We had a chance to interview Mr. Chris Barnes, a member of the USD 481 School Board. January is School Board Appreciation Month. We want to celebrate these important people.
Mr. Barnes is a relatively new member of the school board, he filled an At-Large position in September 2023, and was officially sworn in for his first full term at the meeting in January of this year. Mr. Barnes is still learning the “ins and outs” of everything, and has done training in order to best help the district grow.
What does the school board do? The school board is a governing body in charge of the financial success and viability of the school district. They approve and keep track of budgets, adopt policies to be followed by students and faculty, attempt to grow and create better facilities and availability for the students and teachers, as well as many other behind the scenes operations of a school district. Negotiation of teachers contracts is also a large part of our duty to the school district. The School Board operates as a system of checks and balances for the schools.
Why did Mr. Barnes want to serve on the school board? He was asked by a current member if he had any interest. Mr. Barnes tells us that he was nervous to take the position. Since he has been on the School Board, he saw that he made the right choice, because - more than anything - he wanted to be able to keep the schools growing and viable so that his daughters can continue through and graduate from our great schools. Mr. Barnes truly believes in the quality of learning, as well as the faculty we have in place, and wanted to make sure that they kept our schools open and around for a long time.
What is Mr. Barnes’ background? Mr. Barnes had a retail job for a while, with a couple of brief stints in construction and landscaping. He grew up in a business where numbers are important. The school board runs school much like Mr. Barnes runs a business. Mr. Barnes graduated from Herington High School and then went to Pittsburg State University to get his Bachelor’s Degree. He majored in Public Relations and Advertising. Mr. Barnes also had a minor in Business Management. Mr. Barnes has an extensive working background in budgeting, so he feels that he is able to help with a vision for the district.
A recent school board decision that was beneficial to the students would be approving the use of school vehicles for the upcoming Senior Trip for both White City and Hope students. The seniors will be traveling to Branson, so with the school approving the use of school vehicles, it will guarantee a safe trip for the students.
We sincerely thank Mr. Barnes for his time.