January 8, 2022
Heather Eslick—a district parent, US Army veteran, and experienced sales and management professional—has filed to run for an open seat on the Lee’s Summit Board of Education.
“Lee’s Summit offers so many excellent programs for career-readiness to our secondary students, as well as a staff of high-quality, knowledgeable educators at all grade levels. This District’s reputation was a driving reason for our family’s decision to make this community our home 6 years ago. Seeing the turbulence in the community, the dissatisfaction from parents, and hearing the unrest and disappointment from our long-time educators is discouraging and worrisome for the future of LSR7. I want to be part of the solution,” said Eslick.
Eslick believes her strength of character, leadership, and commitment to quality education for all children can be of service to our schools and the community.
Eslick served a 4-year active-duty US Army commitment, after attending college in Lancaster, PA on an Army ROTC scholarship. She says of her time in service, “My year-long deployment to Iraq provided me multiple years-worth of leadership experience. When you serve in a combat environment as a platoon leader at the age of 22, the high stress, extreme levels of responsibility for soldiers’ lives and equipment matures a person faster than any civilian job can in that same timeframe. I look back on my service years with appreciation for the time I was given to learn from some of the most high-caliber individuals I’ve ever met.”
Her experience in management and leadership continued into the civilian sector, with branch and district management in the electrical industry followed by a sales account management role.
Eslick explains, “The transition to civilian management had a steep learning curve. I had to relearn how to talk to people—employees and supervisors. The military was all business, but the civilian sector required a bit more finesse.” Eslick says that she learned rapidly how to win people over with her ability to demonstrate her capabilities through actions. She came into the electrical industry with a history degree and no electrical experience, gaining respect through a willingness for hands-on learning, always being a student, and leading by example. These are skills that translate well into any avenue she wishes to pursue, especially a leadership role on the Board of Education.
Eslick believes that above all, every initiative the district puts forth needs to directly correlate to educational objectives. “We’ve had almost two-years of turbulence in our learning environment, which has resulted in learning loss. Our focus needs to be on classroom and building resources that directly help these students progress to proficiency. We need to remove political agendas from our school buildings and focus on educating students through actionable objectives. We need to listen to our teachers and support them. Additionally, our parents are stakeholders and partners in educating our students, and they deserve a voice.”
Eslick and her husband have been married for 12 years and have two children, ages 8 and 5. He is a Missouri native, from his hometown of Pleasant Hill, a wealth management advisor, and US Army veteran as well. Both are committed as a family to serving the community in providing the best education possible for all Lee’s Summit families.
For additional information, visit www.heatherforlsr7.wordpress.com.
