Sedalia School District 200 Board Member Schilb Dies

Sedalia School District 200 reported that Board of Education member Steve Schilb passed away March 27.

Mr. Schilb had been battling health issues in recent months.

Mr. Schilb, 66, was finishing his first year on the board after teaching social studies at Smith-Cotton High School for 17 years, from 2000 to 2017, when he retired. Mr. Schilb created lasting bonds with his students, and was known for his motto, “It’s never too late to do the right thing.”

Before his teaching career, Mr. Schilb owned a large photography studio and was a welder at the Missouri Pacific Railroad for 10 years. A graduate of Otterville High School, Mr. Schilb earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Central Missouri in 1985; he also completed his Secondary Social Studies certification (2000) and master’s degree in Secondary Education School Administration (2005) from UCM.

Superintendent Steve Triplett said Mr. Schilb was a magnet at Smith-Cotton High School, drawing students to him with his warm and caring personality.

“Mr. Schilb was dedicated to his students, and they reciprocated,” Triplett said. “Some of his greatest joys were teaching the Law and You course, and doing the Philosophical Chairs exercise in class to show students how to disagree without being disagreeable. Speaking for the district, our hearts go out to everyone whose life was made better by spending time with Mr. Schilb.”

Sedalia 200 School Board President Dr. Jeffrey Sharp believes that Mr. Schilb added a breadth and depth of perspective in his short tenure on the board.

“I knew he would add a teacher's perspective but was pleasantly surprised in his depth of knowledge when discussing adding armed resource officers to each building,” Sharp said. “His presence will be sorely missed.”

Mr. Schilb’s school board term expires in April 2021; district board policy states that the board can designate a resident of the community who meets board member criteria to serve until the 2020 election, Candidates then would vie to serve out the remaining year of Mr. Schilb’s term to maintain the term rotation structure.