Father of two, Travis Smith runs for school board to improve district decisions
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV)-- Travis Smith, who’s running for a seat on the St. Joseph School Board, grew up in the area and graduated from Lafayette High School before earning a degree in manufacturing engineering from Missouri Western State University.
Smith said he cares deeply about the St. Joseph community and wants to be involved in the district's positive decisions for students, teachers and staff.
As a father of two children who are directly affected by the district’s consolidation plan, Smith said it played a big role in his decision to run for the board.
He believes the situation could have been handled better and wants to help improve how those decisions are made.
“I hope I get on the board to be able to use my abilities to help and work with the administration, other board members and the community and provide the best education opportunities for the kids,” Smith said.
Smith said voters should support him because he’s hardworking, dedicated and wants to represent the community’s voice.
He added that he’s always willing to talk with residents about issues in the district.
"As far as financial stability is concerned, I think we really need to rely on Dr. Hedgecorth. He is a great asset that we have gotten and we are very thankful to have him on board with the school administration,” Smith said.
Smith also said transparency within the district’s administration should be a top priority.
Another major concern, he said, is retaining quality teachers. With the uncertainty surrounding district changes, Smith said many teachers are worried about their jobs.
"It's going to be tough; it will be hard. It's a mission that everybody on the board and the administration is going to work hard, and the community to ensure they appreciate what the teachers do,” Smith said.
Smith wants to be more involved in the community and spend time visiting schools alongside teachers, because that’s where he believes real progress starts.
He also said he would like to see more chances for members of the public to speak after board meetings, especially about issues that directly affect them.
"It seems like they are very limited and I don’t think that’s a very good way to have clear communication or transparency with the community if you’re limiting down the opportunities to talk to you,” Smith added.
Smith sees himself as someone who represents the community and is on the same mission as any parent — making sure every child can succeed in public schools.
He said he has always had a strong relationship with teachers, staff and other faculty members and those connections only grew stronger as he got older, helping shape him into the person he is today.
