On the ballot this November, there are three vacancies on the school board for the South Gibson School Corporation, one vacancy for each district. District elections are based on where a potential school board member lives: District 1 – Haubstadt, District 2 – Fort Branch and District 3 – Owensville. District 1 representative Tim Nurrenbern and District 2 representative David Lewis are both resigning their positions after many years of service. Robin Angermeier of District 3 is re-running for her spot on the board, while Eric Harper, Benson Davenport and Paige Rohrer are each running for a vacant position on the board.
Davenport is one of two members running from District 2, the only contested district this election.
“I am a resident and business owner in Gibson County, and my wife teaches in the South Gibson School Corporation,” Davenport said. “My education includes a Bachelors of Science in Management and a Masters of Business Administration from Oakland City University. My professional background has provided opportunities to lead in organizations of up to $1.4 billion revenue across North America with complex budgets and large teams to develop and provide strategy for continued improvement and growth.”
Davenport has previously served on for-profit and non-profit boards, and he has personally seen the potential that students, including his four children, can reach when they have easy access to resources, programming and educators.
“My motivation to run for school board comes from ensuring every student has access to high-quality education,” Davenport said. “I believe we can best serve students, families and the community with leadership that focuses on optimal school operations and financial stability.”
Paige Rohrer is the other member running for the District 2 seat. She is a mathematics teacher at North Posey High School and the English Language Learner Teacher of Record for the Metropolitan School District of North Posey County.
“I have two children, Jaden and Eli, who attend Fort Branch Community School,” Rohrer said. “My husband, Mark, is a counselor and basketball coach at Gibson Southern High School.”
Rohrer has coached youth athletics for 14 years at Gibson Southern, North Posey and Washington. Being involved with the schools, she hopes to use her insider knowledge to benefit the community in real ways.
“One of the major issues facing South Gibson School Corporation in the near future is the new diploma requirements set to go into effect with the current eighth grade class,” Rohrer said. “While these new diploma requirements are still in the works, one thing that is certain is that the high school is going to need to redesign class offerings to best fit students while also aligning to the new requirements.”
Rohrer has begun researching ways to successfully connect what is currently offered in the high school to the new diploma, ensuring the school is prepared to handle the change and make it a positive experience for the students.
“These changes require leadership that is well versed in education, and my background has set me up to successfully lead our district through this process,” Rohrer said.
Angermeier is the uncontested incumbent for District 3. She took over the vacancy left in the summer of 2023 when former board member Janet McBee moved out of Indiana.
“I have lived in South Gibson for 52 years,” Angermeier said. “I was in the first graduating class of GSHS. When I graduated from ISU with a degree in Communication Disorders, I was hired as a Speech/Language Pathologist with South Gibson School Corporation, where I spent 42 years serving children and their families.”
Angermeier served on the South Gibson Teachers Association for four years as the president and four years as the vice-president. She is also the president of the Owensville Carnegie Library Board of Directors, a Board of Directors volunteer for the Isaiah 1:17 Project, Activities Coordinator for Fifth Quarter since 2005 and she teaches in the Children’s Ministry of Christian Fellowship Church.
“School boards have four core responsibilities,” Angermeier said. “Those are adopting policies, such as student handbooks and how to integrate state and federal regulations; hiring and evaluating the superintendent; approving the annual budget and overseeing other financial affairs and setting strategic goals for the school district.”
Angermeier’s goal is to serve the South Gibson community by focusing on education and the needs of families.
“I hope to responsibly serve our school families by considering the expectations and needs of our students and adapting them into a vision with appropriate policies and goals that support student achievement,” Angermeier said. “I have great faith in our administration and teachers to continue to provide an excellent education for the children that they serve. I will also lobby our state government when appropriate to make sure the education of our students is of utmost priority. I feel honored to be included in that process over the years.”
Harper is the final candidate and is the uncontested candidate for the District 1 seat. Harper graduated from Gibson Southern in 1987. His wife, Shona, and his two kids, Shane and Brylie, are also Titan graduates.
“Having been a coach for 10 years, I have seen all the good that our teachers do and worked with hundreds of great students,” Harper said. “I want to continue to support both groups and the school board is another great way to do that.”
This is Harper’s first time running for school board. Now that his kids are out of school, he feels that he can help make the corporation better for future generations.
“I am excited to be a part of the building of the new field house,” Harper said. “This is going to help all our athletes to be able to work year round if they want. I will strive to always be available when there is an issue, so just let me know your concerns. If you see me in the halls, on the track or anywhere else, stop and say, ‘Hi.’ It is always a great day to be a Titan!”
Election day is Tuesday, November 5. Be sure to know who is on your ballot and where you can vote.
