The city of Columbia will hold an election for two seats on the Columbia Public Schools’ (CPS) Board of Education Tuesday, April 2. Polls will be open from 6 a.m.-7 p.m..

The election will feature three candidates on the ballot: Jeanne Snodgrass, John Potter and Alvin Cobbins. The top two finishers in the election will serve three-year terms on the school board. 

Jeanne Snodgrass is the incumbent school board member and is also the executive director of the University of Missouri’s Jewish center, Mizzou Hillel. Snodgrass said she wants a second term in order to continue the work the school board has been doing to help the success of students. 

“I think there’s a lot of good work that’s been done to start to address some of our most pressing issues like attendance, student achievement, safety and teacher retention,” Snodgrass said. “I want to be part of continuing that work so that our Columbia Public Schools can continue to improve.”

John Potter was a candidate for CPS school board in 2023 and is an employee of Central Missouri Countertops. Potter also runs the “CoMo Citizens for CPS Accountability and Transparency” Facebook account. Potter said he thinks the school board has too many like-minded members, and said he wants to make sure the school board represents all its constituents. 

“I regularly talk to parents, students, teachers and community members who feel they do not have a voice on the board and have not for years,” Potter said. “The district needs big change because they are losing good teachers and good students because of the lack of representation and new policies, which have transformed the district in negative ways. I can be that voice for real change.” 

Alvin Cobbins is a Sunday school teacher at Fifth Street Christian Church and is a facilitator for the Boone County Jobs and Workforce Development Program. Cobbins said he wants to encourage CPS parents and grandparents to be more involved in CPS issues. 

“I want to bridge the gap between parents and the district,” Cobbins said. “We need to bring more people from the community at large to the table so that we can all resolve issues together. Everyone has a voice — let yours be heard, get involved.”

Potter said he has attended almost every school board meeting and regularly speaks out about issues, which he believes makes him qualified for being a board member. Potter also said if he is elected he plans to pursue a district wide policy to combat the destruction of bathrooms in schools and cell phone distractions in classrooms.  

“I have provided a platform for transparency and accountability in our district, which has also increased community engagement,” Potter said. “I understand the history and changes of the policies, procedures and practices, which coincide with the decline in our student academic performances and our increased behavioral issues. It’s important for people to vote and to help reverse the downward trend of our district, and to help diversify voices on our Board of Education.”

Cobbins said he is an avid community volunteer, and said his optimistic approach to problems makes him well suited for the school board. He said he wants to find new ways to deal with discipline issues in schools, and wants to make sure teachers have the tools they need to effectively help students. 

“I would like to serve on the school board and look into creating policies that have better results when it comes to disciplinary actions taken and long-term suspensions,” Cobbins said. “As a futuristic thinker, I believe updating policies is a positive action that will [make] the district able to deal with all issues in a positive manner.”

Snodgrass said she is committed to creating a school district that values and celebrates all students, and said her experience as a school board member makes her qualified for another term. She said it is very important for people to vote in this election, as it helps improve the Columbia community. 

“The entire community is affected by the quality of our public schools, which makes the school board election important,” Snodgrass said. “If people want to have a voice in the direction of the schools, they should vote in this election.”

What do you think of this year’s school board candidates? Let us know in the comments below.