Local school board races begin to form as filing is under way

SIKESTON -- Candidate filing for local school board positions began early this week with some races already taking shape.

Filing for the April 3, 2018, election began at 8 a.m. Tuesday and will end at 5 p.m. Jan. 16, 2018.

In the Sikeston R-6 School District, board members' whose three-year terms will expire in April are Matt Tanner and Heather Drury. As of early Thursday, Tanner and Glen Cantrell had filed for candidacy.

Scott County Central Board of Education seats held by Dee Cookson and Clay Graviett will be up for grabs in the April election. As of Thursday, both Cookson and Graviett had filed for candidacy.

Terms held by David Collier and Michael Bolen on the Scott County R-4 "Kelly" School Board will expire in April. As of Thursday, filing for the positions so far were Collier and Gail Riley.

In the New Madrid County R-1 School District, three-year terms held by Ralph Barnwell Jr. and Demetrius Moore will end in April. Filing as of Thursday were Barnwell and Moore.

The East Prairie R-2 Board of Education's two members whose three-year terms expire are Steve Ellis and Eric McGruder. Filing for the two positions so far were Dana Ellis and Andrew Ambrose.

Two positions will be available on the Charleston R-1 School Board in April. Positions held by Hamil Corse and Brent Peters, who recently resigned from the board, will be available in April.

Since the third year of Peters' three-year term ends in April, the Charleston school board will appoint someone to fill his position until the April election. As of Thursday, Corse was the only candidate to file so far.

Portageville School Board members Ronnie G. Adams and Ronnie K. Adams have three-year terms that will end in April. As of Thursday, both had filed for candidacy.

As of Thursday morning, no one had filed for seats on the Oran R-3 Board of Education. Board members whose three-year terms end in April are Carla Graviett and Patrick Young.

According to the Missouri School Boards' Association, there are relatively few qualifications to run for the local school board in most school districts in the state.

A candidate must be a citizen of the United States, a resident taxpayer of the district, a resident of Missouri within one year and at least 24 years old.

Successfully elected board members are also required to complete 16 hours of orientation and training within one year of their election, according to MSBA.

Individuals who live in the Sikeston R-6 district and wanting to file for candidacy can do so during regular business hours at the office of board secretary Bryan Nickell, 219 S. Kingshighway, in Sikeston.

With the exception Sikeston R-6 residents, individuals should file for candidacy at the superintendent's office. District offices are closed during the Christmas and New Year's break as well as Jan. 15, 2018, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Holiday breaks began at noon today for the Charleston R-1, New Madrid County R-1 and Oran R-3 school districts. Scott County Central, Kelly, East Prairie R-2 and Portageville districts will dismiss for their breaks at noon Dec. 20.

Charleston R-1 and New Madrid County R-1 will reopen Jan. 2, 2018. Oran, Portageville and Kelly will return Jan. 3, 2018, while Scott Central and East Prairie will resume Jan. 4, 2018.

Filing closes for all school districts at 5 p.m. Jan. 16, 2018.