Note to readers: John Masterson is one of five candidates for three USD 257 Board of Education seats. You can read our profiles on the other candidates, Lisa Wicoff, Nathan Cunningham, Robin Griffin-Lohman and John Wilson.
For John Masterson, education isn’t just a career — it’s a lifelong calling.
Masterson, who was appointed to the Iola USD 257 board of education in 2023, is seeking election to keep his seat this fall. A lifelong Iolan, retired community college president, and proud “Mustang at heart,” Masterson said his decision to serve came from a desire to give back to the community that shaped him.
“I had just retired from the college and was deciding what I was going to do,” he said. “I got some encouragement to run for the school board, and I decided I might have something to contribute.”
Even so, he admitted he had initial reservations. “The main reason was just because of my age,” he said with a laugh. “I like to see folks who have direct connections with the schools run, but I also understand how hard that can be for them — they’re busy.”
Masterson’s connection to Iola schools runs deep. A graduate of Iola High School, he also raised two children in the district.
“I’ve got a real fondness for this district,” he said. “I’m a Mustang through and through.”
BEFORE JOINING the board, Masterson spent nearly 50 years in education and community leadership, most notably serving as president of Allen Community College from 1992 to 2022. His career began as a guidance counselor and baseball coach at the college in the 1970s, followed by an eight-year stint in banking before returning to higher education in administrative roles.
“Everything I did, whether it was coaching, counseling, or banking, always came back to service,” Masterson reflected. “In banking, I used to tell myself, ‘You’re my customer — what’s the best way for me to serve you?’ That same mindset applied in education.”
Masterson said his time at Allen gave him unique insight into both student needs and community partnerships. He has long been a champion of collaboration between the district and the college.
“We’re a small community,” he said. “We’ve got to do more things together, especially as numbers start shrinking. We need to figure out how to capitalize on the personnel and facilities we already have.”
WHEN IT comes to district priorities, Masterson sees both immediate and long-term facility needs.
“Short term, our athletic fields need upgrades — turf, drainage, lighting, the works,” he said. “We need to be able to look down the road and say, ‘Okay, for the next 10 years, we’re in good shape.’”
But the district’s biggest challenge, he said, lies with the high school.
“When we toured our facilities this summer, you walk into our elementary school and you’re just full of pride — it’s beautiful,” he said. “The middle school has been well cared for. But the high school really needs to be looked at. Those are big-ticket items, and you can’t fix them overnight, but we need to start planning now.”
That long-term thinking, he added, is the same mindset he’s applied throughout his career — one that values progress tracking and accountability. After attending a Kansas Association of School Boards session last year, Masterson said he became more confident in how the district uses data to guide decisions.
