Who are the candidates running for school boards in Cass, Clay and Platte counties on April 5?
.jpeg "School board elections on April 5 will determine who will weigh in on controversial topics in local districts over the next few years.")
Get ready to elect new school board members in districts around Kansas City. Polls will be open on Tuesday, April 5 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Before you get to the ballot box, make sure you know which school districts are electing new board members and who those candidates are.
Why do school boards matter?
School boards are an essential part of making sure public schools reflect the communities they serve.
School boards are often responsible for hiring and reviewing the superintendent, hearing out community members and responding to their needs and reviewing school policies.
Recently, area school boards have debated topics including keeping LGBTQ-themed books on school shelves, school mask policies and how schools should teach about race in the aftermath of racist incidents in schools.
As the topics and issues students face in school continue to be a focal point of our cultural dialogue, who we choose as school board members becomes even more important.
What to know for Election Day on Tuesday
Most school board members in the Kansas City area serve for three years. Nearly all of the school board elections mentioned in this article ask voters to select two members for the board.
For more information about what might be on your ballot, here are sample ballots and candidate lists for Platte, Clay and Cass counties.
Some school districts will also ask residents to approve borrowing money to help with renovation projects, staffing and safety around the district.
Take a moment to see who is running near you.
How to use this list: We linked to every candidate’s campaign website that we could find. If you click on a candidate’s name, you’ll be directed to their site where you can see what the candidate’s priorities will be if elected.
Cass County
East Lynne School District No. 40
Voters can select two candidates. Each candidate is running for a three year term.
Ryan P. Miller (Incumbent)
Bryan Cribbs (Incumbent)
Harrisonville R-IX School District
Voters can select two candidates. Each candidate is running for a three year term.
Brittney Sexton (Incumbent)
Pleasant Hill R-III School District
Voters can select two candidates. Each candidate is running for a three year term.
Todd Christopher Wilson (Incumbent)
Robert Scott George (Incumbent)
Mary Bordner Tanck
Adam Kemper Kassel
Jesse Colin Schuman
Question:
Pleasant Hill R-III School District will ask voters to approve a $10,000,000 G.O. bond to help renovate schools. The money will go towards furnishing libraries, expanding cafeterias, gymnasiums and play areas for select schools in the district. The bond should not change the overall debt service tax of $1.0018 per $100 of assessed valuation of personal and real property.
Raymore-Peculiar R-II School District
Voters can select two candidates. Each candidate is running for a three year term.
Bill Lowe (Incumbent)
Aaron Howlett (Incumbent)
Dillen Steeby (Incumbent)
Janet Jones (Incumbent)
Valentia Houser (Incumbent)
Thomas Walsh (Incumbent)
Carol A. Barnes (Incumbent)
Cheryl “Cheri” Bland (Incumbent)
Voters can select two candidates. Each candidate is running for a three year term.
Latosha Brown (Incumbent)
R. Brian Flint (Incumbent)
Question:
The Stasburg School District will also ask voters to approve a $2.2 million general obligation bond of borrowed money to improve security and safety provisions at schools. These improvements will include asbestos removal, fences for playgrounds, fire alarms and more across the district. The proposition is not supposed to raise the overall debt service tax, which should remain at $1.6351 per $100 of assessed valuation of real and personal property.
Sherwood R-VIII School District
Voters can select two candidates. Each candidate is running for a three year term.
Robert T. Schumacher (Incumbent)
Daniel Turner (Incumbent)
Marc Walton
Ben Green
Hans Morris
Crystal Mainard
Voters can select two candidates. Each candidate is running for a three year term.
Matthew John Carver (Incumbent)
Chuck Bayard (Incumbent)
James Anthony Tillett
Timothy W. Dennis
Clay County
Voters can select two candidates. Each candidate is running for a three year term.
Terry Ward (Incumbent)
Frances Yang (Incumbent)
North Kansas City School District voters also have two ballot questions to weigh in on.
Question 1:
Voters will also be asked to approve borrowing $140 million for the use of either buying land, building new construction, repairing existing school buildings and buying school buses, among other things. According to the ballot, the bond should not increase the school district’s debt service tax levy.
Question 2:
Voter’s will also be asked to approve an increase to the operating property tax rate ceiling to $4.5763 per $100 of assessed valuation. This increase will go towards school operations and maintaining and staffing schools in the district. The school district’s operating property tax is expected to go up $0.20 per $100 of assessed valuation.
According to the ballot, this ceiling increase on the operating property tax levy shouldn’t increase the total property tax levy, which is $5.6663 per $100 of a property’s assessed value.
Voters can select two candidates. Each candidate is running for a three year term.
Smithville R-II School District
Voters can select two candidates. Each candidate is running for a three year term.
Len Mathies (Incumbent)
Excelsior Springs School No. 40
Voters can select two candidates. Each candidate is running for a three year term.
Kalyn Lace Goode (Incumbent)
Joshua Lee Brown
Voters can select two candidates. Each candidate is running for a three year term.
Aaron Bowers
Lydia Mack
The Kearney School District is asking for residents to approve $44 million of borrowed money to cover projects like renovating schools, building a new elementary school, expanding the early childhood program and building a performing arts center at the Kearney High School. The $44 million should leave the debt service tax levy unchanged if approved, according to the ballot.
Platte County
Voters can select two candidates. Each candidate is running for a three year term.
Park Hill School District voters also have two ballot questions to weigh in on.
Question 1:
Park Hill School District will also ask voters to approve a general obligation bond. This bond will be for $137 million that can be used for maintaining existing schools and possibly to build a new elementary school.
Question 2:
The second question will ask voters if the district can raise the operating property tax levy. The operating tax rate is expected to increase by $0.2700 per $100 of assessed valuation, if approved. According to the ballot, the new ceiling will not increase the overall tax rate.
Platte County R-3 School District
Voters can select two candidates. Each candidate is running for a three year term.
West Platte R-II School District
These candidates are running for a three year term. Voters can vote for two candidates.
Christine Marie Corbett
Tyler French (Incumbent)
Donald R. Wilson (Incumbent)
This candidate is running for a one year unexpired term. Voters can only select one name.
Benjamin Franklin Doran
What other questions do you have about local elections? Ask us at kcq@kcstar.com.
This story was originally published March 31, 2022 at 8:26 AM.
