West Plains School Board Questionnaires -- Reid Grigsby

Name: Reid Grigsby

 

Length of time in district:  44 years in West Plains, 8 years in the R-7 District 

 

Connections to the district:  

Me:  Class of 1993

Wife:  Class of 1992

Daughter: Class of 2022.  Freshman at Drury University.

Son: Junior in High School (Class of 2024)

Niece: Freshman in High School (Class of 2026)

Mother: Art teacher in the district for 37 years

 

Brief personal bio:  After graduating from West Plains High School in 1993, I attended Arkansas State University and Graduated with a degree in Psychology in 1997.  My wife and I moved back to West Plains in 1998. I am the current owner of BÜRO in downtown West Plains.  I have been involved in many community groups including Ozarks Healthcare Board of Directors, West Plains Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Industrial Development Corporation of West Plains, Rotary Club, Tourism Board, St. Mary’s Parish Council, and many others.  

 

Why are you running for school board? I am running for school board because I believe that a strong educational system is crucial in the growth and success of our community and its children.  I feel that I can use my experience and talents to not only make an impact, but to also “give back” to the community and school district that has been so good to me and my family over the past several decades.

 

Do you have an existing relationship with any members of the school board or administration?  I have developed a working relationship with all of the board members, and the inevitable friendship that forms when a group of people work hard for something they strongly believe in.

 

How can the district improve school safety?  By continuously improving and modifying our safety protocols and limiting the vulnerabilities on our campus.  This is an issue that is continuously on our radar and is discussed at every board meeting as a separate agenda item.  

 

Are you familiar with Missouri’s Sunshine Law?  Yes

 

What is the most important improvement the district can make to academic performance? Investing in early childhood education.  We have recently doubled the size of enrollment in our pre-school, but the need is far greater than what we can currently provide due to space limitations.

 

Should parents/guardians or community stakeholders be concerned about CRT-influenced curricula in West Plains now or in the future?  No

 

In terms of resource allocation, please rank the following topics from most important to least important: 

1-Teacher pay

2-Teacher job satisfaction

6-Athletics

3-Existing academic programs

5-New academic programs

4-School grounds/facilities/maintenance

 

Does introducing a school uniform to R-VII school make sense for the district? No 

 

Why or why not?  It would be an added expense for our patrons.

 

What does R-VII do better than anybody else?  West Plains R-7 offers the greatest variety of educational paths/programs, opportunities for involvement, and extracurricular programs of any school in the area.

If school choice becomes law, how will you compete for students to choose this district?  Due to the unique structure of school districts in West Plains, we have been competing for students for many years.  We will continue to strive for excellence and highlight the programs and extra-curriculars that we feel are appealing to many students.

For incumbents: What are you most proud of during your time on the school board?  There are many things that I am proud of such as the NEAT Program (Accelerated LPN Training), The Lineman program at South Central Career Center, Improved Safety Measures, Increased enrollment in Pre-K, Partnering with OZH to provide on campus Mental Health Care for our students and staff, Improved communication with our K-8 Partners, Increased involvement in the J.A.G. program, I could go on and on….  

 

What I am most proud of are our teachers and staff.  The past few years have been a very challenging time in the world of education.  We are constantly challenging them as a district, and they respond with hard work, passion, and a “can-do” attitude.  Our teachers and staff members are an amazing group of people that impress and inspire me every single day.