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Aryn Peters

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Aryn Peters
Image of Aryn Peters

Nonpartisan

North Kansas City Public Schools Board of Education
Tenure

2025 - Present

Term ends

2028

Years in position

0

Elections and appointments
Last elected

April 8, 2025

Education

High school

Oak Park High School

Bachelor's

Truman State University

Graduate

Northwest Missouri State University, 2013

Personal
Birthplace
Kansas City, Mo.
Profession
Business development
Contact

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

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Personal LinkedIn

Aryn Peters is an at-large member of the North Kansas City Public Schools Board of Education. She assumed office on April 15, 2025. Her current term ends in 2028.

Peters ran for election for an at-large seat of the North Kansas City Public Schools Board of Education. She won in the general election on April 8, 2025.

Peters completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Aryn Peters was born in Kansas City, Missouri. She earned a bachelor's degree from Truman State University, a graduate degree from Rockhurst University, and a graduate degree from Northwest Missouri State University. Peters' career experience includes working as an educator and in business development.[1]

Elections

2025

See also: North Kansas City Schools, Missouri, elections (2025)

General election

General election for North Kansas City Public Schools Board of Education (2 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for North Kansas City Public Schools Board of Education on April 8, 2025.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Aryn Peters
Aryn Peters (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
24.5
 
4,242
✔
Image of Daniel Wartick
Daniel Wartick (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
22.0
 
3,811
Image of Roy Copeland III
Roy Copeland III (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
21.2
 
3,667
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Carolyn Mason (Nonpartisan)
 
12.2
 
2,113
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Jessica Rezac (Nonpartisan)
 
11.7
 
2,015
Image of Jason Russell
Jason Russell (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
8.3
 
1,436

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 17,284
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Peters in this election.

2024

See also: North Kansas City Schools, Missouri, elections (2024)

General election

General election for North Kansas City Public Schools Board of Education (3 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for North Kansas City Public Schools Board of Education on April 2, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Susan Hines
Susan Hines (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
20.9
 
3,955
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Jane Rinehart (Nonpartisan)
 
19.6
 
3,706
✔
Image of Joe Jacobs
Joe Jacobs (Nonpartisan)
 
19.3
 
3,653
Image of Aryn Peters
Aryn Peters (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
15.5
 
2,938
Image of Roy Copeland III
Roy Copeland III (Nonpartisan)
 
10.1
 
1,909
Image of Brock Foley
Brock Foley (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
9.0
 
1,712
Image of Tirdad Daei
Tirdad Daei (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
5.6
 
1,063

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 18,936
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Peters in this election.

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Aryn Peters completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Peters' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I was born and raised in the Northland and graduated from NKC Schools attending Meadowbrook, Chapel Hill, Antioch and Oak Park. I earned my BA in Spanish (I am conversational in Spanish), Master's of Education from Rockhurst and an Ed.S. in Secondary Leadership and Administration from Northwest Missouri State. I am a former classroom teacher, college professor and online teacher. I have three children currently in the district in 11th, 8th and 3rd grades. I am married to an educator of 20+ years, currently working as a middle school assistant principal. I currently work in the mortgage industry.

Some of my background in serving in the Northland: I have served on the PTA Board at Bell Prairie, VP of Volunteers and the PTSA board at New Mark, assisting with membership and the Nominating Committee. I participate in the Education Committee for the Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce.

I am a member of the Board of Directors for Beacon Mental Health (formerly Tri-County) and look forward to taking the connections and opportunities I have there to further the commitment to mental health needs and awareness for our students and staff. I am also a participant in the 2025 Leadership Northland Cohort with the Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce, an opportunity that is giving me insights to all aspects of life and business in the northland and ways we can further grow our community and work together to achieve our goals.
  • I am a mother of current students, wife of an educator and former educator myself of 10+ years. My experiences have given me an understanding and camaraderie with fellow educators and the ability to see all sides from the perspective of a teacher, of an administrator and of a parent. Society is dealing with so much, and it’s changing faster than we can keep up with; but with a well-rounded school board and leadership at the helm, we can continue making the best, most informed decisions that will continue to propel our students, our teachers, our families, our COMMUNITY forward.
  • My broad background in Education sets me apart: Classroom Spanish teacher and Department Chair, Taught in private school (KS), public school (AZ and MO), University (Millikin U. in IL) and several online schools, Served as Professional Development Coordinator for 4 years in Liberty Public Schools, Served as Coordinator for: Dual Credit Programs/AP Courses and Testing, Building Representative for RTI (Response to Intervention district team)Advisory Coordinator, New Teacher Mentorship program, Committee Leader for transition and merger of two secondary schools, participant on Building Leadership Team contributing to Strategic Plan, Vision, Mission and Core Values for a new high school
  • I am passionate about awareness and support for the MENTAL WELLNESS of our students and staff. It is pivotal that we work together as a board, district leadership and community to address the mental health crisis that faces us. We need to come together to ensure we find ways to support and help those in need; staff, students and district families alike. All students and staff must feel welcome, safe, heard, seen and empowered to contribute and connect in our schools. Addressing mental health will be an important step in that direction. I currently serve as a member of the Board of Directors at Beacon Mental Health Hospital, which helps guide me in my understanding of resources and collaboration as we continue address this issue.
Areas of public policy I am passionate about are Education, Healthcare and Housing.

Understanding the policies that will affect our community and our schools is of utmost importance. I have made certain to forge relationships with our local officials at the city, county and state level so I can be sure I am aware of up and coming legislation. I enjoy attending the Legislative Committee meetings for the Northland Regional Chamber and having good discussion on legislation and policies.
Leadership, confidence, compassion, energy, empathy, and passion are a few words that come to mind when I think of a productive elected official.
I am trustworthy, confident, courageous, passionate and full of energy to be a servant leader in my community!
My first job was at the Limited at Metro North Mall! I worked there for less than a year. I probably spent all of my earnings on clothes there! I wasn't very good because I HATED bothering people when they walked in and just wanted to browse. I remember getting in "trouble" when I didn't greet people properly.

I have since moved past my shyness, working for three years as a flight attendant after college cured me of that!
There are essentially five components to the main responsibilities of a school board and the school board members. Per the Missouri Schools Boards Association, those are Goals, Policy, Superintendent, Budget and Advocacy.

School board members will assist in the creation of the vision, goals and strategic planning for the district, along with other district staff and community members. It is also part of the board member’s duties to review and assess the progress towards this plan. Developing and approving policies that align with the vision and goals of the district with a focus on student success is also an important component of the role of the school board.

The board is also responsible for supervising and evaluating the district superintendent. The superintendent, along with their finance teams, will present a budget to the board for review and approval. The board must then continue to ensure that the funding coming to the district supports the goals that have been laid out in the district plan.

Finally, advocacy for the students and the district amongst the community and local legislators is also vitally important for successful board members. Ensuring that the resources a district needs are met must be consistently communicated with the community the district serves.
I think our district is doing a fantastic job with being as diverse as we are and the growth we see in the community right now. That said, there is always room for improvement. We should never stop reviewing, updating and upgrading the opportunities for our students. The work is never done.

I do think we are on the right path. I have been so impressed by the students I have seen at board meetings being recognized for work they are doing and the opportunities they have had-often due to teachers willing to give their time to assist and help these students. The diversity councils that can be found at our schools, even at the elementary schools, and the multicultural fairs that take place in our schools are an incredible resource for our students, and make for amazing events to help everyone learn about the diversity in our community.

I was recently given the opportunity to attend the first “Community Conversation” this year, hosted by the District Equity Leadership Team and D.E.I.B. Advisory Council. They debuted the documentary, “North of the River: A Historical Look into Race in the Northland.” What an amazing film and conversation. Understanding our history will allow us to understand ways we can move forward, as well. Just having open and frank conversations goes a long way.

The challenges I see ahead for the work we are doing stem from some of the new mandates you see coming down from the current administration. We will need to be proactive and work together as district leadership, board and staff to ensure we continue to make our students, staff and families feel seen, safe and supported. We want to make sure they all feel they have a place in NKC Schools where they belong. We will need to continue to forge connections and opportunities within our community as well. From the whole community to the Board to the classroom, together we must enhance and continue to find ways to celebrate diversity together.
I consistently seeking ways to reach more people and connect with our community. I sit on the Board of Directors for Beacon Mental Health Hospital, I frequently attend events in the Northland doing what I can to support education, mental health and the Northland community as a whole.
I agree that there must be financial transparency, checks and balances and government accountability.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2024

Candidate Connection

Aryn Peters completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Peters' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I was born and raised in the Northland and am a product of the district, having graduated from Oak Park HS. I currently have three students attending NKC Schools. I was a classroom teacher for 11 years and taught at the university level for 2 years. I have my master’s in education and specialist degree in Secondary Leadership and Administration. I have served as instructional leader, department chair, professional development coordinator, AP and Dual Credit Coordinator, Advisory program lead, RTI committee chair while I taught AP and Dual Credit Spanish courses. I am dedicated to my community, having started several community groups focused on women empowerment and leadership. I have served on PTA boards, currently serving as PTSA Board Membership Chair at New Mark, and I enjoy co-chairing committees at schools to help when needed. I am a staunch supporter of public education and the value that great schools add to the community-our schools are the cornerstone of the progress and overall success of our community at large.
  • A parent of 3 students in the district-elementary, middle and high school. Bell Prairie, Northview, New Mark, Staley and SAGE Center. Also as the spouse of an educator, I have the opportunity to see education through several lenses. I will always be a staunch supporter of teachers and their needs. Some specific things I think are important to keep in mind and continue to address are classroom sizes and continual growth of our district, the mental health of our students and teachers alike, and continued assessment of the opportunities for all students in our district.
  • I spent 10+years in the classroom-ranging from private school to public school teaching in the Phoenix, AZ area and Liberty Public Schools. I have also had experiences with online teaching, as well as 2 years teaching at the university level. My experience at Liberty Public Schools as professional development coordinator, AP/Dual Credit Coordinator, Student Advisory coordinator and new teacher mentor, gave me depths of knowledge and opportunities that helped paved my understanding of education and the needs of the students and teachers alike. I also have completed my Master’s in Education and Education Specialist in Secondary Leadership and Administration, where I made lasting friendships with amazing educators all over the Northland!
  • As a loyal citizen of the Kansas City Northland, I was fortunate to attend Meadowbrook, Chapel Hill, Antioch Middle School and Oak Park High School. New opportunities took me out of Kansas City on several occasions, but I was always drawn home. And always to the Northland and NKC Schools. Even when I worked in Liberty, I knew my kids would have a solid foundation and ample opportunities here. Living and teaching in other communities has given me a valuable perspective on issues. We need to be extremely proud of what we are accomplishing here, as the 2nd largest district in the state. We need to forge ahead on this amazing path that has been laid before us, continually focusing on the well-being of the students and staff.
I am so passionate about education-supporting teachers and staff, funding for education and making sure our kids have the very best opportunities. There is nothing more important than supporting our schools and being a champion for students and our communities.
Leadership, confidence, compassion, energy, empathy, and passion are a few words that come to mind when I think of a productive elected official.
The school board’s role, generally, is to establish policies and rules that will serve as guidelines for the administration and management of the district. Board members should also be involved in the committees and conversations that assist the district to move forward and establish purpose and goals. At NKC schools, board members sit on committees with district staff, community members and students alike to review the Strategic Plan and Balanced Scorecard to ensure the district is moving in the right direction. The board is also responsible for hiring and collaborating with the district Superintendent. The board should be actively reviewing and monitoring the district initiatives to ensure we are moving in the direction our plans have laid out.

I also believe the board members have a duty to stay connected to the community and the district. Not just read the board packet prior to the meeting and show up to meetings, but actually get involved, be seen and listen to what’s going on around the district and in buildings. Also, being a responsible and involved member in the community around the district is important. Board members should be constant ambassadors of the district, everywhere they go.
I think the first big event I can remember is the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion. We were watching in class. It is a memory seared in my mind. I was in the 4th grade at the time.
My first job in high school was working at the Limited at Metro North Mall! I think I only worked there for a few months! My first job out of college was a Flight Attendant. I was a Spanish major in college and wanted to see the world and use my language skills. I did that for three years.
I love all books by Isabel Allende, my favorite author. She is an amazing story teller, she tells complicated histories with so much clarity, I have read and love them all. "House of the Spirits" is probably my favorite. I've ready it multiple times!
The families and community within the boundaries of the North Kansas City School District.
I think our district is doing a fantastic job with being as diverse as we are and the growth we see in the community right now. That said, there is always room for improvement. We should never stop reviewing, updating and upgrading the opportunities for our students. The work is never done.

I do think we are on the right path. I have been so impressed by some of the students I have seen at board meetings being recognized for work they are doing and the opportunities they have had-often due to teachers willing to give their time to assist and help these students.

The diversity, equity and inclusion initiative is important to me and something I would look to get involved in at the district so I can continue to support and push forward these initiatives.
I work hard to be involved in many different things in my community. I enjoy being part of events and activities at the schools. I have been on the PTA Boards for two of my kids' schools, and have also assisted as a co-chair of events when needed. I attend community events and enjoy meeting other local leaders at the Northland Chamber events when I can attend. We attend church locally, which is always a fun place to see neighbors and friends. Our children stay involved and you will often find us near a pool at the Gladstone Community Center! I like to get involved at several levels so I can meet as many people as possible!
These are very real concerns, as I have had parents approach this topic with me directly and, as a parent, have had to deal with bullying and mental health issues with my own children. I know, from a personal level, how important and how real these issues are. We must face the fact that bullying is getting worse and mental health issues are rampant, which, in turn, brings our children to not always feeling safe at school. These topics can’t be ignored because of the direct impact on student learning. It is imperative we have plans and support in place for our students, families, and staff. We need to come together as a community, inside and outside of the school buildings to address the issue of bullying. In my opinion, we should have no tolerance for bullying. I believe it often stems from and leads to mental health issues. I do believe that NKC Schools is on the right track, acknowledging this need and starting programs to assist our children and families. The counseling staff that I have interacted with have always been helpful and proactive. Additionally, the district already works with important partnerships with local professionals in the Northland. I believe these partnerships are imperative to helping our schools and community address these issues. I recently learned about SHAC, School Health Advisory Council, that focuses on the “delivery of coordinated and culturally affirming school health programs that address the physical, social, mental and emotional health of students”. This council is currently meeting and looking for parents, teachers, and community members to join the advisory group and to continue to grow the program and opportunities. This is an important endeavor and I look forward to getting involved myself.
UAW 249, IBEW 124, Greater Kansas City Women's Political Caucus.
Whenever I can find a way to get involved, I do. I have been part of the building PTA's, but also enjoy attending the District PTA events as well. This is a great way to meet other parents around the district and learn from each other. We can share what's working for us and what struggles we are seeing in our buildings so we can continue to help and support each other. I look forward to finding more opportunities like this as a board member.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 12, 2024
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