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Board appoints Tavon Ellis to short‑term School City of Hammond seat after candidate interviews
Summary
After interviewing 11 candidates and multiple rounds of trustee votes, the School City of Hammond Board appointed Tavon Ellis to fill a vacant board seat (term described in the meeting as through Dec. 31); trustees explained if they fail to reach a decision the vacancy would go to the circuit court judge.
The School City of Hammond Board of Trustees interviewed 11 candidates for a short‑term vacant seat and appointed Tavon Ellis after multiple rounds of trustee voting.
Board staff explained the interview and voting process before candidates spoke: each trustee would ask one question, candidates had a three‑minute time limit for answers, the first‑round vote allowed each trustee one pick to advance up to four candidates to the next round, and up to three rounds of voting would be used to select the appointment. Board officers emphasized that an impasse would send the appointment decision to a circuit court judge.
Candidates introduced themselves and answered trustee questions about what schools should accomplish, why they wanted to serve and how they would separate personal feelings from board decisions. Many emphasized teacher support, student stability, academic improvement, safety, community engagement and fiscal stewardship.
After narrowing the field in early rounds to four finalists (Gabriel Ceros Lopez, Tavon Ellis, Kendra Reed and Makita Warner), trustees cast final votes. Trustees Blake King, Spencer, Candelaria and Murphy each voted for Tavon Ellis and the board announced his appointment to the vacant seat.
Transcript remarks indicate the vacancy was described by a candidate as short‑term, "until December 31st," though the board did not read a formal motion text on the record. The board concluded the meeting by congratulating Ellis and adjourning.
