Polk City — Four candidates for the North Polk Comm School District school board laid out priorities ranging from school safety and teacher support to long‑term facility planning during a candidate forum moderated by Stacy Allen, executive director of Go Polk City Chamber and Economic Development.

At the forum, each candidate framed academics and consistent student experiences as a top priority. Keith Boorman, who has served on the school board for eight years, said "appropriate class sizes really drive a lot" of academic success and stressed the district should maintain staffing levels and consistent grade‑level collaboration. Holly Hunter, a longtime PTA volunteer and dental hygienist, said she would "advocate for fair distribution of staffing, tools, and programs" and push for data‑driven interventions and clear family communication.

Candidates also emphasized support for teachers so they can focus on instruction. "Teachers are heroes," Hunter said, adding she would work to reduce unnecessary workloads, protect teacher autonomy and promote meaningful professional development. Ben Engler, a candidate with a finance background, said the first step is to "ask the teachers what they need and what they want," and to direct resources where frontline staff identify gaps. Board vice president Matt Iker, a Polk City police officer, said trust and visible board presence matter: "When teachers feel respected and supported, that directly improves student learning and school culture."

School safety and mental‑health resources featured prominently. Iker recounted responding to the January 2024 Perry High School shooting and said, "Safety policies aren't optional. They're life saving." Keith Boorman described investments already made in secure building entries and ongoing partnerships with the Polk City Police Department and noted a board goal to "ensure that 95% of our students had at least one trusted adult in the building" to strengthen emotional supports.

On growth and facilities, candidates agreed early planning is essential. Boorman described the district's use of biennial demographic reports from a third‑party firm (RSP) and ongoing conversations with city planners and developers to forecast needs; he said planning and construction can take three to four years. Matt Iker and Ben Engler said the district will likely need a new elementary facility within the next five to seven years if current trends continue. Boorman and Iker noted the district currently has capacity in buildings but is tracking metrics that could trigger future projects.

Candidates addressed finance and transparency. Hunter raised the district's tax‑base composition, saying about 86% of the tax base is residential and advocating responsible commercial growth to broaden revenues. Engler cited the roughly $30 million annual budget and urged careful stewardship; several candidates pointed to independent annual audits and improved communications staffing as tools to keep the public informed.

On keeping politics out of the classroom, candidates commonly described the board's role as nonpartisan oversight focused on learning. "Students should be encouraged to think critically, explore ideas, and engage with facts," Iker said, adding that transparent curriculum decisions help build trust. Candidates said they would balance community input with trust in educators and adherence to standards.

The forum — organized around nine preselected questions submitted by the public — concluded with each candidate asking for voters' support ahead of the Nov. 4 election. Stacy Allen moderated the event, which the district livestreamed.

The forum included discussion of district accomplishments and areas for improvement: candidates cited the district's range of academic and extracurricular programs and recent facility investments, and they identified competitive compensation and long‑term financial stability as priorities going forward.