School board

School Board Member, Center Grove Community School Corporation

At large

Vote for: 3
Term: 4 years
Candidates: 8
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: The school board sets policy, hires the superintendent and adopts the budget for Center Grove Community School Corporation.

Candidates Compare by issue

Michael Overpeck

Republican

The gist

Supports best-paid teachers and smaller class sizes
Supports returning academics to the pre-COVID trajectory
Supports explaining costs and need before any referendum

More about Michael

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Supports best-paid teachers and smaller class sizes
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“We owe our community the best paid/performing teachers, smaller class sizes, and benchmark athletic/artistic/extra-curricular opportunities.”
Supports returning academics to the pre-COVID trajectory
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“the academic performance needs to improve greatly to get back to our pre-Covid trajectory”
Supports explaining costs and need before any referendum
Center Grove school board candidates answer questions at forum
Debate / forum transcript · Daily Journal · Sep 24, 2026 · dailyjournal.net
“the board should to educate the public on why a referendum is needed and help them understand the costs”

Angie Buergler Teed

Republican

Preschool teacher

The gist

Supports retaining high-quality teachers as a top priority
Supports continued vertical alignment of the curriculum
Supports a referendum only as a last resort

More about Angie

View sources (2)

Supports retaining high-quality teachers as a top priority
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“Two of the highest priorities should be retaining high-quality teachers and ensuring we are meeting the increasingly diverse needs of our students.”
Supports continued vertical alignment of the curriculum
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“the continued vertical alignment of curriculum”
Supports a referendum only as a last resort
Center Grove school board candidates answer questions at forum
Debate / forum transcript · Daily Journal · Sep 24, 2026 · dailyjournal.net
“Teed hopes a referendum would be the last resort to fund necessities in the district”

Matt Goodpaster

Independent

The gist

Supports higher teacher pay and smaller class sizes
Supports safe and secure school environments

More about Matt

View sources (1)

Supports higher teacher pay and smaller class sizes
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“We have to continue to find ways to increase our teacher compensation, limit our class-sizes, and equip our professionals.”
Supports safe and secure school environments
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“we have to continue to provide safe and secure enviroments for all of our students”

Jennifer K. Quesenberry

Independent

The gist

Supports robust curriculum, teacher retention and manageable classes
Supports separating district needs from wants in budgeting

More about Jennifer

View sources (1)

Supports robust curriculum, teacher retention and manageable classes
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“Our district priorities should include: robust curriculum, teacher retention and engagement, improved cultural climate, manageable classroom sizes, and intentional screenings.”
Supports separating district needs from wants in budgeting
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“we must consider the needs versus the wants of the district”

Kathryn Minor Reed

Independent

Insurance business owner; former special education teacher

The gist

Supports making student safety the district's top priority
Opposes cutting teachers when school funding decreases
Supports postponing major construction projects to save money

More about Kathryn

View sources (1)

Supports making student safety the district's top priority
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“The school district's highest priority is maintaining student safety.”
Opposes cutting teachers when school funding decreases
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“When funding decreases, the number of teachers in our district should not.”
Supports postponing major construction projects to save money
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“the corporation can postpone any new major construction projects and purchases to save money and pay off debt”

Nicole Kemp

No party listed

The gist

Supports teacher retention, safe classrooms and mental health support
Supports exhausting other options before a referendum
Supports giving every parent a voice in education

More about Nicole

View sources (2)

Supports teacher retention, safe classrooms and mental health support
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“That means recruiting and retaining great teachers, keeping classrooms safe, supporting mental health”
Supports exhausting other options before a referendum
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“explore responsible options before asking taxpayers for more”
Supports giving every parent a voice in education
Center Grove school board candidates answer questions at forum
Debate / forum transcript · Daily Journal · Sep 24, 2026 · dailyjournal.net
“I think every parent needs a voice in their child's education”

Jack L. Russell

RepublicanIncumbent

Center Grove school board member

The gist

Supports aggressive hiring of top teachers and staff
Opposes political influence in curriculum and classrooms
Supports building grassroots backing before any referendum

More about Jack

View sources (2)

Supports aggressive hiring of top teachers and staff
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“The school should be aggressive in its hiring practices to obtain the best classroom teachers and ancillary staff.”
Opposes political influence in curriculum and classrooms
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“Making sure political influence does not enter into the curriculum and/or classroom.”
Supports building grassroots backing before any referendum
Center Grove school board candidates answer questions at forum
Debate / forum transcript · Daily Journal · Sep 24, 2026 · dailyjournal.net
“It's going to take community members, its going to take teachers and it will take grassroots in order for it to work”

Jane Dunigan-Smith

IndependentIncumbent

Center Grove school board member

The gist

Supports using performance data to strengthen curriculum
Pledges to protect classroom resources and competitive teacher pay
Supports weighing a referendum after other options are exhausted

More about Jane

View sources (1)

Supports using performance data to strengthen curriculum
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“We should continue to use performance data to identify gaps and strengthen curriculum, instruction, and support.”
Pledges to protect classroom resources and competitive teacher pay
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“we must protect classroom resources, pay teachers competitively, maintain our high-quality facilities, find efficiencies”
Supports weighing a referendum after other options are exhausted
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Center Grove Community School Board-At Large (candidates' answers)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Johnson County (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“If funding pressures continue as they have, we will likely need to consider a property tax referendum.”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 3 issues covered in this race.