THREE MORE FILE FOR SCHOOL BOARD SEATS

The list of candidates for Cape Girardeau's Board of Education is growing.

Incumbents Steve Wright and Harry Rediger are seeking election to the Cape Girardeau Board of Education. Wright filed for one of three three-year terms on the board. Rediger filed for a one-year term. Also seeking the one year term is Jacqueline N. Sproat.

Incumbent Bob Blank filed earlier for a three-year term. The other seat is held by Dr. C. John Ritter.

Wright was elected to the board three years ago. The other three incumbents were appointed to the board in April by the Cape Girardeau County Commission.

Cape Girardeau voters have an extra seat to fill because of a series of resignations last year. Board members John Campbell, Kathy Swan and Pat Ruopp all quit the board. Campbell and Swan would have faced re-election this spring. Ruopp still had another year on his term.

After the resignations of three board members, Missouri law required the Cape Girardeau County Commission to appoint three members to serve until the April election.

Candidates have until the end of the month to file at the district's central office, 61 N. Clark. When candidates sign up they will specify if they are running for a three-year term or the one-year term.

Board members must be U.S. citizens, at least 24 years old and a Missouri resident and district taxpayer for one year preceding the election. The election will be April 2.

Both Wright and Rediger said their work on the school board isn't over. The new board, in place since April, has worked well together, they both said.

The board is working to hire a new superintendent and awaits a report from the Vision Planning committee to be used in development of a strategic plan.

Wright, with three years experience on the board, is the board's senior member. He is seeking re-election because he thinks the school system is headed in the right direction.

"We need to get the community support again," Wright said. "We need to let them know we do have a good board."

"It has been a tough year, but the way I look at it is that's water under the bridge. The board we have now is a good board and gets a lot of things accomplished."

Wright said ultimately he would like to see Cape Girardeau build a new school, but for now the district must concentrate on developing a strategic plan for the next five years.

Wright works at Mercantile Bank. His wife, Kathy, is a teacher at Cape Girardeau Central High School.

Rediger said, "I think I have consistency and experience and know-how to help my partners through this process. This next year will be very critical."

Rediger, who is manager of JCPenney in Cape Girardeau, said he plans to retire in 1997. He is also active on many other committees and boards in the city. He filed for the one-year term because of his tight time schedule.

Rediger coordinated the Vision Planning Committee's efforts this fall to collect public comments about what direction the school district should head. A report from that committee will be used by the board in developing the strategic plan.

Rediger is married and has four children.

Sproat was among the 31 people who applied for the school board last spring when the Cape Girardeau County Commission picked three new board members.

Sproat, 25, is a manager trainee at McDonald's at the mall and has a 7-year-old son.

"I hope people won't take it the wrong way, but when you look at the board it's a bunch of older, white men in suits, and that is not representative of our population," she said. "Lower-income and middle-income families, single moms are needing help, and their voices are not being heard."

She feels she would be approachable.

When she wasn't selected last April, Sproat wasn't dissuaded. "I knew I could run again this year. I'm still interested."

Sproat filed for the one-year term because she doesn't have much experience. "If they don't like me, they will only have to put up with me for a year."

Her husband, Jay, owns and operates Santa Fe Military Hobbies on Broadway.