Karla Hagemeister has announced her intent to seek a seat on the USD 383 Manhattan/Ogden Board of Education.
Hagemeister stated, “I believe that learning begins in infancy and it never stops. The goal of any public school system should be to prepare young people to be their best selves. To me, that means creating a culture of constant learning in ways that speak to all of our children. Our school district is successful when we prepare students to enter adulthood not only with a foundation in academic subjects, but also with an internalized desire to stretch and grow their skills and abilities over the course of a lifetime.”
Hagemeister believes our district is facing many important issues, including the continuing strain of budget uncertainty, larger-than-desired class sizes, and students who need now, more than ever, the extra support of their school family. Teachers, staff, and administrators carry the weight of these issues as they interact with our children. They go above and beyond every day because they know that they are touching lives. It is a vital role of the school board to support these professionals as they carry out our district mission “to educate each student to be a contributing citizen in a changing, diverse society.”
Hagemeister has worked at the Riley County Attorney’s Office as a Victim/Witness Coordinator since 1999. She serves as secretary for the board of directors of Thrive!, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to use a long-term, relationship-focused strategy to help families move from generational poverty. She served multiple terms on the board of directors for Manhattan Daycare and Learning Center, and she served on the board of directors for The Crisis Center from 2007–13. Hagemeister served on the site council at Eisenhower Middle School during the 2015–16 school year and is currently an assistant coach for the Girls on the Run Team at Woodrow Wilson Elementary. Hagemeister is an active member of First United Methodist Church, where she sings in the Praise Band and serves on various teams and committees.
“As a parent of children in USD 383 schools since 2008, I have a deep appreciation for the Manhattan/Ogden School District,” said Karla. “My commitment to serving families in our community has prepared me to be a dedicated, thoughtful leader for a group of equally committed educators.”
Karla is a graduate of Leavenworth High School. She attained a B.A. in Social Work from Kansas State University in 1997. She is married to Scott Hagemeister, a sergeant for the Riley County Police Department. Karla and Scott have lived in Manhattan for 24 years and are the parents of Jakob, an eighth grader at Eisenhower Middle School, and Emmaly, a third grader at Woodrow Wilson.
