Parkville resident Brandy Woodley became the first African-American to be elected to the Park Hill School District’s board of education on Tuesday, April 6.
Brandy Woodley
Woodley and incumbent board member Kimberlee Ried won election to the board. Woodley received 2,215 votes; Ried received 2,314 votes; incumbent board member Kyla Yamada received 2,081 votes; Tammy Thompson, 1,889 votes; Alberto Rivera, 726 votes; Jay Blumenthal, 682 votes.
Woodley’s experience in education includes: adjunct instructor, substitute teacher, educational assistant and long-term special education substitute teacher. She took these positions to have a job that was flexible with her Army family’s lifestyle.
During her campaign, Woodley told the Citizen she could competently do the work, because she met the required hiring criteria and had worked in corporate America. Her career has allowed her to work in different organizational cultures and with diverse groups of coworkers. However, she said the field of education was indeed a harder one to work in than expected, at least emotionally.
Her hope now is to help students and families by being a member of the school board.
“I want to learn from each board member and work within our constructs to bring a fresh perspective on decisions, and help our community to see the PHSD Board as an agent working for every student to be well-prepared, successful and to feel a true sense of belonging,” Woodley said.
Woodley says there are also many children in the community that are barely making it through, accomplishing just enough to obtain a diploma but unable to say they are truly prepared to go on to college or enter the career field.
“In this great district, our vision promises that we are building successful futures for each student, every day,” Woodley said. “I am sure that all who believe in this vision find it as unacceptable as I do that we have yet to fulfill that promise to each student and their families. A school district is a community, and there is no true success in a community for someone who feels they do not belong. If a student, a teacher, or a family does not feel that they are a valued, accepted, integral part of a school community, they will not share in the joy of the successes reserved for those who belong. Students in the margins don’t gain the confidence and emotional stability required to thrive, and the schools miss out on graduating a scholar who could have blossomed and been greater, a missed mark of excellence for the district.”
KIMBERLEE RIED
Ried has served on the Park Hill board since 2017 and said she is running again because she is a big believer in public education. She believes that public education, public health and public safety are critical tenets in safeguarding a successful and productive society.
“For me, it’s about ensuring our community has strong advocates around education for all,” Ried said. “Every student matters and should have equitable access to the same quality teaching and learning.”
Her service as a board member on non-profits include the Black Archives of Mid-America; Historic Kansas City Foundation; the Junior League of Kansas City and the Kansas City Ballet Guild.
“I bring significant nonprofit experience, including financial acumen and governance knowledge, to the Park Hill School District, which I believe adds value at the board table,” Ried said.
She and her husband have a son who attends Park Hill South and she believes his time at the school has been very worthwhile