Meet Your Ralls County RII School Board Candidates

My name is Jake Moss and I am a candidate for the Ralls County R-II Board of Education. My wife Amber and I live in rural New London with our two children Brayden and Ella. I grew up west of Perry and attended Perry Elementary. I graduated from Mark Twain High School in 1995, and I furthered my education at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville where I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Education. Upon graduating college, I worked in public education for 14 years. From 2001-2006, I served the students of Mark Twain Jr/Sr High School as a physical education and history teacher. While at Mark Twain, I also coached football, basketball, golf and track. During this time, I also earned my Master’s Degree in Secondary Administration from William Woods. I accepted the job as middle school and high school principal at Community R-VI School District from 2006-2009. In 2009, I came back home after being hired as the high school principal at Mark Twain. It was during this time that I continued my education and obtained my Specialists Degree in secondary administration from William Woods. I served Mark Twain as high school principal until 2015 before deciding to leave the field of education. I currently work as an Independent Sales Representative for Pioneer Seed and work on the family row crop and cattle farm. I believe that my experience as a teacher and administrator in the public school system has provided me with a strong background of how the public school system works. I feel this would be an asset to serving on the board. I remain committed to the students, staff and patrons of our school district and would appreciate your vote and the opportunity to serve.

Mark Northcutt I am married to my wife Carla for 21 years and have two children, Elizabeth and Sam, both students at Ralls County Junior/Senior High School. I am a native of Ralls county and plan on being a lifetime resident of Ralls county. I’m employed by Corteva Agri Sciences with the Nutech Seed Brand as District Sales Manager in Eastern Missouri. I have nearly 30 years’ experience in management positions in the agriculture industry. I earned a degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in Agriculture Science. I also am owner of a 200 head cow/calf operation in Ralls county. I would like to be elected for the Ralls County School board to be part of a bright future for our school district and the facilities, teachers, students and staff. I have the passion and work ethic to represent parents and taxpayers with their concerns and ideas to make our school a better place for our students to be a part of. I want to help develop a culture of a rewarding place to teach, learn, and provide a welcoming environment to all in our community. I want to create a better place for our children to get educated and learn the skills they will need for an innovative and positive future. We need to create an environment of higher expectations on all levels from staffing to students. As an owner of land on each end of our county I will represent all of our students and parents across the school district. I was an active part of the long-range planning committee for the improvements to the Ralls County R-ll School District. I’m excited about the no tax increase bond and the tax levy currently on the ballot to see the improvements to our school. I would like to help manage the decisions we make with the taxpayer dollars and be accountable on how we accomplish each of these ballot issues. I will work hard and would appreciate your vote.

My name is Daniel Clark and I am seeking re-election as a board member for the Ralls County RII School District. I have lived 37 years in this district and served the last 9 years on our school board. My wife, Heather and I have lived in Center for the last 24 years. We run a small business, in Center, called Fueling Embers Daycare/Preschool. Our family enjoys spending time together hiking, camping and exploring, while traveling through Missouri. Our children, Kelsey Taylor & Ethan Clark, both reside in Ralls County with their families and are Mark Twain graduates. Each of our children were blessed with sons this year, making us first time grandparents. We have also been blessed with two foster children, Lauren 12 and Jacob 4, who have kept us busy with their everyday activities. Becoming a Foster Parent has been one of the most challenging, yet most rewarding hats, that we've ever tried to wear. Early in our marriage, my wife & I felt called to youth ministry. Together we have worked with many area youth through church youth programs. Why do I want to run for re-election? I want to let the public know that it is not always "a thankless job". To have a successful school district, it is critical to have board members who put the students first. Being a valuable board member also requires staying informed on district issues. I continue to read up on and study laws, through MSBA, that could affect our students, staff and administrators. I am passionate about what happens to your and my children. I am always analyzing and thinking outside the box. I do not have a problem sharing my opinions but I always attempt to do it respectfully, while listening to others. I make decisions prayerfully and based on evidence. I have enjoyed serving on the school board and would love to continue that service. Thank you for your continued support.

My name is Scott Hodges and I am a candidate for the Ralls County R-II Board of Education. I am a lifelong resident of Ralls County and a 1998 graduate of Mark Twain High School. After graduating, I began farming along with my father and brother, and we continue that operation today. My wife Ashley and I have two children, Rachel, who is a 7th grader at Mark Twain Junior High, and Chloe, who is a 4th grader at Ralls County Elementary. My family and I love spending time outdoors, camping, and boating. Our daughters are both active in softball and basketball and I enjoy helping coach those programs. We are also active members of the Center Baptist Church and Ralls County 4-H. I am the vice president, and past president of the Perry Rural Fire Association. I also serve as a member of the Mark Twain Regional Council of Governments Transportation Advisory Committee. Deciding to file for school board was not a decision I took lightly. I spent a lot of time speaking with my wife, family, and friends about this choice. I understand that there are many tough decisions school board members face on a regular basis, and I will take all of them seriously. I understand that our children are the future of this great country and will do what I can to make sure they have every tool and opportunity they need to succeed. I appreciate your support and look forward to representing the students, staff, and voters in the Ralls County R-II School District.

My name is Ron Evans and I am running for re-election to the Ralls Co. School board. My wife, Judy and I both graduated from MTHS as well as our 3 kids. We have 2 grandchildren that have graduated from Mark Twain and have a granddaughter, Autumn, that will be a Junior at Mark Twain, plus a 5-year-old grandson that will start school in the fall. I think the most Important goal of our school district is to be able to motivate our students to a higher level of success than they think is possible. I am talking about the classroom of course, but also all the extra-curricular activities. To do that we must continue to have the best staff possible by having a good working environment with a competitive salary. I would like to take this time to thank all our staff for all they do to make our school successful. This has been a trying year to say the least. On the ballot we will be voting on two issues for our school. The first issue is a no tax increase bond issue to improve security and safety for our students plus other upgrades for the Junior- Senior High buildings. The other issue does require a 20-cent increase to the operating levy for more improvements. There was a committee formed to study the facilities and these improvements were their recommendation, and I did vote to put it on the ballot so the voters of this district can decide. Before anyone votes I would ask them to look at last year's property tax bill and look at the total assessed valuation on your bill. Then divide that number by 100 then multiply by .20. This will be how much your tax bill will be increased. On June 2 while going to the polls I am asking for your vote for the Ralls Co. School board. I will continue to ask plenty of questions and always be looking for better outcomes for each student. I have always put our students first on any decision and I will continue to do so. Thank you for the privilege of serving the district and hope to continue.