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This voter guide was co-published by Chalkbeat Indiana, Mirror Indy and WFYI as part of a partnership to increase coverage of township school districts in Marion County and cover the 2024 school board elections.
Five candidates are seeking election to four seats on the school board for the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township.
The MSD of Pike Township, in the northwest part of Marion County, enrolls around 10,680 students.
Around 61 percent of the enrollment is Black and 25 percent Hispanic. Around 64 percent of students qualify for free and reduced-price lunch, a common metric for measuring the population of students from low-income backgrounds. As of 2023, the district has a graduation rate of nearly 95 percent.
In May’s primary election, Pike Township voters approved an eight-year, $14.5 million annual tax levy for the district. Most of those funds will raise teacher pay and provide more academic support for students. The approval also triggers a law that requires a portion of the property tax funds be divided with nearby charter schools.
The referendum passed with 59 percent of the vote.
This election
Five candidates are running for Pike’s four at-large seats this election. Pike Township has an at-large school board, meaning all seven board members represent the district in its entirety. The four candidates with the most votes earn a spot on the board, and they will lead the district through 2028.
Who votes and how to vote
Residents living in Pike Township school boundaries can vote their choice for all four at-large seats up for election this year.
Voter registration is open until Monday, Oct. 7. To register to vote or to check your status, go here.
Early voting begins on Oct. 8 at the Indianapolis City-County Building at 200 E. Market St. Additional early voting sites can be found online.
On Election Day on Nov. 5, Marion County residents can vote at any of the county’s voting centers, which can be found online.
Meet the candidates
Angela Barnes (incumbent)
Barnes, 54, is a high school teacher in Wayne Township. She’s taught for 30 years and her daughter graduated from Pike High School. Barnes was appointed to the board in fall of 2022 to finish a term of an elected school board member.
Barnes earned a bachelor’s degree in English education from Ball State University and a master’s in education curriculum and instruction from Indiana University. She is on the Wayne Township Education Foundation board.
“My passion certainly lies with kids and fostering these positive experiences with them to empower them to have an impact as global citizens,” she said.
Barnes says the district is facing challenges in addressing learning loss and spending referendum dollars correctly.
Stephen Hoofer
Hoofer, 53, works in enterprise data governance for Sallie Mae. His two adult children attended Pike schools. Hoofer says his son struggled with the district’s large class sizes, which is one reason why he’s running for school board.
Hoofer’s wife is a former Pike Township teacher. He believes that experience will provide a unique perspective and empathy for educators in the district. Hoofer would like to see more instructional assistants and teacher benefits to support both students and teachers.
Hoofer has volunteered in schools to help students with classwork and coaches softball at Guion Creek Middle School. The district’s diversity is one of the biggest strengths, he said.
“Living in our township gives the opportunity to directly interact and get to know people that are very different and have a different life experience, and that’s true in the schools,” Hoofer said. “That builds empathy and compassion.”
Hoofer believes the biggest challenge the district faces is limited financial resources and low teacher pay.
Matthew Hopp (incumbent)
Hopp, 53, is the general manager of an Indianapolis-based software company. He earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial management from Purdue University, a MBA from Butler University and a J.D. from Indiana University Indianapolis. Hopp was appointed to the school board in 2022 and has been a member of the Pike Township Educational Foundation since 2010. He has two sons enrolled in the district.
Hopp said he was excited to be involved with the successful referendum because it brings funds to the district that will support safety and raising teacher salaries. He believes one of Pike’s biggest strengths is a shared passion for public education, and is concerned about the impact of charter schools and private school vouchers attracting students from the traditional public school system.
Nichole Kelley (incumbent)
Kelley, 51, is a high school teacher in the Indianapolis Public Schools district. She earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from Anderson University, a master’s in science and management from Indiana Wesleyan University. Kelley is currently working on a master’s degree in school counseling.
Kelley wants to see improved test scores in the district, particularly for students of color. She also sees teacher and student retention as a challenge facing the district.
She sees supportive community members and families being involved in student learning as the district’s greatest strength.
Toni Wilson
Wilson, 66, has taught in Pike Township schools for 17 years. Her daughter graduated from the district. Wilson has a MBA from Indiana University.
Wilson believes the district has strong leadership and innovative educational programs. She sees the challenges facing the district as similar to those in many others: teacher shortages, school safety, and room for improvement in academic achievement.
Update: This story was updated with information about candidate Matthew Hopp on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024.
WFYI education reporter Sydney Dauphinais covers Marion County schools. Contact her at sdauphinais@wfyi.org.
