January 14, 2023

Submitted by Stacy Cronhardt

Stacy Cronhardt has filed for an open seat on the Lee’s Summit Board of Education.

Cronhardt was born in Saint Charles, MO, and has lived in the Lee’s Summit community since 2003. Cronhardt attended the University of Missouri-Columbia and graduated magna cum laude while earning a bachelor of science in occupational therapy. Cronhardt works as an outpatient occupational therapist at North Kansas City Hospital where she also serves as part of the Diabetes Education Team.

“Our community has faced increasing challenges the past three years. Extremist politics have infiltrated a lot of public education discussion circles, and we’ve lost focus of the true purpose. Every child deserves to have the resources needed to achieve academic success.”

“Look, whether someone is a republican or democrat, conservative or progressive, white, black or brown – these things shouldn’t factor into how our community protects, respects, and values every child.”

Cronhardt supports the debt service levy transfer on the April 4th ballot. The levy transfer designates $5.4 million annually to the school district’s general operating fund without increasing the tax rate. These funds will be used to ensure competitive wages for teachers and other staff. Cronhardt has emphasized the need for these funds to be allocated exclusively to non-administrative district employees outside of central office.

“Some people have suggested ideas that would cause our district to take steps backward. I’m running for school board because I want to help this district stay future-focused. Are we going to embrace the politics of division or see every student as valuable – no matter their background? Will we continue to allow a minority of extremist voices to divide us or be intentional about creating spaces that value our differences and view differences as an asset not a liability? It’s time our community moves forward together.”

Cronhardt is a wife and mother of two children who both attend schools in the Lee’s Summit school district.