Despite losing a longtime incumbent, the Scott City School Board is seeing some familiar faces.

In the largest school board race in the area, seven people have filed for the board. Board president Debbi Miller will step down after 14 years on the board, including 11 as board president. Two candidates will be elected to three-year terms Tuesday.

Some candidates are lobbying for change, while others what to help steer the district through tough economic times.

One of the candidates, Lisa Schaefer, served on the board from 2004 to 2007. Her re-election bids in 2007 and 2008 were unsuccessful. During her tenure the board hired a middle school principal, she said.

"I thought that I helped out pretty well with the decisions we had to make," she said. "I just would like to be involved in that again."

After being away from board business for three years, she said she could not provide specifics on areas of improvement for the district.

"I try to go in with an open mind," she said.

She is a secretary and customer service manager for the Rapco Horizon Co. Her children graduated from the district. Schaefer also served on the Scott City Park Board for eight years and is a member of the booster club, she said.

Gary Haynes and Karen Pobst also ran last year but lost their bids to current board members Gary Miller and Keith Simpson.

Haynes is one of several board members lobbying for change in the district. Originally from Colorado and a former business owner, he said he wants to bring a new perspective to the board.

"There's definitely a need for change out there in the school," he said. He said academic progress has gone backward. The district needs to build relationships between teachers and administration.

"As with any company, the only place to start is from the top," said Haynes, who is also president of the booster club.

Haynes, a self-employed financial manager, has three children who attend school in the district.

Like many other candidates, Pobst said the community should be more involved in the school system.

"I just think that they need not necessarily new members but people to step up and give their opinion on different things," she said.

She is a supply technician at Saint Francis Medical Center and has three children attending the district.

E.D. "Nub" Boswell, a retired railroad engineer, said the district needs to focus on curriculum and discipline.

"I still think it starts with the superintendent, principals, etc.," he said. "They have to do a little more cracking down."

Boswell has seven grandchildren attending the school district and said he advocates more family involvement to curb discipline problems. He said the district also needs to work on boosting Missouri Assessment Program scores. The district is in improvement level two for not meeting annual proficiency targets for three straight years.

Bobby Bollinger II and incumbent David Gene Thompson said they want to continue the momentum of the district.

Thompson was elected to the board in 2007. Since then, he said there have been improvements to the school facilities and curriculum. The district hired a curriculum coordinator this year to align lessons, he said. Once the work is finished, all students in a grade level will learn the same content at the same speed.

"I want to continue with the improvement with the curriculum," said Thompson, a retired railroad engineer.

The district improved facilities by putting a new roof on part of the building and remodeling the kitchen, he said.

Bollinger, who owns a bail bond business, said his management background will be an asset to the district, especially in a tough economy.

"I think Scott City is one of the better schools in the area, but like all schools they're facing some tough decisions," Bollinger said.

Bollinger, who has two children and a stepchild in the district, said he wants to be more involved. He said the district offers many options for students in academics and sports.

"The teachers and the administration are very willing to work with you and let you be a part of your child's education," he said.

The seventh candidate, Keefer Daniels, did not return calls for comment.

abusch@semissourian.com

388-3627

Pertinent address:

3000 Main St., Scott City, MO