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Election results: Here’s who won a spot on Kansas City-area school boards in April 2022

A woman places a ballot into a voting machine that sits inside an "I Voted" wrap-around box.
File Photo
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KCUR 89.3
A voter places a ballot into a machine during the Oct. 13, 2020 election in Kansas City.

This year's school board elections were met with heightened interest after district leaders faced debates over COVID precautions, teaching race in schools and books in school libraries.

School board elections were once low-profile affairs, but they’re in the spotlight this year, as district leaders face fierce debates over COVID-19 precautions, teaching race in schools and books in school libraries.

Voters considered these issues as they chose new school board members on Tuesday in some of the largest districts in the Kansas City area.

Eight candidates ran for two seats on the Park Hill school board after two incumbents did not seek reelection. Recently, the district has faced debates over COVID protocols and how to handle racist incidents.

Shereka Barnes and Daryl Terwilleger won the two spots on the board, both calling for more diversity and communication from district leaders.

Meanwhile, Liberty voters elected Daniel Currence and education law attorney Karen Rogers to their school board. On his campaign site, Currence calls for a return to "traditional values" and "right to a parental voice."

Duane Bartsch and Josiah Bechthold, who campaigned in North Kansas City on removing "age-inappropriate material" from school libraries, lost their elections.

In Independence, Anthony Mondaine was elected as the first Black person to serve on its school board.

Board members in most school districts serve three-year terms, while members in the Independence School District serve six-year terms. Voters chose two candidates for each race.

Below are the unofficial results for the Apr. 5 school board elections in Liberty, Lee’s Summit, Independence, North Kansas City, Raytown, Blue Springs, Hickman Mills and Park Hill school districts.

Jackson County

Lee’s Summit School District

  • Larry Anderson

Votes: 4,023

Percent: 16.35%

  • Anne Geanes

Votes: 753

Percent: 3.06%

  • Melissa Kelly Foxhoven

Votes: 2,672

Percent: 10.86%

  • Mike Allen (Incumbent)

Votes: 3,078

Percent: 12.51%

  • Joseph A. Yacaginsky

Votes: 406

Percent: 1.65%

  • Heather Eslick

Votes: 6,202

Percent: 25.21%

  • Jennifer Foley

Votes: 6,473

Percent: 26.31%

  • William Lindsey

Votes: 904

Percent: 3.67%

Independence School District:

  • Jill Esry (Incumbent) 

Votes: 4,462

Percent: 30.70%

  • Greg Gilliam

Votes: 2,639

Percent: 18.16%

  • Anthony Mondaine

Votes: 3,398

Percent: 23.38%

  • Jason Vollmecke

Votes: 2,081

Percent: 14.32%

  • Matt Mallinson (Incumbent) 

Votes: 1,886

Percent: 12.98%

Blue Springs School District:

  • Rhonda Gilstrap (Incumbent)

Votes: 4,066

Percent: 36.29%

  • Bobby Hawk (Incumbent)

Votes: 3,216

Percent: 28.71%

  • Nick Bleess

Votes: 2,133

Percent: 19.04%

  • William (Will) Hecht

Votes: 1,715

Percent: 15.31%

Raytown School District:

  • Edith Marsalis

Votes: 349

Percent: 8.62%

  • Bobbie Saulsberry (Incumbent)

Votes: 1,046

Percent: 25.84%

  • Michael Watson

Votes: 724

Percent: 17.89%

  • Natalie Johnson-Berry (Incumbent) 

Votes: 1,468

Percent: 36.26%

  • Alexis Christopher

Votes: 461

Percent: 11.34%

Hickman Mills School District

  • Terri T. Barr-Moore

Votes: 882

Percent: 28.21%

  • Beth Ann Boerger

Votes: 750

Percent: 23.98%

  • Cecil E. Wattree (Incumbent)

Votes: 745

Percent: 23.82%

  • John Charles Carmichael

Votes: 732

Percent: 23.41%

Clay County:

North Kansas City Schools

  • Terry Ward (Incumbent) 

Votes: 4,218

Percent: 22.05%

  • Josiah Bechthold

Votes: 2,112

Percent: 11.04%

  • Laura Wagner

Votes: 2,576

Percent: 13.47%

  • Duane Bartsch

Votes: 2,277

Percent: 11.90%

  • Andrew Corrao

Votes: 322

Percent: 1.68%

  • Daniel Wartick

Votes: 4,254

Percent: 22.24%

  • Susan Hines

Votes: 1,280

Percent: 6.69%

  • Frances Yang (Incumbent) 

Votes: 2,090

Percent: 10.93%

Question NO. 1

The district asked voters to approve a $140 million general obligation bond issue to build and renovate school facilities and acquire school buses. The bond issue is not expected to increase the district’s current debt-service tax levy.

Yes: 78.59%

No: 21.41%

Question NO. 2

The district also asked voters to permit the school board to raise the cap of its operating property tax levy. The move is not expected to increase the district’s total tax levy.

Yes: 71.31%

No: 28.69%

Liberty Public Schools

  • Karen Rogers

Votes: 3,794

Percent: 25.96%

  • Matthew Sameck

Votes: 3,451

Percent: 23.61%

  • Daniel W. Currence

Votes: 3,725

Percent: 25.49%

  • Kyle Christopher Bryant

Votes: 3,481

Percent: 23.82%

  • James (Jim) Bates, (According to Ballotpedia and his campaign Facebook page, Bates unofficially withdrew from the race but still appeared on the ballot.)

Votes: 107

Percent: 0.73%

  • Johnathan (Jon) Rhoad (According to Ballotpedia, Rhoad unofficially withdrew from the race but still appeared on the ballot.)

Votes: 57

Percent: 0.39%

Platte County

Park Hill School District

  • Cory Terrell

Votes: 2,714

Percent: 16.35%

  • Tammy M. Thompson

Votes: 2,811

Percent: 16.93%

  • Daryl Terwilleger 

Votes: 3,906

Percent: 23.53%

  • Jason Richard Keck

Votes: 1,615

Percent: 9.73%

  • Shereka Denice Barnes

Votes: 3,657

Percent: 22.03%

  • Jeff Runyan

Votes: 943

Percent: 5.68%

  • Christopher Robyn LaCour

Votes: 110

Percent: 0.66%

  • Diona “Kelli” Johnson

Votes: 847

Percent: 5.10%

Proposition I

The district asked voters to approve a $137 million general obligation bond to build and renovate school facilities, including a new elementary school. The bond is not expected to increase the district’s current debt-service tax levy.

Yes: 74.01%

No: 25.99%

Proposition N

The district asked voters to permit the school board to raise the cap of its operating property tax levy. The move is not expected to increase the district’s total tax levy.

Yes: 65.83%

No: 34.17%

More than ever, education lies at the intersection of equity, housing, funding, and other diverse issues facing Kansas City’s students, families and teachers. As KCUR’s education reporter, I’ll break down the policies driving these issues in schools and report what’s happening in our region's classrooms. You can reach me at jodifortino@kcur.org.
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