Warrick County keeps growing, and the public school system must prepare for and manage the growth effectively, according to candidates in the May 6 nonpartisan Warrick County School Board election.

Seven people are seeking school board seats, including incumbents Gary Hachmeister, Alvin Holder and Don Phillips.

Other candidates are Kenneth Hay, Joe Loge, Brenda Metzger and Ben Stilwell.

Three people will be elected, but under the School Board's election rules, no more than two candidates may come from one township.

Hay, Holder, Loge, Stilwell and Metzger live in Ohio Township. Hachmeister lives in Skelton Township, and Phillips in Pigeon Township.

Those who want to vote in the election but do not want to participate in the Democratic or Republican primaries may do so by requesting a school board-only ballot.

Here's a look at the candidates:

Gary Hachmeister

n Hachmeister, 45, is the current board president. The maintenance mechanic at Alcoa Warrick Operations and farmer is finishing his second four-year term.

Hachmeister said he supports the school system's move to middle schools for grades 6-8, which will remove sixth grades from elementary school buildings and allow for growth.

"It's going to be a positive change for students," Hachmeister said.

But with growth averaging roughly 100 new students a year, the school system may need to do even more, Hachmeister said.

"It may come to where we have to build even another elementary school in Ohio Township."

Kenneth Hay

n Hay, 60, is making his second run for the School Board. He has taught in the school system for 38 years, including the last 32 at Castle Junior High School.

Hay said he doesn't believe the new Castle South Middle School project has been planned well.

The auxiliary gymnasium might be too small, and a change order has already been discussed for the roof, he said.

Warrick County schools should address how suspensions and expulsions are handled, Hay said. He advocates creating an in-school suspension program.

Hay said he's running for the board "because Warrick County has been good to me. We have a good school corporation, and I want to give something back to it.

Alvin Holder

n Holder, 59, has served three four-year terms. He worked in business for 24 years and spent seven years in a grant-funded position assisting high school students who were wards of the court. He manages his family's farm.

Because of Warrick County's growth, "At this time experienced leadership and dedication to education is extremely important," Holder said.

His priorities include making sure the new middle/high school in Tecumseh has the same safety and benefits for students as other Warrick County schools, and continuing to develop the system's gifted and talented and education alternative programs.

Holder is on the School Board's construction committee and noted that in the coming years, "one-third of our schools will have construction or remodeling going on."

Joe Loge

n Loge, 63, is a first-time candidate for the School Board. He worked at Castle Junior High School for 29 years, including 19 as principal, before retiring in 2002. He also taught for seven years at Castle High School.

Loge is now a part-time academic adviser for undeclared majors at the University of Southern Indiana.

He said his experience in working with middle school age children and said that the transition to 6-8 schools "can help our students if it's done correctly." Increasing graduation rates and "preparing students for the rigors of college" must always be priorities, Loge said.

Brenda Metzger

n Metzger, 58, ran before for Warrick County clerk and recorder, but this is her first School Board race. She's a broker associate with ERA First Advantage Realty.

Metzger said she has three grandchildren in the school system with two more on the way, and she has a daughter and daughter-in-law who teach in other school districts, "so I can see things from different perspectives."

One of her priorities is effective communication within the school system and also with taxpaying citizens who don't have children in school. She said she supports the move to middle schools and liked the idea years ago when her own children were in school.

Don Phillips

n Phillips, 48, has served on the School Board since 2004 and also from 1991-2000. He is utilities superintendent for the town of Tennyson.

"My background is in construction, and we have a lot of that going on," Phillips said. "And I try to keep an eye on the finances."

He supports the move to middle schools and said he's proud of the school system's academic performance.

"I get my pay at the end of the school year handing out those diplomas," Phillips said.

He noted that he's recently been the only School Board member from northern Warrick County, and he wants to ensure that area is properly represented.

Ben Stilwell

n Stilwell, 37, is a first-time candidate. He is the controller for Berry Plastics plants in Evansville and Charlotte, N.C.

He said his financial background could help the School Board and make sure public funds are used wisely.

"I deal with $300 million budgets every year," he said.

Stilwell called the school system's middle school transition plan "a good start" toward dealing with growth issues.

But he said more will likely need to be done, especially in Ohio Township, if Warrick County is to offer full-day kindergarten in the coming years.

"We need a permanent fix in place, and there needs to be thought and a plan," Stilwell said.