Nine seek vacant school board position

Nine seek vacant school board position

By Rob Roberts

rroberts@lsjournal.com

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No one filed to run against Lee’s Summit R-7 school board incumbents Ron Baker and Patti Buie, who were up for re-election in April.

But a field of nine applicants have expressed interest in occupying an empty seat on the board.
The seat was vacated Feb. 1 by Annette Braam, who resigned because her family was moving out of the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District. Following her resignation, the district announced that it would accept letters of interest in the seat through Feb. 27.

The plan is for the school board to appoint Braam’s replacement on April 12. But first, it will narrow the field through questionnaires, which the applicants will have until March 21 to return.

The nine applicants, announced during the March 8 school board meeting, are:

Phyllis Balagna, owner of Steppin’ Out – The Studio. A former high school English and theater teacher, Balagna serves the school district as a member of its Business Roundtable, Citizens’ Advisory Committee and Superintendent’s Quality Focus Team. She also is an advisory board member for the Lee’s Summit Education Foundation and a member of Lee’s Summit CARES.

Stewart Chase, who has 24 years of experience in the health care industry. He has previously served on the Citizens’ Advisory Committee.

Kim Fritchie, who retired as assistant principal at Pleasant Lea Middle School last spring. Fritchie had served in the district since joining R-7 as a teacher in 1981. She also is a member of the Lee’s Summit Education Foundation and the Lee’s Summit Hall of Fame Committee, chairs the Lee’s Summit Beautification Commission and is on the board of Lee’s Summit CARES.

Hilary Johnson Graves, a former kindergarten teacher in the Cass R-IX School District, which honored her with its Teacher of the Year award for 2004-2005. She has also participated in Parents as Teachers and has served as a member of the Lee’s Summit United Methodist church Children’s Daycare and Preschool Board.

Dr. Dale Greer, a Lee’s Summit dentist. A former associate professor of dentistry at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Greer has served on the school district’s Citizens’ Advisory Committee and its subcommittee on curriculum and instruction. He has also been a member of the R-7 Health Advisory Committee and has served as a Lee’s Summit High School debate tournament judge.

J. Travis Lloyd, an information technology manager for Saint Luke’s Health System. Lloyd has been active in issues involving Richardson Elementary and serves on the district’s Citizens’ Advisory Committee.

Randy Smith, an account manager for a wholesale parts distributor representing Ford and General Motors.

Sherri Tucker, co-founder of the Lee’s Summit Autism Support Group. Tucker ran for the R-7 school board in 2008, arguing that the district was not providing adequate services for its special-needs children.

Robert White, retired director of the Summit Technology Academy. White, who retired in 2007, spent more than 30 years with the district. Starting as a language arts teacher, he served as a teacher, coach and assistant principal at both Pleasant Lea Middle School and Lee’s Summit high School and helped R-7 programs including RISK, Summit Ridge Academy and Summit Technology Academy. He currently chairs the Education Key Performance Area for the Lee’s Summit 360 strategic planning initiative and serves on the board for the Lee’s Summit Symphony and Lee’s Summit Educational Foundation.

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