February 29, 2020

Larry Anderson, a general engineer for the Federal Aviation Administration, is a candidate for the Lee’s Summit R-7 Board of Education. He already possesses the Missouri School Board Association’s second highest certification from the nearly six years he served on Butler, Missouri’s R-5 board of education.

“I am excited to be among the candidates seeking a position on our Lee’s Summit R-7 Board of Education, and I am eager to gain support from friends, the communities our district serves and various organizations that are prominent in the school district footprint,” Anderson said.

“The Lee’s Summit R-7 School District is well-known for its success preparing students for careers and college, now is the time for the school board to succeed as the district welcomes its new superintendent. We must transition away from the “overseer” governance to that of a co-leadership style that the students, teachers and patrons expect. With my leadership experience, we would be able to succeed as a team,” Anderson observed.

Describing his board experience, Anderson indicated that his “previous school board and professional experience sets me apart from the other candidates. During my two terms with the Butler R-5 school district, I served as the president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. I have experience facilitating co-leadership governance. I understand board dynamics. I have developed skills I use to promote excellence from board members. I have dozens of hours of school board training from the Missouri School Board Association (MSBA) that are specialized in school law, board operations, and governance. I am certified as a master board member, and I was selected to serve on the MSBA Leadership and Development Council. I also have experience advocating for public education in both Jefferson City and in Washington, DC. When it comes to school board leadership experience I would automatically exceed the remaining board members and all candidates.”

Anderson also has important professional experience no other candidate has for the growing district as it plans for future growth and development. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, and was certified by the internationally recognized Project Management Institute (PMI) as a Project Management Professional (PMP). He has 27 years of experience as a design engineer. Anderson negotiates project scopes of work, produces cost estimates, writes project construction specifications, develops building designs, and oversees construction for air traffic control facilities. In addition, he is a graduate of the Lee’s Summit Leadership Academy training sponsored by the city of Lee’s Summit.

He and his wife, Karla has been married for nearly 26 years. She is a native Spanish speaker from El Salvador and recently completed her Master’s Degree from the University of Central Missouri. She teaches Spanish for the Lee’s Summit R7 School District. They have two daughters enrolled in the district. After both daughters were born here, the family relocated to be closer to grandparents. In 2017 they returned to Lee’s Summit.

“We are fortunate and pleased to be a part of this exceptional school district, and I would like you to give me the opportunity to serve the community by voting for me on Tuesday, April 7,” Anderson added.