School districts across the county elected new members Tuesday - bringing in both returning faces and new blood.
The issues the boards will face range from normal concerns of teacher retention and budgets, to figuring out how to get back to school next year in the uncertain wake of COVID-19.
In New Bloomfield R-3 School District, new members Angie Robinson Sullivan, Josh Woods and Gina Clark have stepped up to join the Board of Education. In North Callaway, voters chose newcomers Tim Safranski, Ann Schmidt and Kendall Pipes.
"I'm very excited to get started and work with the school district through these difficult decisions ahead," Woods said.
For the newcomers, the focus is on learning. Woods said he has his first priorities in mind and is ready research and get to work.
"I'm just looking forward to the first meeting I will attend in June and doing a lot of learning," Sullivan said.
Clark said that as a New Bloomfield alum, she was humbled by the support of the community.
"It means a lot to me," Clark said, expressing her excitement to get started.
In South Callaway R-2 School District, the Board of Education won't change at all - incumbents Janice Howard, Penny Felkner and Stephanie Laney were all re-elected.
"We're going to keep right on truckin'," Howard said.
Howard and Laney said they were excited to work together again. Felkner could not be reached for comment.
"I'm very happy that the other two ladies went back on with me - it's nice to be able to work with people you know, and we've been together since the last election," Howard said. "I'm sure we're all going to face a lot of challenges. We've had an interesting year."
The returning board members will serve for a term of three years.
"Right now, the main thing is just dealing with this COVID-19 and figuring out how we're going to get back to school," Laney said, commending district administration on their work so far.
Due to a tight race, the results for Fulton Public Schools are still murky. While incumbent Emily Omohundro and newcomer Connie Epperson earned enough votes for a board seat, incumbent Todd Gray and newcomer Joe Davis tied for the last remaining spot.
Superintendent Jacque Cowherd said the district is waiting for guidance from the Callaway County Clerk on how to resolve the tie.
"I'm greatly thankful to continue the work I've been able to do with the board and the district these past three years," Omohundro said.
Omohundro is an attorney who represents public schools in Missouri. She has been a board member for three years. Epperson retired last year after 30 plus years as a teacher, coach and administrator in Fulton schools.
"Obviously, I feel very honored and privileged that the citizens of our district felt that I would be a good person to serve on the board," Epperson said.
When discussing next steps, Omohundro mentioned COVID-19 and reopening in the fall, as well as Proposition S. Epperson spoke of teacher retention and recruitment and her hopes of encouraging students to return to the district to teach.
All four candidates supported Proposition S, which will allow the district to borrow $27.5 million - with no increase to the debt service levy - to fund projects including a kindergarten center, additional middle school classrooms and a high school competition gym, as well as technological, electrical and safety improvements.
"I'm really excited that Proposition S passed - that's a huge benefit for our school district," Davis said.
More information on Election Night results can be found in Wednesday's article "School board members elected in Callaway County districts."