Russell seeks re-election to Blair Oaks school board

Nicki Russell
Nicki Russell

An incumbent on Wednesday filed to run for a second term on the Blair Oaks R-2 Board of Education.

Incumbent Treasurer Nicki Russell will seek a second term in the April election.

Russell said her three priorities are students, commitment and community.

"I really see (students) as our future," Russell said. "This is a way that I can influence their success while they are in school and for post-graduation success as members of society."

While making decisions on the board, she said, she has always focused on if the decision puts students first.

As the district takes on a $14 million bond issue for a new high school building, commitment to the taxpayers and community is important, she said.

Russell plans to help the project be successful as a board member with a background in accounting and auditing, she said.

Additionally, it is important Russell speaks to diversity within the district, she said in a news release.

"Having a diverse group on the board is smart business," she said. "My professional background includes making independent and unbiased observations on a daily basis. It would be my duty to represent the interests of the district and ensuring the district's goals are accomplished efficiently and effectively."

Russell is the chief auditor for the Missouri State Employees' Retirement System in Jefferson City and a parent of two Blair Oaks students. She also volunteers as a parent advisor for the district's counseling team and with the FFA alumni.

This article was edited at 12:05 p.m. Dec. 20, 2019, to correct Russell's job title with the Missouri State Employees' Retirement System.