Monett Schools

Meet the Board Members

A smiling man with glasses wears a purple polo shirt with a school logo.

Ken Gaspar, President

First Elected: 2011

Term Expires: 2027

Years of Service: 15

A man with a beard and blue eyes smiles, wearing a purple polo shirt.

Walter Branch, Vice President

First Elected: 2024

Term Expires: 2027

Years of Service: 2

A man with a beard and a purple polo shirt smiles at the camera.

Jared Wormington

First Elected: 2022

Term Expires: 2029

Years of Service: 4

A bald man with blue eyes smiles, wearing a purple polo shirt with a school logo.

Matt Batson

First Elected: 2024

Term Expires: 2028

Years of Service: 2

A man with blue eyes and a beard smiles at the camera, wearing a purple polo shirt.

Mike Whannell

First Elected: 2025

Term Expires: 2028

Years of Service: 1

Ryan Nestelroad in a purple cubs shirt

Ryan Nestleroad

First Elected: 2026

Term Expires: 2029

First Year of Service

Jennifer Lewis Board Member in a purple cubs shirt

Jennifer Lewis

First Elected: 2026

Term Expires: 2029

First Year of Service

The Monett Board of Education proudly serves the students, staff, families, and community of Monett Schools. As elected representatives, Board members provide leadership and oversight, establish district policies, and make decisions that support the district’s vision and the success of every student.

The Board of Education is a volunteer representative body elected by the registered voters of the local public school district. Become a school board member if you are:

Passionate about supporting public education
Motivated by the best interests of all children in your community
Committed to listen and collaborate with other leaders
Trusting in the democratic process

The school board governs the school district and provides leadership and advocacy for public education. School boards are charged with making decisions in the best interest of the entire district.

- A school board member in Missouri must be:
- A U.S. citizen
- A resident taxpayer of a district or voters of the district in urban districts
- A resident of Missouri and the district for at least one year
- At least 24 years old
- Candidates must also:
- Be current on state and local taxes
- Have not been found guilty of or pled guilty to a felony under Missouri or federal law
- Have not registered or required to register as a sex offender
- Have filed required campaign documents for all previous campaigns, if any
Monett R-1 School Board Members serve three-year terms.

Board members are expected to be present and actively participate in school board meetings. The Monett R-1 Board of Education meets once a month and will occasionally conduct a special meeting (i.e. work sessions such as budget).

If elected, board members must complete 18.5 hours of orientation and training within one year of the date of the election or appointment. Board members must complete at least one hour of refresher training each year thereafter.
The Board of Education meets every third Thursday of each calendar month. Occasionally, regular monthly meetings are scheduled on other dates. Meetings are all held in the Board Administrative Meeting Room located at the District Office (900 E. Scott St.) and always begin at 6:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

2026-2027 Board Meeting Schedule
- July 30, 2026
- August 20, 2026
- September 17, 2026
- October 15, 2026
- November 19, 2026
- December 17, 2026
- January 21, 2027
- February 18, 2027
- March 23, 2027
- April 15, 2027
- May 20, 2027
- June 14, 2027