photo by: Contributed photo

Nate Morsches

Another candidate has thrown his hat into the ring for the Lawrence school board.

Nate Morsches, 34, recently filed to run for the board’s election, making him the fifth to do so.

Morsches told the Journal-World his experience volunteering for Lawrence’s College and Career Center inspired him to run. He said when he was a student it was not made clear to him that he had more post-graduation options than going to college.

“It’s been very important to me that children understand that traditional college is not the only option,” he said, citing other options like trade schools, apprenticeships and other programs. “All these other options were never presented to me growing up, so I spent a lot of time and money on a degree that never did much for me.”

He said he’s also passionate about mental health and wants to be a voice on the school board advocating for the mental well-being of students and teachers.

Morsches, who is originally from Honolulu, said he’s lived in Lawrence for about 15 years. He said he has four children in the school district, ranging from kindergarten to middle school, one of whom is in the district’s special needs program.

Morsches said he works as a registered nurse, previously for LMH Health but now for a hospital in Johnson County. He is also the president and co-founder of RPG, a downtown restaurant with a library of board games.

Three seats on the seven-member school board are up for election this fall. Along with Morsches, incumbent candidates G.R. Gordon-Ross and Kelly Jones and three newcomers — Melissa Clissold, Douglas Redding and Travis Tozer — have also filed to run.

The filing deadline for the election is noon June 1. The general election is Nov. 2. Deputy County Clerk R.J. Wilson said a primary election would be necessary only if 10 candidates filed to run.