R-IV School Board: Heather Reiter

An employee of Cenveo's sales team until three years ago, Heather Reiter has dedicated herself to volunteering in the community and caring for her young children.

The 38-year-old Board of Education candidate and Lake Saint Louis resident seeks to fill one of three spots on the board to be voted on by constituents on the April 5 election. With three children-- ages 4, 7 and 10--attending schools in the district, Reiter anticipates providing the valuable perspective of a parent of young children, familiar with local elementary schools.

"We’re at a different time right now as far as the growth of the school district," Reiter said. "A parent of a high school student at this point may not be as concerned for their own particular child in regards to overcrowded classrooms and how the district is going to deal with the growing district."

Reiter's community involvement includes being the fundraising co-chair for the PTO Board. She is also on the Lake Saint Louis Community Association's Lakes and Parks committee and serves as the membership director for the Lake Saint Louis Ski Team.

In contrast to candidate Lelain Wayne "Pete" Self, Reiter supports Proposition 3, a measure to raise taxes in order to acquire $60 million to add classrooms in elementary and middle schools and to begin building a new high school.

The proposition failed to pass a vote in last fall's election.

"Unfortunately, a lot of our parents didn’t get out and vote in November," Reiter said. "You can cut all day long, but you're not going to come up with $60 million to build the building."

The problem in Wentzville schools is not understaffing but a lack of space for teachers, Reiter said. Several elementary school teachers must give lessons in modular classrooms, trailers located outside the buildings.

Holding classes in trailers could eventually come back to hurt the community in the long run--including area residents without children in public schools, she said.

"We’re a very transient area, with people moving in from other states and counties," Reiter said. "If they come in and see a school district that isn’t providing a traditional classroom, and it's with modulars and trailers, that’s going to affect your property value."

Some teachers refuse to teach in modular units, and the temporary facilities can have a morale-dampening effect, Reiter said.

Reiter touted the district's fiscal responsibility. Wentzville's average expenditure per student just tops $9,000, which is among the area's lowest spending averages.

"We are very lean," she said.  "Under 6 percent of our budget was used toward administrative costs."

According to the Wentzville NEA's Facebook fan page, the teacher's union supports Reiter in the election next month. The NEA also endorses incumbents Terry Ratcliff and Michael Cecil, as well as a "Yes" vote for Proposition 3.