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Grain Valley Schools

Every Student. Every Day.

Board of Education

Grain Valley Schools Board of Education

Grain Valley School Board members in caps and gowns pose for a photo at a commencement ceremony.

Dear families, prospective families, and community members,

It is with great pleasure that we, the Board of Education for Grain Valley Schools, welcome you to our school district.

Grain Valley Schools has a long tradition of excellence in student achievement, governance, fiscal operations, and engagement with the communities we serve. Grain Valley has also been one of the fastest-growing districts in Missouri over the past 30 years. Even as we grow, student achievement continues to improve. We pride ourselves on preparing our students for their adult lives by providing the attention of a small-town school while continually expanding the list of academic and extra-curricular opportunities typically offered by much larger school districts.

Our motto, “Every Student. Every Day” reminds everyone involved why we are here. It helps our team remain focused on our vision; to be the best model of student success, whose graduates are prepared to excel in a complex world. To achieve this, we are committed to providing a learning environment that is safe, collaborative, and inclusive.

We encourage you to get involved at your child’s school and with our district, to help us be the best environment for your child we can be.

Contact the School Board of Education

 

Our school board is dedicated to fostering an environment where every student can achieve academic excellence and personal growth in a safe and supportive setting.

As elected representatives of our community, we are committed to making informed decisions that shape the future of our schools. Our responsibilities include:

  • Policy Development: Crafting and implementing policies that promote high educational standards and equity.
  • Budget Oversight: Ensuring that financial resources are allocated efficiently and effectively to support student learning and well-being.
  • Superintendent Supervision: Collaborating with and providing oversight for the Superintendent to ensure the district's strategic goals are met.
  • Curriculum and Instruction: Evaluating and approving curricula that meet the diverse needs of our students and prepare them for future success.
  • Facilities Management: Overseeing the maintenance and improvement of school facilities to provide a safe and conducive learning environment.
  • Community Engagement: Encouraging active participation from parents, students, teachers, and community members to foster a collaborative educational community.

Our mission is to support every student in reaching their full potential by prioritizing safety, equity, and excellence in all our decisions. We invite you to explore our initiatives, participate in our meetings, and join us in our dedication to student success and safety.

Every student. Every day.

School Board Meetings and Workshops

 

Live Streaming 

 

We provide a live stream of each regular Board of Education meeting as a service to our community. While we strive to ensure access, technical issues may occasionally prevent the live stream from functioning properly. If you experience any difficulty viewing a live meeting, please email us. We will be happy to provide meeting minutes as an alternative. 

 

School Board Livestream Broadcast

 

If you have any questions regarding board meetings, workshops, agendas, or minutes, please email April Claphan.

 

Leadership Center

 

 

Meeting Schedule

Regular meetings are held at the Leadership Center, located at 101 NW Sni-A-Bar Parkway in Grain Valley, MO, and begin at 6:00 PM unless otherwise noted.

Dates subject to change at the discretion of the Board.

  • Meeting - Thursday, July 17, 2025 *
  • Workshop - Thursday, August 7, 2025
  • Meeting - Thursday, August 21, 2025 *
  • Workshop - Tuesday, September 2, 2025
  • Meeting - Thursday, September 18, 2025 *
  • Workshop - Thursday, October 2, 2025
  • Meeting -Thursday,  October 16, 2025 *
  • Workshop - Thursday, November 6, 2025 *
  • Meeting - Thursday, November 20, 2025 CANCELED
  • Meeting - Thursday, December 4, 2025 *
  • Meeting - Thursday, January 15, 2026 *
  • Workshop - Thursday, February 5, 2026 *
  • Meeting -Thursday,  February 19, 2026 
  • Meeting - Thursday, March 12, 2026 (meeting begins at 5:00 PM)*
  • Workshop - Thursday, April 16, 2026 (held at North Middle School) *
  • Meeting - Thursday, April 23, 2026
  • Meeting - Thursday, May 14, 2026 (meeting begins at 5:00 PM)*
  • Workshop - Thursday, June 4, 2026 *
  • Meeting - Thursday, June 25, 2026
  • Meeting - Thursday, July 16, 2026 *
  • Workshop - Thursday, August 6, 2026 *
  • Meeting - Thursday, August 20, 2026

*”Patron Comments” is expected to be included on the agenda for this workshop or meeting.

Meet the Board Members

Jared English

Jared English

President

Jared English began serving on the board in 2018. He previously served on the school board from 2005 to 2009.  Jared also serves on the Grain Valley Park Board, the Pathways of Honor Board, and the Grain Valley Education Foundation Board. Jared and his wife Keri have lived in Grain Valley since 2000 and have two children in the district. He works in the enterprise risk management field and attends the Timothy Lutheran Church in Blue Springs.

Sarah Swarts, Vice President

Sarah Swartz

Vice President

Sarah Swartz began serving on the board in 2023. Sarah is a lifelong resident of Grain Valley and Grain Valley High School Class of 2002 graduate. She has one son who is at Sni-A-Bar Elementary where she also serves on their PTA. She currently works as a school counselor in the Independence School District.

 

Lance Pollard, Secretary

Lance Pollard

Secretary

Lance Pollard began serving on the board in 2023. Lance and his wife, Mandi, have lived in Grain Valley since 2011 and have five children. Mr. Pollard currently owns and operates a plumbing company and a property management company. Mr. Pollard and his family attend Abundant Life Church in Blue Springs.

School Board President Jeff Porter

Jeff Porter

Director

Jeff Porter began serving on the board in 2022. Jeff and his wife, Mary, have lived in Grain Valley since 2016 and have three children who all plan to attend Grain Valley Schools as they become of age. Mr. Porter is Senior Project Manager for Mid-America Golf and Landscape and attends St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church in Blue Springs. 

Aaron Scully

Aaron Scully

Director

Aaron Scully began serving on the board in 2024. Aaron and his wife have lived in Grain Valley since 2021 and have five children: college, high school, two in elementary school, and the youngest in daycare. Mr. Scully is an RN at the Kansas City Veterans Administration and is a critical care air transport team nurse for the Missouri Air National Guard. Mr. Scully and his family are members of Abundant Life Church in Blue Springs. 

Dr. Julie Taylor

Dr. Julie Taylor

Director

Dr. Julie Taylor began serving on the board in 2023. She comes tothe board with over 20 years of educational experience, working in surrounding urban and suburban school districts, including seven years at Grain Valley High School, and is a professor at UMKC. She has earned several post-graduate degrees including her PhD. She currently works as an instructional coach in a local school district. Dr. Taylor and her husband have lived in Grain Valley since 2009. They have one daughter who was a 2018 graduate of Grain Valley Schools.

Jason Williams

Jason Williams

Director

Jason Williams began serving on the board in 2022. Jason and his wife, Jen, have lived in Grain Valley since 2016 and have three children. Their daughter is a 2021 graduate of Grain Valley School High School, and their two sons currently attend Grain Valley Schools. Jason is the Lead Pastor of Valley Community Church in Grain Valley.

Code of Conduct

As a member of the Grain Valley R-V Board of Education, I will do my utmost to represent the public interest in education by adhering to the following standards and principles:

  • I will represent all school district constituents honestly, equally, and refuse to surrender my responsibilities to special interest of partisan political groups. In consultation with the community, I will help set education goals for the schools.
  • I will avoid any conflict of interest or the appearance on impropriety that could result from my position and will not use my board membership for personal gain or publicity.
  • I will recognize that a board member has no legal authority as an individual and that decisions can be made only by a majority vote at a board meeting. I will act only as a member of the board and will not assume any individual authority when the board is not in session, unless otherwise directed by the board.
  • I will take no private action that might compromise the board or administration and will maintain the confidentiality of information and discussions conducted in executive session.
  • I will abide by majority decisions of the board, while retaining the right to seek changes in such decisions through ethical and constructive channels.
  • I will encourage and respect the free expression of opinion by my fellow board members and will participate in board discussions in an open, honest, and respectful manner, honoring differences of opinion or perspective.
  • I will prepare for, attend, and actively participate in school board meetings.
  • I will be sufficiently informed about and prepared to act on the specific issues before the board and remain reasonably knowledgeable about local, state, national, and global education issues.
  • I will respectfully listen to those who communicate with the board, seeking to understand their views, while recognizing my responsibility to represent the interests of the entire community.
  • I will strive for a positive working relationship with the Superintendent, respecting the Superintendent's authority to advise the board, implement board policy, and administer the district. I will refer complaints, requests, and concerns to the Superintendent or other appropriate staff members. I will not give directives to any school administrator or employee, publicly or privately. I will model continuous learning and work to ensure good governance by taking advantage of board member development opportunities, such as those sponsored by my state school board association and encourage my fellow board members to do the same.
  • I will strive to keep my board focused on its primary work of clarifying the district purpose, directions, and goals, and monitoring district performance. I will help maintain a priority board focus on increasing student achievement and ensuring efficient use of district resources.

I agree to abide by the principles outlines in the School Board Code and will do everything in my power to work as a productive member of the leadership team.