‘I’m jumping into a cold pond’: Rookie Lear joining veteran Lee on Hannibal School Board

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Ann Lear is diving in headfirst and cannot wait to see what this new venture brings.

Lear got 28.1 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s Missouri general municipal election to earn one of the two vacant positions on the Hannibal School Board. This is Lear’s first election to any school board. 

“It’s like I’m jumping in a cold pond. I’m going to have to jump in and start swimming,” Lear said. “I just know there is a big learning curve ahead of me, and I’m anxious to get at it.”

J’Nelle Lee will serve her fourth term after receiving 27.3 percent of the vote, finishing ahead of Scott Hawes, Chuck Huston and Jamie McCoy.

“I just truly thank everybody for the support,” Lee said. “I’m speechless. I’m so excited. It’s just wonderful.”

Lear was an educator in the Hannibal School District for 32 years and spent six years at St. John’s Lutheran Schools before moving on to Learning Opportunities/Quality Works.

“It’s a calling,” Lear said of teaching. “You can go into it, but if you stay there, it’s a life calling, and it was for me. In fact, visiting with teachers during this (campaign) made me so homesick.”

Serving on the school board will allow her to continue her mission of giving students the best possible education.

“I’ve been guided by that feeling that you have a calling to do things,” Lear said of her decision to run for a position on the board. “I am a person of faith, and I go with those feelings. This one was a big one. It will be a good thing. Things won’t always go my way, and heaven knows I need to learn to work on a school board, but I think it will be a positive experience. The people I know on there are the kind of people who are willing to work together. We have a goal. It’s not a personal goal. It’s a goal to move our school district forward and always for the children.”

Lear extended her congratulations to Lee and expressed her excitement to get to work with her.

“I didn’t know her very well before, but I’ve watched her at board meetings and was really impressed with her gentle way of staying on point and working toward a better Hannibal Public Schools,” Lear said.

Likewise, Lee looks forward to bringing Lear aboard and adjusting to changes within the district.

“I think we’re going to have a good board, and I look forward to working with the new superintendent (Ritchie Kracht),” Lee said. “I think it’s an exciting day for Hannibal Public Schools.”

Lee emphasized that a board member’s primary goal should always be to do everything in their power to make sure the students are learning and achieving.

“That’s why we’re all doing everything we do to make sure we have great schools,” Lee said. The education of our students is the most important, and the things they’ll be able to do if they get a good education are wonderful.”

Lee and Lear will play a pivotal role in giving students those opportunities.

“I’m very anxious to get on and get going,” Lear said. “I’m grateful for the folks in our area who put their faith in me, and I will try to earn that as time goes on.”