Eight candidates are seeking seats on the Lebanon R-3 School Board. The election will be held April 4.
Five candidates have filed for three, three-year seats on the Lebanon R-3 School Board. They are incumbents Mary Russell, Merri Hess, Matthew Amsberg who is currently filling an unexpired term, Charlie Darnell and Mike Tracy. Three candidates have filed for a one-year term: Jim Smith, Michael Flanders and Nicole Walters.
The Record sent out questionnaires to each candidate with three questions. The following are their responses in their entirety.
Matthew Amsberg
1. I have been working in banking for the past 15 years. My experiences in that industry can provide a lot of insight in navigating the size of the budget that the school district has to manage every year.
2. I believe the success of a small community like Lebanon depends heavily on the success of the schools. I am running to commit my time and experiences to see that our schools will continue to succeed.
3. I think the District has made great strides in improving the over quality and ranking of our district with our peers, specifically due to the passing of Proposition Lebanon Schools. I hope to continue that progress and continually improve from where we are.
4. I think the District does a good job making things transparent. In any situation there may be times where things might not be as clear as others. I think it's important to know that parents can approach staff with questions and clarity on any concerns they have or to better understand where the information they are looking for can be found. Each situation can be different but there is always an avenue to approach either a specific teacher, administration or school board member directly to help the parent better understand their questions and concerns.
Charlie Darnell
What are your background and qualifications to serve?
I am a lifelong resident of Lebanon. I attended school here, played sports here and currently have an LTCC student doing an internship at my company. I have a Masters degree in Business Administration, own and operate my own small business and have a desire to see the district as strong as possible for years to come.
Why are you running?
As noted, I am a lifelong Lebanon resident. I currently have 2 children in the district. My wife is a teacher at the middle school. Because of this, I hear stories and examples of good and bad at the schools. I have a background that will hopefully allow me to increase the number of positive school experiences while limiting the bad.
What do you hope to accomplish as a member of the school board?
I hope to bring some unity between parents, teachers and the board. Find some common ground that we can all stand on to continue growth in our school policies and quality of education for our children.
How do you respond to people who are saying the school board is not transparent or accountable with parents?
I am not currently a board member, so I have no first hand knowledge. That being said, I do know that all boards have rules and restrictions that mandate how they are allowed to share information. Information should not be hidden from parents, teachers or administration by the board. If it is legal to share the information, I see no reason not to do so.
Mikel Flanders
What are your background and qualifications to serve?
I have a diverse background that brings a unique perspective to this opportunity. I am the son of a retired teacher and have children in the district. I am a former district employee and coach. This will help me see and understand things from the perspective of a community member, teacher and parent.
I am business owner and have been a regional manager, trainer and leadership consultant with Dale Carnegie. Additionally, I am a certified Trainer, Speaker and Coach for the Maxwell Team. This will help me see things with a leader's eye and effectively communicate with community members on issues and concerns as the opportunities arise.
Why are you running?
Let's first talk about why I am not running...I do not have an axe to grind nor a selfish agenda. I am running because it is a unique opportunity to share my experience, my time and my talents.
What do you hope to accomplish as a member of the school board?
I hope to leave the school in better shape for the next generation. A place where students have opportunities to learn in a safe and diverse environment and teachers love working in a forward thinking and healthy culture.
How do you respond to people who are saying the school board is not transparent or accountable with parents?
From what I understand aside from personnel, human resource and other closed session items, there is transparency. We are one of 518 schools in Missouri who all are governed by the same standards and rules. Community members have access to board meetings, policy, spreadsheets and data provided by the district. They have access to school board members and administrators at every level. I encourage those that don't feel informed to set up a meeting with the appropriate individual or staff member.
Merri Hess
What are your background and qualifications?
I have served on the Lebanon R-3 Board of Education since 2017 and have been President for the last two years. This experience has provided a wealth of knowledge and understanding of district finances, policies and procedures and enables me to make informed decisions that best serve our students and staff. During my 40 years in the business community, I have worked with budgets, boards, marketing, and public relations. The professional skills I possess prepared me to work with people of different opinions regarding our schools, examine budgets and make decisions on the school board. I am always available to listen and strive to do what is best for the whole district while balancing the interests of Lebanon R-3 families, students, staff, and taxpayers. I attended Lebanon R-3 schools K-12, graduating from LHS in 1981. I received a Bachelor of Science in Broadcasting and Film with a Minor in Marketing from Central Missouri State University (now University of Central Missouri State) in 1984. My husband, Brent, our son, Cooper, and my extended family are all proud LHS graduates. Once a Yellowjacket, always a Yellowjacket!
Why are you running?
I want to continue representing and serving the Lebanon R-3 community because I believe a strong public education system is vital to our community. Our schools provide every child access to a quality education. I value my lifelong connections to Lebanon R-3 schools as a former student, as a parent, an active member in the community and as a school board member. In 2014, I was on the Steering Committee for the bond issue and managed the marketing and advertising efforts that built Lebanon Middle School. As a board member in 2018, I played a significant role in passing Proposition Lebanon Schools that provides funding for competitive staff pay, newer and safer buses, personalized learning for students, and a sustainable maintenance cycle for our school buildings. I am a long serving board member of the Lebanon R-3 All Sports Booster Club and most recently helped organize the Lebanon High School Alumni Association. Working together to maximize student learning and achievement is the primary task of an effective school board. I want to continue working collectively with other school board members to realize these goals. I applaud the many positive aspects of our schools, but I am also aware of the challenges ahead for public education. I am not afraid to ask the tough questions and make difficult decisions. Fiscal responsibility, accountability and a plan for our students’ futures is crucial. I am committed to providing our students with the tools and opportunities to not only excel academically, but also to have the workplace skills necessary to be successful beyond high school.
What do you hope to accomplish as a member of the school board?
My focus is to build on our strong foundation and to make our R-3 students, staff, and schools as successful as possible. We must not take our schools for granted. We must continue seeking strategies and providing resources to meet student needs and prepare them to become leaders in our community and beyond. I am proud of the direction the R-3 District is headed. For example, the new Early Childhood Education Center will open this fall. I want to maximize this community partnership and position the Early Childhood Education Center to make a significant and measurable impact in the health and education of our most vulnerable students. By providing high quality early education combined with health and dental care, these students will keep pace with their peers and enter school ready to learn. The District is also celebrating the innovative Robert W. Plaster Center for Student Success where high school students will get real world work experience through many business community partnerships. I want to use my professional experience and my knowledge of the business community to make the most of these work experience opportunities for our high school students. Currently the District is in the process of adding a FEMA shelter and making improvements at Boswell Elementary. More FEMA shelters will help keep our students and residents in our community safe. I am also excited about the 10- year master plan for improving school facilities that has been presented. What a blessing all these projects will be for our children, families, and our community! I have been a part of approving all of these and I can’t wait to see them come to fruition. R-3 is so fortunate to have a supportive community, Administrators and a School Board who realize we need to be proactive and resourceful to inspire learning through positive relationships, personalized experiences, and a focus on the future…whether that is on to additional education and training or to enter our local workforce. I believe in the motto: “It’s not about our past but their future!”
How do you respond to people who are saying the school board is not transparent or accountable with parents?
The Lebanon R-3 School Board provides a high level of transparency and accountability to stakeholders. Even with numerous measures in place, it is possible for misinformation and disinformation to happen. “Opinions” expressed on social media and in small groups should be evaluated based on facts. Building Administrators, Central Office and School Board members are always willing to visit with parents and individuals who have questions. Open and direct communication is the best way to express a concern about a specific issue or clear up misunderstandings. The Lebanon R-3 School Board operates according to the guidelines of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). All Board meeting agendas are published in compliance with the Missouri Sunshine Law and the meetings are open to the public as allowable by law. Closed sessions are authorized for personnel, real estate and legal. All Regular Board meetings are live online, and a recorded copy of the meetings is available afterwards. A detailed narrative of the whole meeting is published as “Board Meeting Highlights”. Communication comes in the form of frequent Yellowjacket eNews and R3 Insider publications plus the Jacket Magazine keeps parents and stakeholders informed on student learning priorities and progress on the issues of staff pay, facilities, transportation, and student experiences as approved by Proposition Lebanon Schools. There are forums and surveys used throughout the year to collect input as well. These are just a few of the examples of how the Lebanon R-3 School Board provides a high level of transparency and accountability to stakeholders. I strongly encourage families, community leaders and other stakeholders to become engaged to ensure the success of all Lebanon R-3 students. Attend school board meetings or watch them online to see your school board members and District leaders at work. Stay informed through the District’s newsletters, forums, and local news stories. Reach out to School Board members when you have questions, concerns, or suggestions regarding our schools. I am honored to serve as a Lebanon R-3 School Board member, and I appreciate your consideration as you vote for Lebanon R-3 School Board members on April 4th.
Mary Russell
What are your background and qualifications to serve?
I grew up and graduated a Lebanon Yellowjacket and my love for this community and its schools runs deep. My husband, Jason and I have 2 sons in the district, a 4th grader and a 6th grader. I work as a home health physical therapist and see firsthand the obstacles that many of our families and students face every day.
Why are you running?
My goal for the past 3 years on the board has been and will always be guided by my commitment to keep students first in every decision. As I have in the past, I will continue to speak up when considering decisions and always ask the question, “How will this affect the quality of education and prepare them for the future?” Championing those students in the district that don’t have the home support needed to be successful has always been important to me. The board must hold ourselves and the administration accountable for following through with priorities that have been established and keeping the promises made. That starts with making sure that our budget reflects our priorities and promises. I will continue to insist that funding for the promises made in Proposition Lebanon Schools be given the very first consideration of how we spend our tax revenue. I believe the stakeholders of the school district are best served by a diverse board made up of members with different backgrounds and experiences. Although the board has been in complete agreement with most of the votes taken over the past 3 years, I have not been a rubber stamp and have been willing to speak up. When I have believed a board action is not consistent with our priorities and promises or due diligence has not been completed, I have voted no. What do you hope to accomplish as a member of the school board? If honored by the voters with a second term, I will continue to be diligent about researching and gathering information about topics brought before the board and asking questions to district leaders to ensure accountability and transparency. I believe the school needs to put an increased emphasis on actions to address the learning loss that resulted from the absence from the classroom during the COVID pandemic. National and state educational leaders have identified the need for students to be in the classroom with their teachers. Our teachers and staff are the ones in our buildings every day doing this most valuable work. We must ensure their tangible teaching needs are met, as well as to provide a district culture that values and appreciates them for all they do. As someone elected by taxpayers, I am committed to listening to concerned stakeholders. A big part of being an effective board member is to be available to families, district employees, and the community to make sure their voices are heard, and their concerns are addressed. I will insist our schools have policies and procedures in place which reflect the values of our Yellowjacket community. The focus at LR3 should always be the education of our students.
How do you respond to people who are saying the school board is not transparent or accountable with parents?
With a $53 million annual budget and 750 employees, we must not forget that LR3 is supported entirely by tax dollars. The board and administration have an obligation to be transparent. Taxpayers must have confidence in the way we educate our students and spend the tax dollars with which we have been entrusted. I believe we can do better and should make every effort to improve. With only the few exceptions provided by law, closed meeting actions should be made fully and conveniently available to the public. Incomplete information and a lack of openness can lead to distrust. Our focus should be a proactive approach to issues and problems. Transparency and accountability build trust with all of the stakeholders- parents, teachers, staff, businesses and the community as a whole. I ask for your vote on Tuesday, April 4th.
James Smith
What are your background and qualifications to serve?
I am retired military where I worked in administration. I was also accountable for over a $1,000,000.00 dollars in property and I also worked with some of the budgets for the command. I was a manager of a restaurant and I am currently a substitute Teacher. I am also raising my 2 grand kids.
Why are you running?
To help to continue educating my grand kids and the kids of our community. To help address any issues that may affect the education of the kids of the community.
What do you hope to accomplish as a member of the school board?
To make sure we continue to give the kids of our community the best education possible. I also want to make sure schools are using the most current equipment and the buildings are is good repair.
How do you respond to people who are saying the school board is not transparent or accountable with parents?I would tell them that I am one of them. And that before this year I would say it was true but this year I have been getting email updates on some of the thing that is going on. Do I think they could do better, yes there is always room for improvement.
Michael Tracy
My Name is Michael Tracy. I have lived here in Lebanon since June of 2003.
As a former Teacher in the Winfield R4 school district I got a good feel for the inner workings of a school district. My biggest impact for teaching came as the course Manager for the “Transportation of Hazardous goods over European Roadways” where I was responsible for 6 civilian instructors and 6 military instructors. My other duties involved the writing and improving the course for military instruction
I would like to see more attention being paid to the basics. More emphasis on math, reading and writing. Why are we not teaching children to write in Cursive? It’s the simple things that some people say is antiquated, yet it’s the basics that todays kids can’t get right and keeps our world standing where it is in education.
I say that parents are right. We work for the parents and parents should know what’s going on and it’s their right to know what is going on, and why things are happening. If I’m elected I work for them not the Superintendent nor the president of the board.
Nicole Walters
Why are you running?
I have a passion for this community, one that runs deep. I am always putting myself in others’ situations to learn different views of a problem or conflict. My children bring me their problems and always hate it when I play devil’s advocate because they’re forced to see the other side. In the end they make well-informed, mostly right decisions because they consider others and not just themselves. I want to bring this to the table on the Lebanon R-3 School Board. We’ve made tremendous progress this past decade and I want to be part of the community that sets us up for success over the next decade. Our children, staff and community deserve a strong school board who will hear them, see them, and take this journey with them. What do you hope to accomplish as a member of the school board? I strive to be a voice for our students, teachers and parents that they can rely on to ask the hard questions and to vote with them in mind. Making our schools the best with the brightest students being taught by the brightest teachers starts with making well-informed decisions with OUR district in mind. Education is not one size fits all. Some of our students are faced with difficult circumstances making learning difficult for them. I want to make decisions that help those students. Is it ambitious? Probably, but I believe together we can find solutions that help everyone. Being transparent in our processes is crucial to earning the trust of our community. It’s not always “sunny in Lebanon” so making sure we are being honest about the state of our education system in our district is the first step in finding solutions to problems before they become un-fixable.
What are your background and qualifications to serve?
I have lived in Lebanon my entire life. I went to school here, got married here, and I am raising my children here. To serve Lebanon in any capacity has long been part of my personal goals.
When my husband and I opened our business in Downtown Lebanon my passion for this town grew tremendously. I have shared my story of personal hardships when I spoke out against the surtax reduction, and I believe because of my story I bring a different perspective to the table. Hopefully one that gives our community a familiar voice.
Why are you running?
I have a passion for this community, one that runs deep. I am always putting myself in others’ situations to learn different views of a problem or conflict. I want to bring this to the table on the Lebanon R-3 School Board. We’ve made tremendous progress this past decade and I want to be part of the community that sets us up for success over the next decade.
What do you hope to accomplish as a member of the school board?
I strive to be a voice for our students, teachers and parents that they can rely on to ask the hard questions and to vote with them in mind. Making our schools the best with the brightest students being taught by the brightest teachers starts with making well-informed decisions with OUR district in mind. Education is not one size fits all. Some of our students are faced with difficult circumstances making learning difficult for them. I want to make decisions that help those students.
How do you respond to people who are saying the school board is not transparent or
accountable with parents?
Some decisions are made based on information not privy to the public, for good reason.
Unfortunately, this gives the illusion of not being transparent. As a community we must
understand that not all information can be given to the public about every situation. It’s a doubleedged
sword that hurts both sides. Finding where trust has been lost is the first step to regaining
it. As a board member, you are a TRUSTEE of the community in which you are elected. I take
that seriously. Our parents, teachers and students need to trust us, but that can only be done
with full transparency.
Our parents and school district need to work together for our children to be successful. That has
and always will be true. If you look at the last 10 years, this partnership has become less and
less apparent. Some because of the school district, some because of the parents. Covid didn’t
help the situation. So where is the common ground? Our kids. How can we work together to
make the most impact on our kids?
One last thing, We are faced with new societal changes every day. We see new policies every day. It's hard to
keep up with the changing landscapes. Understanding that education is fluid for our central
office, our educators and our students is vital. As a parent, I can barely keep up! I am in awe of
our educators who continue to grow and adapt to their environment! I’m in awe of our central
office who balances what comes from DESE with what is best for our district. I am mostly in awe
and proud of our students who come to school ready to be challenged. These past few years
have been challenging for them, probably the most out of anyone. They are doing their best and
we need to give them credit! All we can do is move forward as parents, as a school board, and
as a community. If I am elected to the school board, I will focus on building bridges between
parents and school administration, addressing your concerns, and working TOGETHER to
overcome any challenges that lay ahead. Go Yellowjackets!!
