Support CCS endorses Jon Shapiro & Kristina Wheeler for Carmel Clay school board

Submitted by Support CCS

Support CCS – a nonpartisan political action committee committed to supporting the election of school board candidates who will fulfill the mission and guiding principles of Carmel Clay Schools – has announced its endorsements for Carmel Clay School Board on the November 2024 ballot: Jon Shapiro and Kristina “Kris” Wheeler.

Support CCS reached out individually to every candidate who filed to run for CCS board, inviting them to apply for endorsement. An external review committee composed of four Republicans, three Democrats, and one Independent – all Carmel residents knowledgeable about CCS – evaluated the submissions of those who chose to apply and overwhelmingly recommended Jon Shapiro and Kris Wheeler for endorsement. Support CCS has enthusiastically adopted the recommendations of the external review committee.

Support CCS says Shapiro and Wheeler are dedicated and qualified candidates who truly embody the CCS spirit, as well as the values of Support CCS. Both are children of public school teachers, both have professional experience in education settings, and both have gone above and beyond in service to CCS. Each has lived in Carmel for more than a decade, and each has professional competencies that will serve the Board and CCS well.

Shapiro is a CCS parent and a deeply involved member of the CCS community. He was honored with a special Community Service Award from the district in January for his role in leading the “Yes for CCS” Operating Referendum campaign. Shapiro has long worked in education, in nonprofit, youth-serving organizations, and is the current director of fundraising and donor relations at Hope Academy Recovery High School. His demonstrated commitment to the Carmel community and his desire to ensure CCS remains one of the best public school districts in the nation for all students make Shapiro an excellent choice to serve on the CCS School Board.

Wheeler, a partner at Bose McKinney & Evans, LLP, is currently serving on the Executive Board of the Carmel Education Foundation as the Vice President for Compliance and Board Secretary. She is the mother of one CCS graduate and another who will be a freshman at Carmel High School this fall. Having earned her undergraduate degree in elementary education herself, Wheeler has a fundamental understanding of the importance of supporting our teachers, parents, students, and schools. As a certified public mediator, she understands that in order to do this you need to work across differences of opinion in order to solve problems. She has long been involved in CCS and embodies the passion and dedication to build on the success of our school system that the CCS School Board needs.

“A presidential election year can overshadow the vital importance of local elections,” Support CCS Chair Jennifer Cashin said. “However, there is no overstating how much of an impact our school board has on the future of our children and our community. We’re proud to stand behind our external review committee’s decision to support Shapiro and Wheeler; they are both highly qualified and capable candidates who have a demonstrated history of commitment to the Carmel Clay Schools.”

There are two school board seats to be filled in this year’s election, and Support CCS was pleased to see that the nonpartisan vetting team identified both Shapiro and Wheeler as excellent endorsees. Though theirs were the only two applications Support CCS received, the review committee could have chosen to recommend one candidate or neither. No candidate would have been endorsed without demonstrating to the committee that they could be entrusted with the competent administration of Carmel’s schools on behalf of all CCS families.

Support CCS is confident that Carmel voters will agree Shapiro and Wheeler are the perfect people to help CCS build on its successes and navigate it through future challenges.

More information about Jon Shapiro can be found at shapiroforccs.com. While her website is under development, Kristina “Kris” Wheeler can be reached at wheeler4ccs@gmail.com.

To learn more about Support CCS and its vetting process or to volunteer, visit supportccs.org.