Foster to pass torch to new school board leader

Mar. 16—David Foster will not run for a leadership role on the St. Joseph Board of Education when the panel reorganizes in April.

The board, which will welcome two new members from a group of nine candidates after the April 4 election, is scheduled to elect new leaders on April 17.

Foster told News-Press NOW he will not resign from the board before his term ends in April 2024, but he wants the group to benefit from a new take on leadership and his professional time commitments have increased. Plus, it's better to quit as leader while you're ahead, he said, referencing several district accomplishments. First and foremost among these is persuading more than two-thirds of voters in August 2022 to back the Proposition READ levy, funding schools at current local tax levels through the decade.

"Out of everything we've been able to do, one of the most significant things to me was the passing of the levy," Foster said. "We've watched staff morale and community engagement improve. I believe more than anything our kids need mentors and role models. Our board has spent much of our time outside the board room and interacting with the community. We all agree this was one of the keys to success."

Jeff Leake, a teacher and coach at Lafayette High School who often contributes to what board members are doing, said a regular change in leadership makes sense. That, he said, is because board members are unpaid volunteers and leadership is a lot of work that nobody should have to do for a long time. It also helps increase the perception that the board is not controlled by one interest and is prepared to serve all, he added.

"From my standpoint, I was very skeptical of the district in the past," he said. "And though we're improving, we still have a long way to go. There's still improvements that can be made. But you know, we're getting better."

Kenneth Reeder, elected alongside Foster in 2021, said it's important to remember that the board holds a vote on the president every year. Given that, as Reeder said, the April 2021 election was a "protest vote" against entrenched leadership, it would be best to have a new president each time. But, he said, Foster deserves praise for what he has been able to do since taking over for Tami Pasley in 2022. LaTonya Williams was elected vice president at the same time, having won a three-year term in 2021 with Reeder and Foster.

"Each of us is still just one vote among seven," Reeder said. "And it's been a miraculous team effort for the last two years I've been on board. And it's primarily because of the two young folks I got elected with, because of their dedication. You know, I'm at the end of my life. What's been so gratifying is that these two young people got elected with me. They've stepped up, and they've really proven themselves."

Leake said the fact that there are nine candidates on the April 4 ballot shows public confidence in the board and the district has improved in the last year. More people wanting to be involved, particularly as volunteers, is always a good sign to him.

"We have more candidates in this election than I think we have had in most elections for a long time," he said. "And we have a lot of good candidates. There is surely somebody running who can relate to each part of the community. Having the amount of candidates that we have gives everybody good representation."

Board members won't say who they intend to vote for as president, as that largely depends on the result of the April 4 election. By convention, however, the two newly elected members likely will not be chosen because the president's role requires familiarity with board procedure. As a result, Kim Miller, having served since 2022, is among those eligible to serve as president or vice president.

"It's tough to replace someone like David Foster, because he has such a passion for the students, for the district, for the staff," she said. "He has done a lot to push the board forward and become more involved in the community. And that's the board's job. So the process, sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's not. It's just about putting that right person in the spot."

Kelly Bristol, the Missouri State Teachers Association regional president and a social worker at Truman Middle School, looks on Foster's leadership fondly.

"MSTA is sad to see him step down," she said. "He has been nothing but a champion for staff, students and families in the SJSD. We wish him well in his new business endeavors and are thankful that he is remaining on the board to continue his efforts with our district."

Aside from his mentorship program, which continues to introduce students at school to potential role models, Foster said he is proudest to leave behind a legacy of engagement with educators like Leake and Bristol and with the public. Public transparency, he said, has also improved, citing how board meeting agendas are always published up to a week or more in advance.

"All our board members are amazing leaders, and it's time to pass the torch for the team to grow," Foster said. "There are seven board members and each has one vote. I'm fully confident that whoever sits in leadership will give it 110% of their effort, and they will have my full support."

Marcus Clem can be reached at marcus.clem@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NPNowClem