Election Day is just around the corner and all the three of the local school districts will be selecting people to serve on the various boards.
In last week's issue of the Benton County Enterprise, county reporter Dianne Peck dove into the race taking place in Cole Camp. But this week, we take a look at candidates vying for positions on the Warsaw and Lincoln school board's.
Charlotte Beck is currently a member of the Warsaw R-9 Board of Education and is running for re-election.
Beck is a 1996 graduate of Warsaw High School where she lettered in four sports: volleyball, basketball, softball and track. She played on the WHS girls’ basketball team that placed second in the Missouri State Basketball Championship in 1994. Beck was also an All-State girls basketball team member as well as salutatorian of her graduating class.
Beck went on to play basketball and volleyball at William Jewell College. She has a bachelor’s of science in mathematics and data processing.
Since graduating from William Jewell, she has worked at Empower in Overland Park, Kansas, although it has changed hands a couple of times (previously American Century Investments and then J.P. Morgan Chase).
Beck is the mother of two girls Kenyan, an eighth grader, and Pailyn, a seventh grader at John Boise Middle School.
Since returning to the Warsaw area, Beck has coached basketball, volleyball and track for the R-9 District.
Beck’s reason for running for the Warsaw Board of Education is to help the district reach its full potential.
“I want to give back to the school district that I grew up in,” said Beck. “The board needs to understand the struggles of the district and set policies accordingly and support the administration and staff of the district.”
As a current Board member, Beck wants to see the construction projects at the middle school and high school completed.
Marsha Bergman is also running for a position on the Warsaw R-IX School Board. Bergman has lived in Warsaw for 4 years. She and her husband Mike owned a lake house in the area and when COVID hit, they decided move from the Kansas City area and live in Warsaw full time.
Bergman is a mortgage loan processor and since she and her husband own two businesses in the area, she decided she wanted to become more involved in the community.
“Literacy is my passion and I want to make sure all Warsaw students can read and write when they graduate,” said Bergman.
LaMonte Yoder is running for re-election for a seat on the Warsaw R-9 Board of Education.
Yoder, a 1980 graduate of Warsaw High School, operates his own trucking company.
“I bought my first truck when I was 19 and I built my own business,” said Yoder. “I had to learn about long term goals and wants and needs. I think this is something I can bring to the Board.”
Yoder and his wife of over 30 years, Rachelle, have three children. Austin, a 2015 graduate of WHS, who works for his father as a truck driver. Dr. Ashlyn Yoder, a 2017 graduate of WHS, is an occupational therapist at Bothwell Hospital in Sedalia and Lerran, a 2020 graduate of WHS and Linn Technical College, works as the assistant transportation director for the Warsaw R-9 School District.
“I have the unique opportunity to see how students have a variety of career choices and the school district has the obligation to prepare students for work, further study at a university or training at a technical school,” said Yoder.
Yoder is running for a position on the school board because he wants to give back to the community and school which has done so much for his family.
“My parents (Dean and Velma Yoder) moved to the Warsaw area in 1962 just before I was born and this has always been home to me,” said Yoder. “My wife and I chose to raise our family here and now I have time to give back.”
Yoder’s wife Rachelle has been a teacher with the R-9 District for over 20 years and is currently teaching at South School.
“I want the best possible education for our students,” said Yoder, “and of course that means attracting qualified teachers to our district.”
Yoder is running for re-election to help the district finish the building projects that are being funded by a recent bond issue passed by the community.
“I am looking forward to seeing progress on the middle school addition as well as the high school room additions,” said Yoder.
Yoder commented that he believed one of his goals would be to create stability for the administration and staff.
“As a Board member, I want to help our district hire qualified teachers and keep them here,” said Yoder. “Our present Board members are all dedicated to the same goal of helping all our students prepare for their futures.”
The Lincoln R-2 District has four candidates running for two positions on the Board of Education.
Derek Casey, a 2013 graduate of Lincoln High School, is running for the first time for a position on the Board.
“I am running because I am concerned about the safety of all our students, faculty and staff,” said Casey. “I want to ensure a good fair teacher wage as well as providing for the influx of students with disabilities in our district.”
Casey is the branch manager of Crescent Parts and Equipment in Sedalia. He is the father of two Briar, a preschooler and Bellemy, a third grader.
“We lived in Sedalia for a short while, but when my children were ready for school, I wanted them in a small good school so we moved back to Lincoln,” said Casey.
Casey served four and a half years in the United States Marine Corps and is an active member of the Warsaw Leathernecks. He also volunteers as a softball and volleyball coach.
Matt Rutherford moved to Lincoln in 2002 and has served on the Lincoln R-2 Board for four years.
“I felt like it was my civic duty to do what I could to benefit our school and community,” said Rutherford. “I want to be involved in the education of my children.”
Rutherford moved to Lincoln to work for McAllister Construction and likes the small-town atmosphere.
“I have enjoyed my time on the Board and I would like to continue to serve in any way I can,” said Rutherford.
Rutherford is the father of two Lincoln students, Grayson, a freshman at LHS and Cade, a junior.
Brandon Siercks, a 2003 graduate of LHS, was literally born and raised in the Lincoln R-2 School District and is running for the first time for a position on the School Board.
Siercks is running for the Board because of his deep commitment to the school and community.
“Academic success is very close to my heart since the Lincoln School is the reason that I have been able to succeed in my career,” said Siercks.
After graduating as the Class Salutatorian in ’03, Siercks studied marketing at Missouri State University in Springfield where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing. He currently works as a food service consultant for Ben E. Keith food distributor.
Siercks is the father of a Lincoln fifth graders, Kennedi.
“I am very proud to call Lincoln home and I am glad that my daughter is receiving the same quality education that I did at Lincoln,” said Siercks. “I want to give back to the community that gave so much to me. I want to advocate for academic achievements as well as extracurricular activities.”
Cliff Yearout, a ’97 graduate of LHS, is currently serving as the president of the Lincoln R-2 Board of Education. He has spent nine years on the board and wants to continue to keep the school at its present excellent standard.
“I am proud of our new facilities made possible by our bond issue,” said Yearout. “The greenhouse as well as the classrooms and gym are great additions to our school.
Yearout is the father of two Lincoln students, Raylin, a sixth graders and Adaline, a second grader.
The county election will be April 8.
