I received an Associate's Degree in engineering and completed a Tool and Die Maker apprenticeship at AlliedSignal (currently Honeywell). I held several leadership positions in industry before leaving to become a college teacher and give back to the next generation. I have ten years teaching. I am married for 11 years. I have three children, raised in LSR7, who all successful adults. I attend Fellowship Church in Greenwood. I moved to LSR7 in 1988.

LSR7

Graduated Southwest High School. Earned Associate’s of Engineering Degree from Longview Community College. Earned a Tool and Die Maker’s Apprenticeship certificate from the US Department of Labor/Honeywell.

We moved here in 1988 and raised our three children in LSR7. My oldest grandson graduated from LSN last year. We chose Lee’s Summit because the schools were known as the best in the state. I have a plan to bring it back. It not only supports high property values but it produces graduates who are proficient in a variety of subjects and are employable or ready for college. We can do better. Our children deserve it.

I prefer small schools in the communities for elementary students. Most should be in walking distance. I believe these lend to parental involvement better than the larger, more distant schools. Older grades can attend larger schools. The school is there to assist the parents in the children’s education, not to usurp authority over the children. Great schools support higher property values. Great schools turn out well-qualified young adults, ready for four-year colleges, trade schools, direct workforce entry, homemakers or military service commitments. They also encourage entrepreneurship.

Lee’s Summit residents have funded the police and fire well resulting in a community where we can feel safe. We have infrastructure to support the population and enough businesses to pay taxes. Our population welcomes new neighbors. Lee’s Summit is a great place to raise a family. Our weakest link is the fact that we have lost our main focus of educating children in a few areas.

The most pressing school district issue we must address is to return our focus to education. We have lost focus on the main thing. We must raise the bar. As a college teacher, I have proved that if we set the bar high, students will rise to meet it. We must close the achievement gap and improve our proficiency rates. Our goal should be to produce a pool of well-rounded employable candidates for local jobs. Teachers, staff, and administrators must model good work ethics and soft skills. Expect the students to come to class prepared to learn. Do the assignments. Bring necessary supplies. Most of all, bring the right mental attitude. We must foster an environment of success.

My goals for the district are to return the district to its former #1 status. Make LSR7 the best district in the state again. Eliminate distractions like pornography in the libraries and CRT.

The return on investment for the taxpayer is vital. LSR7 schools are well funded and the citizens must see appropriate outcomes. The district can look for improving test scores year over year and closing the achievement gap.

15-20 hours per week.

I will have an open email for citizen concerns. I will discuss those issues with fellow Board members and reply to each one. I plan to stay engaged with the community after election to keep a feel of what the community thinks. I will keep my social media account open and report all issues.

I wanted to go to the auto tech school but was denied because they thought my family was “college bound.” I would like to make sure we expose all students to various and diverse job fields so they can make up their own minds about what they would enjoy doing. Expose them to numerous things and when they decide where they want to go, help them get on the right path. Make room for changes along the way as they are still very young. The Summit Technology Academy is a huge step in the right direction and has many great things to offer.

Choose the best-qualified candidate for each position. Follow the law regarding race, sex, ethnicity, etc. Focus on getting the best teachers and other staff members. As a district, we must ensure fair salaries to prevent teacher turnover. I strongly support the philosophy of “growing your own”. Make the learning experience so good for our students that they want to build their careers here

I know the thoughts behind the (4) ten-hour day schedules saving money. However, the children are too young to be kept in classes that long in a day. They are better served by the five-day week. Most parents work the five-day week and this allows for more family time on a daily basis and it prevents children from being home alone or in day care that extra day each week. Children learn discipline by doing homework. The longer days don’t really allow for homework time except on the three-day weekends. It will affect the ability of students to participate in sports, band, and other extra-curricular activities.

Students should be able to have clubs after school. It is part of the political process. It is a grave injustice when radicals are allowed to shut down a legitimate gathering simply because they don’t agree with the other students’ position. Mutual respect is necessary regardless of one’s position on a matter.

If students misbehave, require parents to address the issues in the best way they know how. I believe in parental authority over their own children. They must step up and provide proper discipline for their students to stay in the school population. Administrators and parents should work together. The goal is to retain students in regular classes.

I like the way they do it at a school in the south. If a teacher wants to carry in the classroom, they go to the county sheriff who puts them through 200 hours of training in the field and 40 hours of training in the classroom. Then they are deputized by the county sheriff which makes them authorized to carry a weapon on school property. It requires a lot of commitment on the part of the teacher to do the training. An eight-hour CCW class is not enough training for many people to have guns around children. This also helps shift liability on the sheriff’s department.

I support the use of teacher-led technology. True AI eliminates the teacher and would destroy the best part of teaching. I do not support using robots and computers to drill the information into the children. I do support training students who are led to STEM career fields in AI.

They must be encouraged to be active and maintain good health. I realize many like to play video games but I would encourage active sports instead.

I agree with Missouri Senate Bill 134 regarding “Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act” and hope it becomes law.
Teach children to use the Earth’s resources without wasting them. “Waste not, want not.”
Teach accurate American history and allow children to make up their own minds about which side of politics they prefer.

17 sums it up.