How did we choose our candidates?
In order to include all candidates who are running (to ensure that we endorse the best possible candidates), we began our vetting process immediately after the filing window closed on June 20, 2024 at noon. We reached out to all filers to invite them to apply for our endorsement. Applicants were evaluated by our nonpartisan vetting team, whose recommendations our leadership team used to determine whom to endorse.
Though there are two school board seats to be filled in this year’s election and theirs were the only two applications we received, Support CCS will only ever endorse candidates who reflect our mission and values, and who are committed to representing the entire Carmel community. We only want to advocate for candidates who can be trusted to serve the Carmel Clay Schools well. Thus, the review committee could have chosen to recommend one candidate or neither. No candidate would have been endorsed without demonstrating to the nonpartisan committee that they could be entrusted with the competent administration of our schools on behalf of all CCS families.
This is why our vetting process was so vitally important.
Who is on our vetting team?
Support CCS is firmly and proudly nonpartisan, just like our schools and school boards should always be. Party politics should never interfere with the competent administration of our public schools.
To ensure that the candidates we endorse reflect Carmel’s political diversity and not any particular political affiliation, we have gathered a vetting team comprising evaluators from across the political spectrum. All are Carmel residents deeply familiar with our schools.
- Carol Averbeck (Democrat)
- Stephanie Flittner (Republican)
- Joe Loomis (Independent)
- Jake Nichols (Republican)
- Michelle Oja (Republican)
- Steve Simpson (Democrat)
- Layla Spanenberg (Republican)
- Carmella Sparrow (Democrat)
Each of these community members rigorously reviewed the applications of every candidate who seeks our endorsement.
We are deeply appreciative of their willingness to share their expertise and their time to help us Support CCS!