The Columbus Educators Association reached out to the six school board candidates with questionnaires as a way to help inform voters ahead of the upcoming election. All six candidates responded, and the teachers union shared the responses in a press release.
Questions and responses will be shared to the Columbus Educators Association Facebook Page. Here, candidates’ responses to selected questions are listed under each question by candidate and district number, beginning with candidates in District 3, to 5, to 7.
Voters may vote for candidates in all three districts. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Voters must be registered by Monday, Oct. 7.
Please introduce yourself. Tell us about your background, employment, and anything else we should know about.
Whittney Loyd – District 3
My name is Whittney Loyd, I am a lifelong resident of Bartholomew County, and a proud graduate of Columbus East and Indiana University. I have spent much of my career working in advocacy for children within the human services network of Bartholomew County and the surrounding region. This has included work for Riley Children’s Foundation, United Way of Bartholomew County and Turning Point, where I currently serve as president. In addition to my professional duties, I also serve as fundraising chair of the First Presbyterian Preschool Policy Board and am a member of the Columbus Regional Health Volunteers in Medicine event committee. I am also a member of the Women’s PEO Service Sorority and attend Hope United Methodist Church. My direct involvement with BCSC has included Book Buddies, senior project mentorship (two seniors in 2024), senior project judging at Columbus East, and serving as a Dance Marathon adult mentor for many years. It has also been my pleasure to speak in countless BCSC classrooms about philanthropy and community service. I have been married to my husband, Adam, for 10 years and together we have two children, Nash (5½ — the half is very important to him), and Blythe (3). They love to sing, dance, play sports, have tea parties, and tell jokes.
David Theile – District 3
I am a Christian, a lifelong resident of Bartholomew County, a 1988 graduate (with honors) of Columbus North High School, and a 1992 graduate of Indiana State University with a bachelor of science degree in accounting. Professional background: I currently serve as branch finance manager at AVI Systems, Inc. in Columbus. I have served as a finance and accounting executive for over 30 years in both public and private industries. I am both a certified public accountant and a certified management accountant and have served in these capacities for company sizes ranging from $10 million to multi-billions in revenue.
Current community involvement:
- Volunteer for Better Man Ministry
- White Creek Lutheran Girls Volleyball Coach (14+ years)
Prior Community Involvement:
- Volunteer for several local churches
- Atterbury Job Corp Industry Council
- Treasurer for Hoosier Hiker’s Council
Leigh Britt – District 5
My name is Leigh Britt and I appreciate the opportunity to introduce myself. I have lived in Columbus since 1992 after I married my husband, Tim Britt. Cummins Inc. took us to Bartholomew County where we chose to stay and raise our family. We celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary in June. Our children attended and graduated, kindergarten-12th grade in Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation (BCSC). Before my children were born, I taught mathematics at Columbus North High School (CNHS). I have had the opportunity to serve my community as: a teacher’s aide for my children’s preschool; a first grade Sunday School teacher; a Vacation Bible School leader and assistant director; a Girl Scout leader (Daisy troop, Brownie troop, Junior troop); a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) board member and president; Band Booster board member and president; Columbus Parks and Recreation After-Prom Prize Committee member and chair; Dance Marathon/Turning Point prize coordinator. At the state level, I chaired the Indiana Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM) State Math Contest and Awards ceremony coordinating with 10 universities across Indiana. My role doubled as the Local ICTM host site coordinator at Indiana University Columbus (IUC, formerly IUPUC) where local winners represented Bartholomew County at the state level.
Education and professional background: I graduated from Virginia Tech in 1990 with a bachelor of liberal arts and sciences degree in mathematics education. Upon graduation, I taught secondary mathematics at Lloyd C. Bird High School in Chesterfield, Virginia, from 1990-1992. After my husband and I moved to Columbus, Indiana, I taught secondary mathematics at Columbus North High School from 1992-1994 as well as 2004-2005 (part-time) in conjunction with the mathematics textbook adoption. Beginning in 1993, I began teaching for Indiana University Columbus (formerly IUPUC) as an adjunct lecturer (i.e. part-time) focusing on developmental algebra courses and mathematics for elementary teachers courses. In 2006, I completed a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with a secondary mathematics focus while working for IUC as an adjunct lecturer. After my oldest daughter graduated from CNHS to attend Purdue University and my youngest daughter graduated from CNHS to attend Indiana University, I was hired to a full-time position in 2016 as lecturer of mathematics at IUC, where I have taught developmental algebra, finite and mathematics for elementary teachers.
Volunteer Experience: When my girls were young, I volunteered to teach and lead Vacation Bible School for multiple terms each summer. In addition, I taught first grade Sunday school for approximately 10 years. Many BCSC students will fondly remember the Taco Church (Asbury United Methodist Church Pit-Stop) where I volunteered for outreach to high school students on the search for an affordable lunch. As a Pit-Stop volunteer, we prepared chicken tacos with lemonade and cookies in a safe environment for BCSC students. My children attended BCSC for kindergarten-12th grade with outstanding experiences (Parkside Elementary, Northside Middle School, Columbus North High School). I was an active parent on the PTO at Parkside for nine years including multiple terms as president. My children were active in music and athletics where I was an active parent volunteer for Columbus North Band Boosters including multiple terms as president as well as an active parent volunteer for Columbus North Athletic Boosters. I also volunteered as prize coordinator for the Columbus Parks and Recreation After Prom Party for four years. My daughters’ experiences in BCSC led me to volunteer in the community for Dance Marathon/Turning Point. My youngest daughter was the chair for Dance Marathon/Turning Point in conjunction with her senior project. The Dance Marathon prize committee required an adult advisor and I stepped into that role in 2015. Turning Point/Dance Marathon has now absorbed the Columbus Parks and Recreation sponsored After-Prom Party and I have remained a volunteer securing, organizing, and wrapping prizes for BCSC students for nearly 10 years. I am passionate about students and their experience in this corporation!
Personal Interests: My personal hobbies include gardening, indoor plants, and cooking. I have two dogs rescued from Columbus Animal Care and from C.A.R.E. During COVID, I was concerned that children in my neighborhood were missing out on the fun of Halloween. The first year Halloween was canceled, my husband and I decided to go “reverse” trick or treating on the streets near our house where we knew the children lived. We knocked on our neighbors’ doors with candy and a book for trick or treaters. It was a hit! Since that year, I have purchased books from the Scholastic Book Fair throughout the year and given a book to children who trick or treat at my house on Halloween. The response has been thrilling and now I am “the book lady” in my Park Forest neighborhood, which I adore!
Tom Glick – District 5
I was born and raised in Bartholomew County and have a long family history tied to this community. I attended BCSC schools for my entire education (Rockcreek, Northside, and East). After graduating in 2005, I played football and wrestled at Cornell College (IA), with an initial concentration in secondary education. After two years, I transferred to Indiana University and changed my focus to journalism. I left IU to pursue my real passion, military service. I feel it is important to serve our community or nation in some capacity, not necessarily military-related. I spent eight years in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC. During my time there, I was deployed three times, once for humanitarian aid in support of Operation Unified Response for the Haiti earthquake in 2010 and twice to Iraq. I met my wife, Sara, in the service, as she, too, was stationed at Fort Bragg. We have two sons, both attending Parkside Elementary. In 2016, my family moved home to Columbus to assist with the family farm. Our family has farmed in this county for over 140 years. My wife and I chose to maintain our service to this country and community by continuing to serve in the Army Reserves and Indiana National Guard. Even with work and family duties, I continued working on my bachelor’s degree through American Military University. I graduated in 2021 with a BS degree in sports management. Now, I am a chief warrant officer 3, field artillery technician. My military job requires me to plan and advise commanders and staff on various military-related tasks such as targeting, intelligence, and logistics. I sit on various planning and decision boards that lead to commanders’ decisions and successful missions. I am a proven military leader, having carried out multiple missions with nothing but success. Last year, I was the sole planner for my platoon’s deployment to Niger, Africa. I dealt with budgetary issues, training plans, and international movement plans for multiple shipments and multiple military units.
In my free time, I volunteer with Boy Scouts of America Troop 559 and assist as a volunteer wrestling coach at Central Middle School. I also followed my initial feelings to be an educator and serve as a military instructor at Camp Atterbury.
Samantha Ison – District 7
My name is Samantha Ison, and I am a proud resident of Columbus, Indiana, running for the District 7 school board seat. I am a product of BCSC, having graduated from Columbus East in 2005. My husband, Char, and I live in the Rockcreek area, where our children are currently attending BCSC schools. Professionally, I am the owner of Samantha Ison-Shelter Insurance and have been dedicated to the insurance industry for 13 years. In my free time, I enjoy supporting my children in their various sports activities, teaching my teen how to drive, and spending quality time as a family around an open fire.
Nicole Wheeldon – District 7
I grew up in Oldenburg, IN, a very small town about an hour from Columbus. My parents are smart, hardworking and prioritized family fun. My brothers and I had a very stable and enriching childhood. After graduation from Batesville High School, I attended Purdue University, studying mechanical engineering and joined Cummins, Inc. as my first job out of college. I have worked at Cummins for over 20 years, holding roles in service, engineering, quality, new product program management and manufacturing. I am currently the plant manager at Columbus Midrange Engine Plant in Walesboro, employing approximately 1,000 people and building over 600 engines a day for Ram Truck. I have been married to my husband, Wes, for 18 years, and we have three children entering 11th , eighth and fifth grades next school year. Outside of work and my current service on school board I have several other passions, including a love of the outdoors. We spend much of our family time camping and working outdoors at our farm. Weekends are often spent at kids sporting events or in my hometown working at my parents’ business. My values come through consistently at home, work and in my current role in school board. I believe persistence and hard work is the foundation of success in all areas of life and collaboration gets the best results. I find joy in the little everyday moments of life and try to help those around me do the same.
In your own words, why are you running for school board?
Whittney Loyd – District 3
As someone who works with local organizations and key stakeholders in the community, I feel I could help address systemic issues and concerns for students and family units. I also believe the BCSC school board could benefit from having a representative from the human services network who could bring a new and unique perspective to the excellent work already underway. Additionally, having two young children of my own, it is critically important to me that our school system continues to provide the strongest foundation possible to help every youngster reach his or her full potential.
David Theile – District 3
I would like to utilize my strengths and education in finance and accounting to ensure fiscal responsibility in our school board. I am passionate about using my leadership and heart to serve others to positively impact student’s lives, increase parent involvement, and support the hard work of teachers in Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation. I am advocating for transparency, accountability, and financial responsibility.
Leigh Britt – District 5
I am passionate about children and public education! My life has been devoted to attending public school, attending public universities, teaching children in public school, educating my children in public school and now teaching future public school educators at a public university! BCSC has provided me with professional opportunities; BCSC has provided my children with the building blocks for their futures; I am proud of this corporation and will be humbled to serve as a public servant to give back to the corporation. My experiences have allowed me to appreciate the needs of BCSC from multiple angles including: BCSC teacher, BCSC parent, BCSC volunteer, and post-BCSC educator of future BCSC teachers! School board members must view their charge to maintain public relations with the community with great responsibility. Personal agendas have no place on the board. The board is a working body that must work together cohesively and respectfully while examining issues from all viewpoints. Parents should be encouraged to continue to have their voices heard as matters of concern arise. The board must be ready with protocol in place to listen and to act as needed. My plan is to be a part of a cohesive working board that welcomes parents and their ideas while encouraging parent/teacher working relationships. I believe that teachers must be valued and respected and supported in the process. Importantly, the teacher/parent/administrator/school board quadrilateral must be a 4-point working relationship as well. I am excited to bring my skill set and a variety of experiences from “all angles” to the board. There are challenges ahead with a new elementary school that will require levelheaded oversight in hiring new leadership, additional teachers, additional support staff and planning for redistricting. My lifelong experiences will help to provide knowledgeable guidance in the transition. Similarly, possible diploma updates/changes will require informed leadership to meet requirements set upon BCSC by the state. My participation in college readiness grants will allow me to confidently contribute to the board as BCSC moves ahead with compliance. Further, the teacher shortage in Indiana must be addressed with creative measures to keep our valuable current teachers and to attract the best in the state. As leadership positions become open, the board will be challenged with finding the best candidates for BCSC to remain a destination corporation.
Tom Glick – District 5
We must minimize distractions in our schools and concentrate on making proper education our focal point. We need to let the teachers do their jobs; let teachers teach. We need discipline and accountability as well. Too often, it seems the students have more rights and protections than our teachers and staff. We have forgotten that there are rules and policies in place. Administrators need to hold their end of the bargain with proper accountability. I feel our administration has not had the best interests of our teachers and students at the forefront of their agenda. Our schools have needed to be renovated for a long time; however, the renovations are not functional, safe, or secure for our students. Personnel management could be better across the corporation. Our test scores are now below the state average; why? I seek the District 5 seat to bring the basics back to the forefront and continue serving my community.
Samantha Ison – District 7
I am running for school board because I believe in the importance of upholding traditional values and principles in education. Our schools play a crucial role in shaping the next generation, instilling values of hard work, personal responsibility, and respect for our heritage. Our teachers are on the front line of teaching these core values. I believe with a strong parent-teacher partnership, children will get back on track of achieving academic excellence. I believe in the rights of parents to be actively involved in their children’s education and advocate for policies that promote academic excellence, discipline, and responsibility within our schools. By serving on the school board, I’d like to find ways to keep teachers and children safe while in an environment of learning and growth, and ensure that our educational system remains accountable to our community’s values and aspirations. I want to see transparency within the administration as well as an administration that allows an open door policy for both parents and teachers.
Nicole Wheeldon – District 7
I have many blessings, and feel it is my civic duty to give back to my community in the most impactful way possible. Serving on the school board combines my desire to serve with my passion for education. There are a few open items from my current term that I would like to see through the next steps. The investment we are making in our facilities will be an enabler to future district success. We have this work off the ground but there is still so much left to do. We have just hired a new superintendent. I believe in Dr. Philips’ abilities and look forward to working with him as he matures in this new capacity. Lastly, I want to be part of the team that continues to put focus on solutions to improve student outcomes. Our high school team structure is an example of this work, but we are far from done. I am running for another term because I want to progress all of this work to the next phase.
If elected, your vote as a school board member will determine whether or not the referendum for teacher pay and school safety is placed back on the ballot for renewal. Would you vote to continue the referendum? Why or why not?
Whittney Loyd – District 3
Yes, I would vote to have the referendum put back on the ballot for renewal. In my opinion, Referendum 2020 was a significant win for BCSC and our community. It has had a profound impact on safety, health and well-being for students and staff. It has also helped provide modest increase pay increases for teachers, which was desperately needed. It is my hope that another referendum would make additional improvements and support for teachers possible.
David Theile – District 3
I would require more information for a recommendation on this issue. Teacher pay and school safety are very important issues. Needing more information in order to make a recommendation on this issue is illustrative of lack of transparency I have felt has plagued our school board processes, school board meetings, and public information released these last few years. This lack of transparency is a key issue that compels me to run for school board.
Leigh Britt – District 5
BCSC was supported by the 2020 voting public to increase the compensation of teachers and staff and to maintain student safety. Chad Phillips created a landing page on the BCSC page (https://www.bcscschools.org/referendum) to explain to the public the personal impact of the referendum as well the detailed goals and objectives. Regarding safety, referendum funds have been budgeted to support mental health services, school resource officers and school bus purchases. My classroom experience has shown me that while my job is to teach content, it is vital that I also support students emotionally. A quote from John C. Maxwell … “Students do not care what you know unless they know you care” speaks to the daily plight of every teacher in BCSC. Additional mental health services provide a resource for teachers in the classroom that relates to direct care of children. The addition of school resource officers provides a positive law enforcement presence in the buildings to support teachers, staff and students. My daughters’ involvement in D.A.R.E taught them to think of the officers as someone to trust with a problem or safety issue. Teacher retention items are listed in the referendum budget in the form of teacher salaries and teacher benefits. According to the National Education Association (NEA) website, the average Indiana teacher pay is $57,015 (39th in the nation) while the national average teacher pay is $69,544. However, according to the US News and World reports, Indiana ranks 11th in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. To attract the best teaching candidates and to keep our quality teachers, BCSC must be competitive. An average teacher pay ranking of 39th in the nation as compared to a GDP growth ranking of 11th in the nation is inconsistent. We must do better. Our teachers deserve better and our children deserve the best! Continuing the support of this referendum will be a matter for vote on the 2028 ballot. Yes! I would support a continuation of the referendum for teacher pay and school safety.
Tom Glick – District 5
It depends on what I see in the budget. I am all for better pay and safety for our schools. Part of the reason I am running is to ensure we put our money to work in the right areas. I would like to see more money put back into the classrooms, i.e., better supplies, teacher pay, teacher’s assistants, etc., to name a few ideas. There needs to be a better balance in the budget.
Samantha Ison – District 7
Our teachers deserve to be paid much more than they currently are. I question the extent of administrative bloat we see in budgets across our nation, and unfortunately it’s an issue we face here at home too. Why do we have so many administrative positions making more than teachers, some more than double, while doing less work? Our purpose is educating students, and teachers are the primary producers of that purpose. I can’t understand why we continue to pour more and more funds into administration and facilities while educational performance continues to slip further and further, knowing that teachers do the crucial work that directly impacts our students. When I am elected not only will we pay our teachers more, we will pay more of them to be in classrooms to get class sizes way down. I believe we can raise teacher pay to a more appropriate level by cutting administrative costs without needing additional funds. However, if these administrative cuts are not sufficient, I would support placing the referendum back on the ballot to ensure our teachers receive the compensation they deserve and that our schools remain safe.
Nicole Wheeldon – District 7
Prior to the referendum, our teacher salaries were tracking below the state average, and as a result our attraction and retention in the district suffered. To provide the best learning environment for our children, we must first have the best working environment for our teachers. Since the referendum we have been well above the state average for teacher pay, and our attrition rates have dropped as a result. I would vote to continue a referendum as I believe it is an important component for our district success.
Some candidates for governor support making local school board races partisan, a move that would effectively require most school board candidates to run as Republican or Democrat. Do you support making school board races politically partisan? Why or why not?
Whittney Loyd – District 3
No, I do not support making school board races politically partisan. In my opinion, the school board needs to be comprised of open-minded individuals who are focused on doing what is best for our specific community, our teachers, and the students we serve. It is my belief that following a political agenda or taking a party stance on issues would not be in the best interest of BCSC.
David Theile – District 3
As a proponent of full transparency, I do not oppose school board candidates declaring a party affiliation, nor being required to do so. I do oppose, however, the politicization of school board issues. The best interest of our children and their parent/adult involvement should remain of utmost importance and focus.
Leigh Britt – District 5
In 2020, the state of Indiana moved away from an elected state superintendent to a position appointed by the governor. I am regularly surprised by the number of educators who are unaware of this change and who are surprised to learn of the policy. An appointed state superintendent of education may lead to a “quid pro quo” style of leadership where favors are expected (possibly in the form of school charters, for example) in return for desired appointments. Children should not be caught in a political game where policies are tempted by favors instead of what is best for children in the learning environment. I do not support school board races that are politically partisan.
Tom Glick – District 5
I do not support this decision at all. We need to keep politics out of our schools. I believe the big push for this is because too many voters are voting straight ticket ballots. I believe this is a ploy to ensure that most of our state school boards become conservative or Republican, as much of this state is Republican minus the metropolitan pockets.
Samantha Ison – District 7
Overall, I wish the public was more aware of how to vote for school board members along with how much of an impact the chosen members have on our future generations. I feel the public needs to do better with educating themselves on all candidates on the ballot and move from straight-ticket voting to who is actually best for the position. There are strong arguments on both sides of this issue. I think it’s a fine idea to keep school board races non-partisan to unite and transcend politics in favor of what is best for educating our children, but only as long as we can keep the partisan out of the school board races, and schools for that matter. If parties cannot stay true to that, make it partisan and move forward.
Nicole Wheeldon – District 7
I do not support a politically partisan race for school board positions. Being a successful school board member requires you to be unbiased and open to hear all sides when making a decision. Our children and staff deserve a board who is open to new ideas and is not bound by a party line.
Please share your stance on removing, banning, or segregating books in school and classroom libraries. If a parent or community member asked you to remove a book from a school against the recommendation of educators, how would you respond?
Whittney Loyd – District 3
Our corporation currently follows state standards regarding book policies, which is exactly what I believe we should do. I am not a lawmaker, professional educator, or librarian; therefore, I do not feel qualified to make critical decisions around literature for students. It is important that we listen to our educators and administrators who better understand the material and the impact it has on students. If a parent or caregiver raised issues around specific book, I would urge them to utilize the grievance procedure that was put in place by BCSC.
David Theile – District 3
I feel that adults have an obligation to look out for the best interest of our youth. Adults should be responsible to provide age-appropriate materials for student access. Since studies show that youth do not have a fully developed pre-frontal cortex, young people are dependent on adults to guide and provide them with education, books, and reading materials appropriate for their timetable of development.
Leigh Britt – District 5
The key to successful management is trust in the individuals who are hired for a job. Librarians are trained with a master’s degree in library science where they are trained to identify appropriate reading materials. BCSC librarians have access to multiple professional, literary-trained rating systems to aid them in choosing age-appropriate materials in compliance with BCSC Policy 9130. BCSC has policies in place for parents who do not feel certain aspects of curriculum suit the needs of their children where alternative assignments are determined between the parents and teachers. Parents who have concerns have a pathway for literary materials to be reviewed for age-appropriateness. Due to the proactive policy in place and in compliance with the state of Indiana, BCSC students are afforded alternative assignments at the request of parents. If approached by a parent to remove a book, I would first advise that the individual read the book (albeit not a requirement … perhaps it should be!) and then follow established protocol for the review process. If the result is not to their preference, I would recommend they communicate with the librarian (if the book/reading material is in the library) that they do not wish for the book to be read by their child. The expectation would be that the librarian would place a hold on the child’s account. If the book/reading material is part of a classroom assignment, I would recommend the parent communicate with the teacher and principal (depending on building policy) to determine an alternative assignment. Respecting the wishes of those with concerns while not impeding access of another individual is critical to finding common ground. Communication is critical to the success of finding common ground and finding common ground is critical to civility.
Tom Glick – District 5
There are more critical issues in our schools than certain books in the libraries. Our corporation is below the state average right now. We need to focus on teaching our kids to read before banning books. I do feel that the books in our libraries should be age appropriate. If there are any questionable books, parents should have the right to decide what is appropriate for their child.
Samantha Ison – District 7
This topic embattled the 2022 election, and let’s be honest — nothing has changed for parents, teachers, or students. BCSC continues to run below state averages in most major testing metrics. Teachers are seeing far higher class sizes than what is published, and children suffer in terms of educational achievement. A compromise proposed last year suggested that parents provide express permission to BCSC for questionable books within the library. And it’s no wonder when you see some of the content for yourself. I believe this approach justly empowers parents and protects BCSC from legal liability. I would support this policy where Nikki did not. However, I am hopeful we can shift our focus to the real issues at hand: ensuring the safety of students and teachers, improving critical factors for academic achievement like smaller class sizes and better conditions, and reducing unnecessary red tape and expenses from administration.
Nicole Wheeldon – District 7
I participated in the process to revise our current BCSC policies regarding books available in our libraries, and voted in favor of our current policy which aligns with state requirements. This policy provided an escalation path for any community member who challenges content in our libraries. Since implementing this policy, we have had one formal challenge escalate to the school board. In my evaluation of this complaint, I considered multiple inputs. My personal experience with the literature, input from the community member who filed the complaint, and the recommendation from the review committee all formed my opinion. Ultimately, in this case I voted to maintain the book in the library. If a community member asked me to remove a book, I would first understand why they felt it should be removed. I would direct them to the process outlined in our policy, assuring them that their complaint would be thoroughly evaluated.
Current state law restricts collective bargaining between teachers and their employer to wages and wage-related benefits. Do you support restoring the right of teachers to collectively bargain hours and working conditions? Why or why not?
Whittney Loyd – District 3
As the daughter of a teacher, I saw the lengths my mom went to in order guarantee her students had what they needed to be successful. Sometimes this meant ensuring they had proper school supplies, and other times it meant ensuring their environment was safe and secure. I know BCSC teachers continue to do all they can to meet student needs, and it is important that they receive the same level of care in return. Teachers should be empowered to have these discussions and advocate for themselves and the important work they do.
David Theile – District 3
School board members should be having meaningful conversations with all stakeholders within the school system. Through meaningful discussions with teachers, school board members are in a best position to ensure that the teachers are paid appropriately and fairly and that the working conditions are optimal.
Leigh Britt – District 5
Conversation is most productive when discussion flows in both directions freely and appropriately. As I understand the spirit of the question, the law changed in 2011 to limit bargaining to wages and wage-related benefits only. No other topics are permitted for discussion even if the administration and the union agree to bargain. This type of policing from the legislature is concerning as I feel such a limitation is divisive between the bargaining parties. Creating a caveat to allow for bargaining should both parties agree makes sense in the spirit of compromise and civility. In the spirit of compromise, civility and common sense, I am in favor of an amendment to include topics including hours and working conditions as well as other agreed upon topics for discussion during bargaining.
Tom Glick – District 5
I support this initiative to broaden collective bargaining. We are losing teachers in droves due to working conditions related to, but not limited to, a lack of support from administrators, parents throughout our school corporation, student discipline, etc.
Samantha Ison – District 7
I believe that teachers should be evaluated and compensated based on their performance, just like many other working individuals. Remember, schools exist as a public service with the primary responsibility of the education of our community’s children. Everything else should revolve around that purpose. More in depth performance reviews can help motivate teachers to set and achieve goals, and they can ensure that those who excel in their roles are rewarded accordingly. By implementing a performance-based compensation system, we can incentivize teachers to continuously improve their skills and strive for excellence in the classroom, driving the improvement of the purpose of our schools, the education of our community’s children.
Nicole Wheeldon – District 7
Current state law restrictions in the collective bargaining scope have provided a simpler process, allowing for more focus on wages and wage-related benefits. To the contrary, a limitless scope of contract could allow the process to become cumbersome and detract from primary goals. I believe there is benefit to expand the scope of bargaining to include the most critical working condition terms. Key topics such as working hours, break times, and performance evaluation process are all important to our teachers’ success and ultimately play a role in their decision to stay with BCSC. I would support a practical expansion of the scope for collective bargaining.
In what ways does BCSC excel as a school district? What is its biggest weakness?
Whittney Loyd – District 3
I believe BCSC has worked hard over the years to better serve all students. Their commitment to meeting students where they are and understanding how they learn has remained a priority. The diverse programming put in place offers greater support to students and provides access to individualized paths to success. The C4 program, CVP, and expanded Pre-K offerings are just a few of the assets that set BCSC apart from other corporations. Bright beginnings, Family School Partners and the Legado program are a few others that also come to mind. BCSC has also built valuable community partnerships that have positively impacted students, offering them access to greater learning, real-life experiences, and resources for themselves or their families. As far as areas of improvement are concerned, I would like to see BCSC achieve a higher rate of retention for teachers. I believe there is more we can do as a corporation to better support staff. I truly believe teachers are the heart of our corporation. As a board member I would work to ensure we recruit, hire, and retain the best educators possible.
David Theile – District 3
BCSC excels as a district through the countless and diverse activities and programs for students, multiple learning options that match the personal needs of each individual student, and employing some of the best teachers within the state. BCSC’s weaknesses include a loss of focus on academic excellence. The lack of a clear strategic plan with viable processes to help our students succeed hurts our youths’ chances of graduating life-ready. A clear strategic plan would allow us to put into place long-term key performance indicators (KPIs) that would allow our youth to succeed as we monitor process to measure student success.
Leigh Britt – District 5
BCSC excels in opportunities offered to students!
Career and technical education (CTE): In early June I had the opportunity to tour the C4 wings at Columbus North High School, Columbus East High School and the McDowell Education Center that houses the Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs for Bartholomew, Brown, Jackson, Jennings and Johnson counties. Director Gene Hack highlighted potential pathways and opportunities for BCSC students following graduation. Offering insight to potential offerings to emerging young adults allows them to explore their technology related interests with hands-on learning opportunities. Discovering pathways that are of interest at a young age may ignite a spark for students that otherwise they would not have explored. The C-4 offerings support their mission statement “… to prepare socially engaged citizens who excel in an information and technology rich society.”
College preparedness: The Indiana Commission for Higher Education tracks data of high school graduates by county/corporation related to college readiness (my area of expertise). Students requiring remediation in math, English/language arts, or both is reported by graduating cohort. The 2015 College-Going Scorecard indicates that 73% of BCSC 2012 graduates did not require remediation. The 2024 College-Going Scorecard indicates that 94% of BCSC 2021 graduates did not require remediation. This steady progression of improvement in college preparedness speaks to the diligence and response of BCSC to improve academic preparation of those students who are college-bound. Dual-credit course offerings through Ivy Tech allow students to earn affordable college credits before entering college. In addition to dual credit course offerings, academic college placement (ACP) for Indiana University credit, academic placement (AP) course offerings, and honors classes for students seeking a challenge before AP, ACP or dual credit are offered to our secondary students.
Fine arts: The fine arts departments (including band, art, choir and drama) in BCSC provide a community to students in music, drama, choir and art. The combined bands of North and East high schools in the form of The Sound and Spirit of Columbus marching band exemplifies the camaraderie nurtured by the music program and the unique family vibe because of the collaboration between the high schools. The “American Pie” concert is a collaboration of the social studies departments and fine arts departments where history is told through student performances.
Pathways: The BCSC core belief, “Learning is most effective when we have choice, flexibility, and see relevance” shines in our Columbus Signature Academy (CSA), CSA Lincoln and CSA Fodrea Academies. These schools provide a project-based learning (PBL) focused pathway for students who benefit from a nontraditional curriculum design. The Legado Spanish Immersion Academy within Clifty Creek Elementary provides a two-way Spanish and English fluency pathway for students seeking a multilingual approach to curriculum delivery. Greicy Patino is a rock star (and a former student of mine at IU Columbus)!
Athletics: Quality athletics programs and facilities at the high schools are recognized as BCSC athletes regularly represent our corporation at the state level. New gym space is planned in the BCSC Envision 2030 long-term plan to provide even more opportunities for students. The elementary basketball league (EBL) and elementary cross country (ECC) for our elementary students offer opportunities to our youngest athletes. Team/Cohorts – Small schools within the high school “city”: The high school team/cohort approach (Team 2025, Team 2026, Team 2027, Team 2028 at Columbus East HS and Cohort 2025, Cohort 2026, Cohort 2027, Cohort 2028 at Columbus North HS) creates multiple smaller communities within the high school “city” and allows for a creative approach while keeping tabs on students in real time, which encourages retention and graduation success!
Community partner: Collaboration with community entities such as Cummins Inc. and The Cummins Foundation supporting school architecture; the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and shared space in the Columbus Learning Center; Indiana University Columbus (IUC) and the Early College program; and United Way programming sets our corporation apart.
Weaknesses: BCSC has policies on the BCSC website, but searching the policies for topics is difficult to navigate. This may be interpreted as information being inadvertently “hidden” from the public. A link to BCSC School Board policies that is easy to locate after landing on the website should be considered for implementation. A search feature should be incorporated to improve finding specific BCSC policies without reading through hundreds of pages. An idea for improving the ease by which parents and community members could find policy information by topic could be addressed under the secretary position of the school board with a committee including board members. After speaking to recent 2024 BCSC graduates, I asked about student perception of the East Team/North Cohort launch. The students felt there are weaknesses regarding recognizing there was a change in support as compared to previous years. The students (who were in good standing) did not observe a difference after the East Team/North Cohort launch. For example, the students felt that lengthy response times to requests to meet with the guidance counselor were unsatisfactory and that a regular presence of the East Team/North Cohort leadership was not visible. Students in good standing could not recognize the assistant principal assigned to the students’ team/cohort until spring semester. According to the students, advisory lessons with advisory teachers were unrelatable and the promised connections in the form of one-on-one follow-up did not happen. I attended a recent school board meeting where East Team and North Cohort leadership spoke of success with at-risk students. Improving response time and visibility with students in good standing should be a goal to match success made with at-risk students. As with all new programs, improvement will be made over time. Administering student satisfaction surveys each semester will allow East Team and North Cohort leadership to become aware of perception issues in real time in order to improve. The students also indicated there were mixed messages regarding cellphone use. While cellphones were discouraged in the classroom, cell phones were necessary for hall passes to the restroom, for example. As a corporation, we must be consistent with messaging on a broader scale and with the use of personal cellphones as one specific example.
Tom Glick – District 5
We have incredible teachers at all levels who care and exceed the standards. BCSC does a great job of combining staff with athletics to ensure our athletes excel in the classroom as well. We have many athletes and teams that have achieved greatness on and off the field. Chris Cooper is one of these teacher-coaches who preaches classroom excellence and a school-first attitude. I, too, adopted his policy as I have had athletes needing to catch up with their work. I would have them focus on their studies rather than practice. This tactic is used to show how important and necessary school is and not just a ploy to keep someone eligible. I believe our greatest weaknesses are our administrative staff, test scores, and discipline. Many times in the past, our administration has failed to manage personnel properly. Parkside is constantly losing great teachers due to poor management. We need a better assessment of personnel and a better selection of administrators. I have heard too many stories of people failing upwards. In terms of discipline, this needs to be a joint effort with parents as there is no appropriate action taken out of fear of parental interference or a lawsuit. There are policies in place for a reason; we need to enforce the policies.
Samantha Ison – District 7
BCSC excels in the areas of career readiness fields in large thanks to the C4 program. The largest weaknesses that threaten the long-term readiness of BCSC are third grade reading and graduation rates. Below state-average graduation rates is unacceptable and will have long-term consequences within the community. Whereas third grade reading levels paired with new state legislation threaten the current operational model for BCSC if significant portions are held back creating imbalanced graduating class sizes.
Nicole Wheeldon – District 7
There are many ways we stand out in a positive way as a school district. Some of the more notable areas of excellence include the quality of our staff at all levels, our focus on STEM, and creative solutions for offering a variety of learning options. An area of improvement for BCSC is continuing to improve outcomes for struggling students. Improving this will require detailed data analysis to properly define the problem(s) and forming collaboration teams to work solutions.
