026 candidate Bryan Lemmons, the board appointed Jeff Goeppner 3–2 over Nick Hall ^[34]. Williams said that appointment runs through the remainder of Hawkins' term, which expires in 2028 ^[34].
• School reconfiguration (2026): at public information meetings on June 10 and June 24, 2026, Williams presented options to renovate Central and Van Duyn elementaries or to reconfigure the district into a PK–6 building and a 7–12 building on one campus for the 2029–2030 school year; he said current school capacity use is 52.89% ^{[35, 36]}. The district's FAQ says either option would use the same bonding capacity in 2028 and that overall tax rates would not be affected. It also says no staff would lose their jobs because of the reconfiguration, and it lists plans to bring back elementary art and add grade 2 high-ability programming ^[37]. Residents at the June 10 meeting raised traffic concerns at Wildcat Drive and IN-63, and Williams said he would follow up with INDOT ^{[35, 37]}. The board had discussed school consolidation in executive session on Dec. 1, 2025 ^[38].
• Budget (2025–2026): the 2026 budget cut the Education Fund by about $500,000, held the Operations Fund level, and raised the Debt Service Fund by about $300,000 to speed up planned debt repayment ^[39]. The proposed 2027 budget, advertised in August 2026, includes an Education Fund of about $12.72 million, about $1.3 million of which is planned for transfer to the Operations Fund; an Operations Fund of about $5.35 million with an advertised levy of about $4.6 million; and a debt service levy of $3 million ^[27]. Assessed valuation was reported at about $671.1 million, up about 1.31%, and the public hearing was set for Sept. 1, 2026 ^[27]. The board approved a 2026–27 classified employee handbook that includes a 2% increase in the compensation model ^[35].
• Enrollment (August 2026): Williams said the enrollment drop is expected to reduce projected funding, partly offset by an increase in state per-student funding, and that no elementary class exceeded about 22 students ^[27].
• Academics (August 2026): the district reported 2026 IREAD pass rates of about 98.2% at Van Duyn Elementary and about 76.7% at Central Elementary, and outlined Orton-Gillingham training and intervention steps for Central ^[27].
• Policies (2026): in June 2026 the board adopted policy updates requiring students to keep personal devices stored during instructional time, in line with new state law ^[35]. In August 2026 the district moved to two athletic directors sharing oversight of grades 5–12 ^[27].
• Forums: no candidate forum, questionnaire or news coverage of the 2026 South Vermillion races was found. The only recorded statements from challengers are Bryan Lemmons' August 2025 appointment interview and his July 2026 public comment to the board ^{[34, 40]}.

At Large

Unopposed

Clinton City

2 candidates

Clinton Twp

Unopposed

Helt Twp

Unopposed

Key points

• The district: South Vermillion Community School Corporation, based in Clinton, operates South Vermillion High School, South Vermillion Middle School, Central Elementary and Van Duyn Elementary. (South Vermillion Community School Corporation)
• Budget (2025–2026): the 2026 budget cut the Education Fund by about $500,000, held the Operations Fund level, and raised the Debt Service Fund by about $300,000 to speed up planned debt repayment. (South Vermillion Community School Corporation)
• Enrollment (August 2026): Williams said the enrollment drop is expected to reduce projected funding, partly offset by an increase in state per-student funding, and that no elementary class exceeded about 22 students. (South Vermillion Community School Corporation)

Sources