Candidate Profile: Jan Reding

     Valley News will feature a candidate for City or Grain Valley School board in the weeks leading up to the April election. Information is provided by the candidates and edited for space and clarity. This week, we profile Jan Reding, a candidate for Grain Valley School Board.
 
     Jan Reding is serving her twentieth year on the board. Reding has one son who is a 1990 graduate of Grain Valley High School and has three granddaughters. Reding received a BS in Business Administration from Central Missouri State University (now University of Central Missouri) and served as building manager of the Power & Light Building in Kansas City from 1961 until her retirement in 1998. Reding holds a master’s certification from the Missouri School Boards Association.
     Reding serves on the Grain Valley Education Foundation Board, the University of Central Missouri Foundation Board, the Grain Valley Assistance Council, FOCUS for Grain Valley, United Methodist Women of Faith UMC, and the Grain Valley Historical Society.
 
What qualities should a board member possess?
     Board members should never bring an agenda to the board table. They must be ready to represent every student, not just a selected few. They must be open minded, respectful, and willing to participate in active and aggressive discussions on all subjects.  They must always be mindful that their actions and decisions should be based on “what’s good for all kids.” They must be responsible and trustworthy citizens willing to give whatever time is necessary to perform their duties as board members.
   
Why are you running for reelection?
Education has always been a major part of my life.  While my son was in school, I was active in the school district, being part of the Citizen’s Advisory Committee, and the Counselor’s Advisory Committee as well as the Scholarship Committee.  I initiated the volunteer program in the school district as the district’s first volunteer coordinator. I  continued my contact with Central Missouri State by being a director of the University Foundation serving as Vice President and am now a director emeritus of that foundation. I also am a director on the Grain Valley Education Foundation Board.
 

What do you feel is the most important responsibility of the school board?
To effectively educate every student every day.  To provide the resources and facilities to attain and maintain the highest level of student achievement for every student is our most important responsibility.  To achieve this goal, we believe we have the finest administrative staff as well as our certified and non-certified professional staff in the state of Missouri. 

What do you feel are the leadership responsibilities of school board members?
School board members must exhibit respect, integrity, loyalty and accountability at all times. School boards that are composed of individuals who communicate well, who bring expertise from their respective fields of endeavor to the Board, and who show leadership in community involvement and activities add a great strength to the district as a whole. 
 
 

---