Tri-Creek 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 Tri-Creek School Corporation

• The Tri-Creek School Corporation is based in Lowell in southern Lake County and serves West Creek, Cedar Creek and Eagle Creek townships ^{[24, 25]}. It enrolled about 2,800 students in 2024–25 at Lowell High School, Lowell Middle School and three elementary schools (Oak Hill, Three Creeks and Lake Prairie), according to federal data ^[26]. Dr. Andy Anderson is superintendent ^[27].
• The board has five members: three elected from electoral districts (District 1, West Creek Township; District 2, Cedar Creek Township; District 3, Eagle Creek Township) and two elected at large ^{[25, 28, 29]}. The board redrew the three districts' precinct lines in March 2025; District 2 now takes in Cedar Creek Township precincts 2, 5, 6 and 7 and Cedar Lake Township precincts 8 and 9 ^[25]. District races appear only on the ballots of voters in that district; the at-large race appears on every ballot in the corporation ^{[30, 31]}.
• At-large seats (2026): the ballot says 'Vote for not more than Two (2),' matching the two seats on the state list ^{[30, 6]}. Both at-large seats were last filled in 2022, when Robert Hayden and Nathan Kleefisch won ^[29]. Their terms end Dec. 31, 2026 ^[32]. Hayden is running again. Kleefisch is not on the county candidate list ^[33]. The only candidates are Hayden and Cody Van Deursen, so with two candidates for two seats, both are effectively unopposed ^{[30, 33]}.
• District 2 seat (2026): Katie Kimbrell won the seat (then listed as Cedar Creek) in 2022 and resigned from the board on April 8, 2026 ^{[29, 34]}. The board appointed Cody Van Deursen to finish her term, which runs April 30–Dec. 31, 2026 ^[34]. Van Deursen is running at large instead, so Craig Rosinski is the only District 2 candidate ('Vote For One (1) Only') ^{[33, 31]}. The board will therefore have at least one new member in January 2027.
• Not on this ballot: board President Andy Laub (District 1, elected 2024, term through 2028) and Amber Miller (District 3). The board appointed Miller to finish the term of Kyle Mitsch, who resigned April 19, 2026; that term runs through Dec. 31, 2028 ^{[32, 35, 36]}.
• Operating referendum on the same ballot (2026): the board asks voters to approve a property tax rate of up to $0.1738 per $100 of assessed value, raising no more than $3 million a year for eight years. The money would replace lost property tax revenue and pay for bus transportation, student programs and school safety. The ballot says the bill on a $300,000 median home would rise $245 a year ^{[30, 37]}. The state Department of Local Government Finance approved the ballot language June 22, 2026 ^[37]. The district's June 23, 2026 spending plan estimates about $1.04 million a year for buses, $1.54 million for student programs and $419,000 for safety ^[38].
• Budget and SEA 1 (2025–2026): the district says Senate Enrolled Act 1, together with tax-increment financing (TIF) districts in Lowell, will cost it $2 million to more than $2.6 million a year in property tax revenue from 2026 to 2031 ^[39]. It says it has cut more than 30 positions and reduced department budgets over the past three years ^[39]. It also says that if the referendum fails, major changes such as dismantling the bus system 'would have to be seriously considered' and student programs would face 'phased elimination' over three years ^[39]. These are the district's own statements on its referendum information page.
• 2023 referendum: voters rejected an earlier Tri-Creek operating referendum in the May 2, 2023 primary ^{[40, 37]}. That measure would have funded staff pay, expanded programs and preschool. The district now describes it as an 'expansion' request and the 2026 measure as a 'stability' request ^{[39, 24]}.
• Forums and differences: no candidate forum, questionnaire or news coverage of the 2026 Tri-Creek board races was found, and no candidate's position on the referendum was found. Because every race is effectively uncontested, there are no head-to-head contrasts to report.

District 2

Unopposed

At Large

2 candidates, 2 seats

On the same ballot

• Tri-Creek School Corporation operating referendum

  School referendum · Tri-Creek School Corporation (Lowell)

  A new operating levy of up to $0.1738 per $100 and $3 million a year for 8 years. A 2023 attempt failed.

Key points

• Operating referendum on the same ballot (2026): the board asks voters to approve a property tax rate of up to $0.1738 per $100 of assessed value, raising no more than $3 million a year for eight years. (Lake County Board of Elections and Registration)
• Budget and SEA 1 (2025–2026): the district says Senate Enrolled Act 1, together with tax-increment financing (TIF) districts in Lowell, will cost it $2 million to more than $2.6 million a year in property tax revenue from 2026 to 2031. (Tri-Creek School Corporation)
• 2023 referendum: voters rejected an earlier Tri-Creek operating referendum in the May 2, 2023 primary. That measure would have funded staff pay, expanded programs and preschool. (Indiana Public Media (WFIU))

Sources