Nichole Kelley

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Nichole Kelley

Nonpartisan

Metropolitan School District of Pike Township school board At-large

Tenure

2021 - Present

Term ends

2029

Years in position

4

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

High school

North Central High School

Bachelor's

Anderson University, 1995

Graduate

Indiana Wesleyan University, 2007

Personal

Profession

Special Education Teacher

Contact

Personal LinkedIn

Nichole Kelley is an at-large member of the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township school board in Indiana. She assumed office on January 1, 2021. Her current term ends on January 1, 2029.

Kelley ran for re-election for an at-large seat of the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township school board in Indiana. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Kelley completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Nichole Kelley earned a bachelor's degree from Anderson University in 1995 and a graduate degree from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2007. Her career experience includes working as a special education teacher, child welfare worker, and foster care social worker.

Elections

2024

See also: Metropolitan School District of Pike Township, Indiana, elections (2024)

General election

General election for Metropolitan School District of Pike Township school board At-large (4 seats)

Incumbent Angela Barnes, Toni Wilson, incumbent Nichole Kelley, and Stephen Hoofer defeated incumbent Matt Hopp in the general election for Metropolitan School District of Pike Township school board At-large on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Angela Barnes (Nonpartisan)	24.3	17,919
✔		Toni Wilson (Nonpartisan)	22.6	16,668
✔		Nichole Kelley (Nonpartisan)	20.0	14,734
✔		Stephen Hoofer (Nonpartisan)	17.7	13,062
		Matt Hopp (Nonpartisan)	15.5	11,417

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 73,800
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Kelley in this election.

2020

See also: Metropolitan School District of Pike Township, Indiana, elections (2020)

General election

General election for Metropolitan School District of Pike Township school board At-large (4 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for Metropolitan School District of Pike Township school board At-large on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Veronica Ford (Nonpartisan)	18.5	15,349
✔		Nichole Kelley (Nonpartisan)	15.0	12,430
✔	Submit photo	Temeka Lomax (Nonpartisan)	12.4	10,290
✔		Larry Metzler (Nonpartisan)	10.2	8,432
	Submit photo	Daryl Hill (Nonpartisan)	9.7	8,012
		Victor Jackson (Nonpartisan)	9.5	7,918
	Submit photo	Philip Abrams (Nonpartisan)	9.5	7,898
		Bryan Fisher (Nonpartisan)	9.1	7,567
	Submit photo	Patrick Terry Sr. (Nonpartisan)	6.1	5,095

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 82,991
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Nichole Kelley completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kelley's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Nichole Kelley. I am an educator and public education supporter. I hold a bachelor’s degree in social work, a masters degree in management. I hold a general education certificate and a special education certificate. I spent my entire career serving children and families. I am a proud Pike Township 20 plus year resident. I am a lifelong resident of Indianapolis.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I am part of the board that has helped secure pay raises for all staff.
• I am committed to seeing the district move forward and grow.
• Committed to see the district increase test scores as well as graduation rates. We are good but we can do better.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate at funding public schools. I am passionate about graduation requirements.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I do not have a book or film that would look to. I would however explain is as a listening and trying to hear what the voters want and need. I believe that we have programs that help families and communities so that there is fair and equitable opportunities for all.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The most important principle for an elected official is to honest, caring and committed.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Elected officials should listen to the people who have elected them. They are put in office to represent the voters. In the case of the school board, the board should listen to the students, parents and the community.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a legacy of helping children and families become the best versions of themselves.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

The primary jog of the school board is to hire and evaluate the superintendent, assist in setting district strategic goals. Board members are responsible for helping draft the district policy based on the laws and statutes.

Who are your constituents?

My constituents are the voters of Pike Township and the community members regardless of how they vote.

How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?

I would support the diverse need of the districts by working to ensure that there are language services available. I would ensure that there are celebrations to recognize the various cultures represented in the district. I would make sure we are doing our best to provide the same opportunities for all students in all of the buildings as possible. You should not have to choose certain school to feel as if your student will get the best education.

Due to the make up of our district I would like to see an increase in the hiring of educators who look like the population we serve. I would also hope that we will have curriculum that is representative of the student population

I would like to see up provide staff with the ability to have time to celebrate the non-traditional holidays if needed.

I would like students to be able to come to school and have an equitable education, free of all of the isums of life.

I want the community to know that home values will remain high or increase as a result of the achievement of the students. That Pike would be known as the place to live.

How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?

Building relationships by having conversations about internships and jobs for students as well how the school can help local businesses. I would continue to encourage the fundraisers with the local business where part of the profits are donated toward the schools. I would also encourage the community to become part of mentoring our students and sharing life lessons with them.

I would continue to attend the Pike Resident Association and other home owner associations to promote what the schools are doing. I think that the relationships developed with businesses in the community are important. I believe that local business should support the community and invest back into community. I think that the community should support local businesses.

The stakeholder are all residents of Pike, the business owners, students and parents,

What constitutes good teaching? How will you measure this? How will you support advanced teaching approaches?

1. Standards based

2. Culturally responsive
3. Child centered

This is measure by finding ways to access the progress. Not through the standarized test scores but the growth a student has made in the year.

I would encourage teachers to receive on going training that is targeted for the areas where they support not a one size fits all approach. Just teachers are asked to teach students where they are the training for teachers should have more of tailored approach.

In what areas would you like to expand curriculum? For example, do you see a need for advanced technical training or apprenticeships? What sort of innovative programming would you advance if given the opportunity?

There needs to curriculum expansion in area of technical training as well as just exposing students to the post high school options. Students do not know what they want to do after high school if they have not been exposed to the options.

I would continue like to help students pursue relationships with local businesses. Continue to develop the dual credit options for students as well increase the certifications

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

The Pike Classroom Teacher Association

Describe your ideal learning environment for students.

The best learning environment is one where a child

1. Has access to the best teachers
2. Where students feel seen, heard and validated
3. A safe place free weapons and violence
4. A place that celebrates the diversity and is willing to admit when we do not get it right.

5. The technology and skills to compete in the post secondary world

What will you do to build a relationship with parents in the district?

I will continue to attend district and community events and listen to parents. I would also encourage parents to contact the board if they feel there is an issue they would addressed. If the board is not aware, They cannot do anything about the issue.

What are your preferred strategies for faculty, staff, and administration recruitment?

1. Retain the current quality teachers with competitive pay, benefits and a healthy work environment

Continue to recruit students to the Pike pipeline program
2. Continue to partner with colleges and universities.

3. Hire the quality student teachers that come to the district

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I think that there should be financial transparency and accountability. It is important that the voter know where the money is being spent. The budget is a public document. The government should assist in making sure the needs of citizens are met.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2020

Nichole Kelley did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

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