Four candidates are competing for the two board seats in upcoming election

Saturday, April 4, 2015

SIKESTON -- Voters in the Sikeston R-6 School District will choose two of the four Board of Education candidates -- incumbent Chris Hodgkiss and challengers Heather Drury, Jay Elliott and Matthew Tanner-- during Tuesday's general municipal election.

The school board's other seat up for election is currently held by David Jones, who opted not to seek another term.

Heather Drury

A 1992 graduate of Sikeston High School, Drury was born and raised in Sikeston. She has been married to her husband, Fred, for 17 years. They reside in Sikeston with their three children who attend Sikeston Public Schools. Drury has been a substitute teacher for the Sikeston School District for three years and will graduate in May from Southeast Missouri State University with a degree in accounting. She was appointed to serve on the English/Language Arts grades 6-12 work group that will rewrite the education standards for Missouri.

Jay Elliott

Born in Sikeston to Jim and Sharon Elliott and grandson to the late J.R. James who was a Sikeston businessman for many years, Elliott is a third-generation Sikeston graduate of the class of 1991. He and his wife of 18 years, Jennifer, have a daughter, Makala, 9. Elliott has been employed with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway for 17 years and is a lifelong member of Shady Acres Church of Christ. He is a benefactor member of the National Rifle Association and member of the BMWED Local 745 Teamsters, jumping member of the Airborne Heritage Platoon and past member of the World War II Airborne Demonstration Team.

Chris Hodgkiss

Hodgkiss and his wife, Jennifer, have two children, Shelby, 13, who attends Sikeston Junior High, and Lilly Grace, 10, who is a student at Matthews Elementary. A 1993 graduate of Sikeston High School, Hodgkiss is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in recreation. He is the community and program engagement director at the YMCA of Southeast Missouri in Sikeston, and his wife is an English teacher at Sikeston High School. A lifetime resident of Sikeston, he also serves on the Sikeston Public Schools Education Foundation Board of Trustees and for the last six seasons as the radio announcer for Bulldog Sports on KRHW. He is a Red Cross CPR First Aid volunteer instructor and involved in ACT tutoring program at the YMCA and the Bulldog football overnight mentoring weekend.

Matt Tanner

Tanner has been married to his wife, Erin, for 11 years. They have one son, Luke, a 10-year-old who attends Matthews Elementary in Sikeston. His parents, Bill and Judy Tanner, and his sister, Becky Tanner, reside in Sikeston. Tanner's younger brother, Justin Tanner, resides in Southaven, Miss., and he and his siblings graduated from Sikeston High School. Tanner is the president of First State Community Bank and he has worked in the banking industry approximately 20 years. He currently serves on the following boards and committees: First State Community Bank, Habitat for Humanity, Sikeston Regional Chamber, Sikeston Career and Technology Center Business Advisory Council, Sikeston High School Parent Advisory Council and the YMCA Major Donor Campaign Committee.

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