Eight candidates are seeking election to two open seats on the Platte County R-3 School District’s board of education.
JACEY DANBURY
Danbury, 42, is from Atchison, Kan. and has two children in the district. She works as a behavior interventionist in the Hickman Mills School District and has worked as a mental health case manager, foster care case manager and in juvenile justice.
“I feel like with my education, experience with schools, and background I am qualified for the position,” Danbury said. “I am very involved with my children’s education and keep up to date with things happening with the district.”
She said she wants to be more involved in decision-making in the district and to help make a difference by acting as a liaison between students, teachers, community and schools. If elected, she said she would be respectful, approachable and engaged with the community.
She feels there is a lack of communication, accountability and transparency in the district in dealing with hot-button issues, such as equity and inclusion and sexual orientation.
“I am also concerned that some educators attempt to push their own political/personal beliefs on the students when it comes to those topics,” she said. “That should be the role of the parent.”
With more and more teachers leaving the field, she said she wants to explore recruitment and retention options, including pay scales.
MIKE MATOUSEK
Matousek, 38, is from Kansas City. Married, he has two young children. Matousek works as director of state legislative affairs for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA).
“Schools are the foundation of our community and there are dozens of issues the school board will have to deal with,” he said, noting the district has about 4,200 students, more than 600 members of staff and a $51 million annual budget to oversee. “We need more people on the board that will put in the time and effort this position requires.”
He said board members need to pay attention and be prepared for board meetings to be able to provide this oversight.
He said the pressing issues facing the district involve the ongoing construction and planning for long-term capital projects, a sizeable debt load, student enrollment growth, the opening of a new elementary and middle school on the south end of the district and more.
“My role would be to focus on better oversight of school district leadership, better use of taxpayer dollars and giving parents a better voice in decisions impacting their kids and the community.
MIKE CLAXTON
Claxton, 40, grew up in Blue Springs but has lived in Platte City for the past decade. He and his wife have two children in the district. Claxton serves on the Platte County Parks and Recreation Board and works in account management.
“As a property owner, taxpayer and most importantly father of district students, I have a deeply vested interest in Platte County R-3 School District providing an excellent education for all students,” he said. “Many parents and teachers have expressed that they don’t feel their voices are being heard by the school board and that some current members of the board are not fully engaged in the oversight of the district. I am committed to listening to every viewpoint and being fully engaged and responsive to all teachers, parents, and community members when they have concerns and comments.”
Claxton said short term issues for the district include developmental and academic deficiencies over the past two years because of the response to COVID. He is also concerned about cost over-runs in the current construction projects. He said the district needs to prepare for rapid growth and work to recruit and retain quality teachers.
RALPH ROGERS
Rogers, 58, is originally from Brisbee, Ariz. and has lived in Platte County for more than 15 years, with two children in high school. He works as a financial controller with experience as a corporate controller and auditor, as well as in other financial management roles. He also holds a master’s degree in business administration.
“I have a variety of experience in finance, accounting and managerial governance activities,” Rogers said. “Additionally, I have served on a regional board for a professional organization in the finance and accounting field. This organization is the IMA which among other things provides continuing education for its members.”
He believes the board needs to be more responsive and transparent with the community. He said his broad base of financial and accounting experience would allow him to help the district through difficult financial times.
Rogers said two issues are dominant in the short and far terms, one being “the lack of credibility with some of the current board,” which would be addressed with “transparency, clarity and communication.” His other concern is the growth in the southern portion of the district, which could be addressed by building a second high school.
SHAWN CHIDDIX
Chiddix, 44, is from Kansas City and has two kids in the district. He has worked as a regulator within the securities industry for over 20 years and said that career gives him a unique perspective.
“Within some of my roles, I’ve had the opportunity to build relationships with and lead some of the most interesting people from all walks of life and culture,” Chiddix said. “While my background isn’t education, I feel like I’m a lifelong learner who seeks understanding of information and concepts. I bring a skill set of analytics, finance, critical thinking, growth-oriented mind set and much more.”
He serves on the district’s community advisory steering committee, through which he has met patrons across the district. Additionally, his wife works as a teacher at Platte City Middle School.
“I’m running to ensure our school board is focused on the long-term success of the district and not just short term political hot topics,” he said. “My children have greatly benefited from this school district since kindergarten, and I want to give back to our community.”
Chiddix said he wants to help the district to continue its work in preparing students to enter society in a variety of roles including through the Northland Career Center or the NCAPS program.
MATT CRAINE
Craine, 40, is originally from St. Peters, Mo. and has a child in the district. He works as a physical therapist in Platte City. He said he and his wife have lived in the district for 10 years and have been paying attention to the school system. Specifically over the past two years, he watched board action and said he wants them to continue to make decisions based on facts, not politics.
“I want our district to be known as a place where families want to live because they know their children will get an education that will prepare them for whatever journey they choose afterwards,” Craine said. “I want our district to be the employer of choice for teachers and staff because they know they are valued and compensated fairly.”
He said teachers need to know they are supported, students need to know they are safe and the district needs to address diversity.
“Diversity in all forms is something to be celebrated,” he said. “If we’re not growing to meet our current environment, our children aren’t being prepared for the real world. We should embrace change, not fear it.”
He says the district needs to keep the public involved in decision making and consistency in policies is essential.
KATHY SCHLIMM
Schlimm, 57, is originally from Alexandria, Va. Her three children attended R-3 schools. She has worked as an Army officer and swimming coach who said she has attended meetings for the past two years.
“I don’t like how the district leadership treated children and parents during COVID,” she said. “Forcing masks and nonsensical quarantining on children for a year and a half was abusive and unnecessary. I’m appalled that the district is indoctrinating our kids with the poisonous and divisive critical race theory.”
Schlimm said the district takes money from outside influencers, which then dictates curriculum such as critical race theory and the COVID masking mandate. She also has concerns about money the district will receive through the new Meta (Facebook) facility recently announced on the Platte/Clay county border.
She said teachers are retiring or leaving due to curriculum changes while class sizes rise and administrative staff numbers grow. She suggests hiring more teachers and cutting administrators. She also questions why parents cannot ask questions at board of education meetings and if parents know about critical race theory and its purpose.
ROBERT SHEPHERD
Shepherd, 47, is from Platte City. Married with three kids, he started work as a consultant in the automotive industry, but has been working in the financial sector for the past 10 years. He currently manages the financials for a real estate investment company and also manages a private wealth fund. This experience gives him an edge, he says, noting he has managed businesses and multi-million-dollar accounts and years of experience working with others in public and private sectors.
“I’m running for this position because I, like many other parents, have become growingly concerned with what I see coming from our school district,” he said, citing concerns about critical race theory.
“We need to educate our kids, not indoctrinate them,” he said. “Also, school officials should never be allowed to make life altering health decisions about our children. Those kinds of decisions are for parents, and only parents, to decide. Finally, there needs to be much more transparency about what is being taught to our kids and parents need to have access to that information.
“I will fight against the indoctrination of our kids at all costs, make sure the Constitutional rights of parents and students are never stepped on again like we saw these past few years, and push for ways to bring transparency to the curriculum.”