Board of Education Members

  • It is the goal of the Sedalia School District 200 Board of Education to foster an open line of communication with district patrons. With that in mind, it is important for the public to understand the role and responsibilities of a school board member.

    The Board of Education serves four primary functions associated with school district operations:

    ► Hire a superintendent

    ► Help establish a district vision

    ► Establish policy

    ► Oversee district finances

    All comments or concerns with the district should start at the classroom level and work up through the chain of command – teacher first, then principal, Central Office administration and finally the Board of Education after all other avenues have been exhausted. For more information on the board and its functions, please click here.

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Ms. Diana Nichols

Board President

Ms. Nichols is a dietetics buyer and office manager for Bothwell Regional Health Center. She has two children: Stephanie and Bethanie. All three are Smith-Cotton High School alumni. Ms. Nichols has been a member of the Sedalia School District 200 Board of Education since 2013.

Term expires April 2025

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Mr. Sam Kempton

Board Vice President

Mr. Kempton is a 2005 graduate of Smith-Cotton High School and an attorney at Kempton & Russell, where he focuses on criminal defense and general civil litigation. He is married to Madeline, an Instructional Technology Specialist and together they have three children: Isla, Ford and Penn. Isla and Ford are both Sedalia 200 students. Mr. Kempton has been a member of the Sedalia School District 200 Board of Education since 2021.

Term expires April 2027

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Mrs. Pam Moon

Board Treasurer

Mrs. Moon is a native of Sedalia and a Sedalia School District 200 retiree. She is married to Monte and has one child, Lisa Young.  Lisa and her husband Ashley are both Sedalia School District teachers with two children, Emma and Grayson, both of whom are Sedalia 200 students.  Pam, Monte, and Lisa are Smith-Cotton High School graduates. She also is president of the TIMPO Band Booster Club.

Term expires April 2026

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Ms. Barbara Jean Schrader

Board Secretary

Ms. Schrader is a Sedalia native who returned to her hometown after teaching fine arts and music for almost 30 years in the North Kansas City School District. She is also president of the Jack J. Isgur Foundation board, which provides scholarships to students planning to study education in college and have an interest in teaching the humanities. Ms. Schrader has been a member of the Sedalia School District 200 Board of Education since 2019.

Term Expires April 2025

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Mr. Scott Gardner

Board Director

Mr. Gardner is a partner in Gardner & Gardner, Attorneys and Counselors at Law. He is married to Judy, a licensed professional counselor; they have three children: Ted, Meredith and Madeline. Mr. Gardner and the children are Smith-Cotton High School alumni. Mr. Gardner has been a member of the Sedalia School District 200 Board of Education since 2005.

Term expires April 2026

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Mr. Brad Grupe

Board Director

Mr. Grupe is a 1989 graduate of Smithton High School and an Owner/Agent of Town & Country Insurance.  He is married to Sarah, a Physical Therapist at Peak Performance and together they have three children:  Blake, Brett and Lauren. All three are Smith-Cotton graduates. 

Term expires April 2026

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Dr. Cara Barth-Fagan

Board Director

Dr. Barth-Fagan has lived in Sedalia for more than 20 years and has worked as a Special Education Teacher for Sedalia School District 200 and is currently a Division Chair and the Teacher Education Program Coordinator at State Fair Community College.  She and her husband, Brett, have four sons: their oldest is a 2022 SCHS graduate; the other three are Sedalia 200 students. She is the president of the SCJH PTA, a member of the SC Choral Society, a member of the Team SCREAM Mom Squad, and volunteers with the sports and clubs her boys are members of.  Dr. Barth-Fagan and her family are active in their church and regularly volunteer their time to community organizations.

Term expires April 2027