Brittany Shadduck for Maplewood-Richmond Heights Board of Education

My name is Brittany Shadduck, and I am running for a seat on the Maplewood Richmond Heights School District Board of Education in the April 7, 2026 election. I am a mom of two MRH students (10th grade and 1st grade), a former teacher, and a leader in the corporate world.

Why I Am Running For School Board

I have wanted to run for Board of Education for many years, because I believe in public education and that we have a responsibility to support and advocate for our educators and our local district. That commitment was shaped by my years as a classroom teacher.

What motivated me to run now is the growing pressure facing public education at the state and federal levels. Increasing challenges to funding, inclusion, and educator support have made it clear that strong local leadership matters more than ever. I believe school boards play a critical role in protecting what’s important to our district and our community, and I want to ensure decisions are made with care, transparency, and long-term stability in mind.

I am the only candidate in this race who has been both a classroom teacher and a leader in the business world, uniquely equipping me to provide the strategic oversight our district needs.

As a former classroom teacher, I have lived the daily realities of working in a school, and I know what it takes to support our teachers, staff, and students. At the same time, my career as a leader in the tech industry has equipped me with the professional oversight, strategic planning, and budget management skills required to lead a complex district.

This combination of teacher insight and business expertise allows me to ask the right questions, ensure fiscal accountability, and provide the stable leadership our community deserves during this challenging time for public education.

My Priorities

Effective Learning for All Students: Prioritizing hands-on, student-centered instruction that supports every child’s growth and prepares them for the future.

Fiscal Responsibility: Ensuring tax dollars are managed with transparency and accountability, with a focus on long-term stability.

A Supportive School Culture: Fostering an environment where teachers and staff want to stay, and every student feels safe, seen, and empowered to succeed.

Community & District Experience

PTO Volunteer (2023-present)
For Our People Board Committee Member (2023-present)
Girl Scout Troop Leader (2024-present)
Equity in Action Advisory Council (2025-present)
WeStores Cohort Leader (Fall 2025)

My Story: From Classroom to Boardroom

I graduated from the University of Missouri with a B.S. in Early Childhood Education, and began my teaching career in the Pattonville School District teaching kindergarten.

After my first year of teaching, my husband, Joe, and I moved to Japan to teach English. Living in a place where I could not speak or read the language made a lasting impact on me. Not only did I gain profound appreciation for cultures and customs outside my own, I learned how it feels to be “the other” and how important it is to advocate for those experiencing that feeling in my own country.

When we returned to St. Louis, I taught kindergarten at a charter school in the city. The school was full of some of the most dedicated and passionate teachers, administrators, and staff I have ever had the privilege of working with. It was also deeply under-resourced, and I watched students who needed additional support fall further behind because the systems around them could not meet their needs, despite tireless advocacy from their families. I also became increasingly aware that my charter school drew public funding away from neighborhood schools and did not provide transportation, limiting access for children whose families could not drive them.

That experience reinforced a conviction that is deeply ingrained in me: free and public education is vital, and every child deserves equitable access to the resources and support they need to succeed. After two years, I made the hard decision to leave teaching, but I remained determined to advocate and stay connected to public education in new ways.

I began volunteering as a mentor with The Pivoter to support other teachers exploring career transitions. Those conversations reinforced what I already knew: teachers love what they do, but many feel exhausted and unheard. This work motivated me to join our For Our People Board Committee. Our MRH teachers and staff are the heart of our district and they deserve strong, consistent support.

My commitment to the district is also personal. As an MRH parent, I’ve seen firsthand the intentional culture our district fosters. When my oldest daughter joined our family mid-year during the height of COVID, this community embraced her with compassion and care in a moment when she needed stability most. Now, with a daughter at the High School and another at the Early Childhood Center, I see the full spectrum of the MRH experience. I see the joy and intentionality in the "Studio" at the ECC, and I see the incredible opportunities for apprenticeship and extracurricular growth at the High School. MRH has so much to be proud of, and it is essential that we prioritize the culture and strengths that make our district unique.

In my professional life, I have spent the last decade developing the leadership skills necessary for effective board oversight. In my current role managing a team in the tech industry, I balance competing priorities, oversee budgets, analyze complex data, and collaborate across teams to solve problems. My goal is always to create clarity and alignment to ensure people are able to do their best work.

I believe these professional skills, balanced with an educator’s heart and a parent’s perspective, are exactly what the MRH Board needs to ensure our district's long-term stability and success.

Building Our Future Together

I love this district and believe it deserves thoughtful, capable leadership during this challenging time for public education. Following the passage of Propositions B and E, our community has entrusted the board with important resources for our teachers and our buildings. I am committed to transparency and fiscal responsibility to ensure we steward those tax dollars wisely while preserving what makes MRH unique.

I would be honored to earn your vote on April 7.