Vicky is a wife, mother, life-long farmer, small business owner and a former public school teacher with a passion for life and for serving God and others. She grew up on a farm in Cass County, learned the value of hard work, graduated from Archie High School, then received a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Missouri. She later earned a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Central Missouri.
She taught family and consumer sciences for 11 years in Lebanon and Belton, MO, coaching track for six years while at Belton and serving as co-director of a program for at-risk teens in addition to her regular teaching responsibilities.
As a former teacher who taught in Lebanon and Belton, I care about our students and believe they deserve the best education possible. They are our future. I am committed to a quality education for everyone.
Having been in the classroom for 11 years, I am sympathetic to the struggles that educators across the nation face. Teaching is not an easy task, so I am thankful for the many dedicated professionals across Missouri’s Fourth District who sacrifice daily to educate our precious future generation. They are doing a great job.
Likewise, parents are the first and most important teacher in their child’s life. Parents know what learning experience works for their children. That is why I believe education is best left to local schools and parents rather than the federal government. While federal education initiatives often sound good, the numerous parents, school administrators, and teachers I know overwhelmingly confirm that federally directed initiatives often make it more difficult to teach. The cumbersome paperwork and regulations added by federal directives disrupt teacher/student learning time and harm the delivery of quality content in the classroom.
We do not need to force states into a one size fits all mold. We need to reduce the role of the federal government in education. We must encourage practices that develop independent learners, reward our best teachers, facilitate innovation in education delivery, and do away with policies that hinder their development. Our children deserve it.
To that end, I am encouraged state and local leaders are already driving innovative solutions to improve student achievement and better teacher accountability. I am confident that advancements in education delivery and content will come from local school boards, dedicated parents, and community stakeholders to keep education strong in the Fourth District for years to come.