The School District of Washington’s school board filing opened on Tuesday, December 9, at 8 a.m. It will remain open until Tuesday, December 30, at 5 p.m. The district office will be open for the final day of filing on December 30 from 4-5 p.m.

There will be three open seats. Terms for board members Dan Leslie, Bob Oreskovic and Rob Horvath expire in 2026. Board members are elected to three-year terms.

Heading into the final day of filing on December 30, six candidates have filed for the three open seats, two incumbents and four newcomers.

UPDATE No. 1 –As filing opened at 8 a.m. on December 9, two candidates filed; Leslie and newcomer Morgan “Mo” Hagedorn. A third candidate, newcomer Dr. Kirstie Holtermann, also filed later in the morning.

UPDATE No. 2 – Newcomer Heather Johnson filed for the school board on Wednesday, December 17. She is the fourth individual to file and it assures there will be a school board election for the three open seats on April 7, 2026. 

UPDATE No. 3 – Newcomer Emma Menefee filed for the school board on Thursday, December 18. She is the fifth individual to file. 

UPDATE No. 4 – Incumbent Rob Horvath became the sixth individual to file.

Candidates Who Have Filed:

Morgan “Mo” Hagedorn – Newcomer

Dan Leslie – Incumbent

Dr. Kirstie Holtermann –  Newcomer

Heather Johnson – Newcomer

Emma Menefee – Newcomer

Rob Horvath – Incumbent

Board members are elected to three-year terms.

Candidates should register in Kelly Clark’s office on the second floor of the Washington School District administration building at 220 Locust St. in Washington.

The final day of filing wil be on Tuesday, December 30, from 4-5 p.m.

Board member qualifications include:

All candidates must be at least 24 years of age, U.S. citizens and resident taxpayers of the district, and have resided in Missouri for one year preceding their election.

Candidates cannot be delinquent in the payment of any state income taxes, personal property taxes, municipal taxes or real property taxes on stated residence. They also cannot be a registered sex offender, or found guilty or pled guilty to a felony under Missouri law.

Additionally, candidates cannot be convicted or pled guilty to a felony or misdemeanor under federal law.

Candidates must file all required campaign disclosure reports with the Missouri Ethics Commission, when applicable, for all previous elections in which they were candidates.

About the Board

The seven-member Board of Education serves as the governing body for the school district.

The school board sets district policies, selects the superintendent of schools, adopts the annual budget and determines the tax rate.

The school board always holds a reorganization meeting in April following the election. New school board members are sworn in at that time for their new three-year terms.

 

As school board filing opened, filing, from left, were newcomer Morgan “Mo” Hagedorn and incumbent Dan Leslie. Also pictured is Board of Education secretary Kelly Clark. Filing later in the morning was newcomer Dr. Kirstie Holtermann.

 

As school board filing opened, filing, from left, were newcomer Morgan “Mo” Hagedorn and incumbent Dan Leslie. Also pictured is Board of Education secretary Kelly Clark. Filing later in the morning was newcomer Dr. Kirstie Holtermann.

 

Morgan “Mo” Hagedorn, left, files for the Board of Education. Also pictured is Board of Education secretary Kelly Clark.

 

Dan Leslie files for the Board of Education. Also pictured is Board of Education secretary Kelly Clark.