Maryville R-II candidate profile: Rob Sparks

Rob Sparks, 41, is the agent/owner of Rob Sparks American Family Insurance in Maryville, a business he founded four years ago. A native of Guthrie Center, Iowa, Sparks has lived in Nodaway County for 21 years, from 1990-1999 and from 2002 to the present.

Sparks' wife, Carrie, graduated from Maryville High School in 1989, and his son Tanner received his diploma from MHS last year. The couple's younger son Garret attends classes at Maryville Middle School. Carrie Sparks serves on the Maryville R-II Education Foundation board.

Currently president of the Spoofhound Booster Athletic Club, Sparks is a member of the Maryville Elks Lodge and a "founding father" of the Beta Rho chapter of Alpha Gamma Rho, a professional/social agriculture fraternity at Northwest Missouri State University. He also performs various volunteer chores during Spoofhound football, basketball and track events.

What are your qualifications for office?

"Having served on different boards and held different leadership positions, I understand difficult decisions have to be made. When making those decisions it is extremely important to be fiscally and morally responsible, yet understand the direction and long-term needs of the district.

"I feel it is a board’s obligation to keep the best interests of the district and community in mind and to give great consideration to each decision."

What is your reason for running?

"The youth in our community are our future and deserve the best education and learning environment we can give them. These students will become our leaders, our peers and our neighbors in the years to come.

"Our responsibility is to make sure every student has the opportunity to learn, grow and excel as they progress forward in life. As a member of the board, I hope to contribute sound ideas and possibly a different perspective to continue the success of our district."

What is the biggest challenge facing Maryville schools?

"I see fiscal issues and enrollment as challenges the district will have to face.

"As changes happen in our community, our school district is directly affected. Some of those changes can be measured and are realized rather quickly. Others I would consider after-effects and aren’t readily measurable or may not be realized for a period of time. These changes can influence enrollment and have a fiscal impact on the district that we need to be aware of and plan for."

How do you plan to address these issues?

"Problems dealing with enrollment and fiscal issues are not easily solved. We need to ensure we have the best district possible academically and in facilities, not just for our students, but for our community as well.

"A progressive district that is able to plan, adapt to changes and continue moving forward while being fiscally responsible will be successful. When families are looking at moving or businesses are looking to expand and grow, schools are a factor."