One incumbent and two new board members took the oath of office to officially join the Wright City R-II school board.

Incumbent Heidi Box Halleman and newcomers Beth Dean and Kyle Lewis were sworn in last week to serve on the R-II school board. All three were elected to the board earlier this month. Halleman was the lone board member to run for reelection. Dean and Lewis beat out Monica Heppermann and Frank Zykan for the other two board seats. They will take the board seats of Michael Bates and Alice Jensen, who both did not seek reelection.

“It has been an incredible honor to work with this Board of Education and with the Wright City Schools and the teachers that I’ve come to know and work with,” Jensen said. “I just really appreciate that I’ve had this opportunity. I want to thank you all for that.”

Bates noted he ran for school board because a family member had a difficult experience with a teacher. He stressed it was an honor and a privilege to serve on the board.

“I got so much more out of it,” Bates said. “This is such an amazing group. So congratulations to both of you (Dean and Lewis). You’re working with such a great group of people.”

Austin Jones will continue to serve as board president. With Jensen’s departure, Erin Williams was voted in to serve as the board vice president. David Mikus will serve as board secretary and Mary Groeper will serve as board treasurer. Jones will continue to serve as the board’s Missouri School Board Association delegate. Groeper will continue to serve as the alternate.

Both Dean and Lewis will serve on multiple school board committees. Dean, Groeper and Lewis will serve on the waiver committee. Dean and Williams will serve on the policy committee. Lewis will serve on the policy committee as an alternate. Groeper will serve as the board member on the Greater Warren County Economic Development Committee.