At-large candidates Maria Alonzo and Sara Hopkins have won election to a Des Moines School Board that is celebrating a massive school bond victory while wrestling with the immigration arrest of its former superintendent.
Alonzo is an incumbent, and Hopkins will be serving her first term.
Marcus Coenen, who was also running for one of the two at-large seats, came in third.
Voters also reelected incumbent board member Skylar Mayberry-Mayes to his District 4 seat. He was unopposed.
And Ryan P. Howell was elected to a first term in District 2. He also ran unopposed.
Incoming Des Moines School Board members will face a number of challenges including rebuilding public trust after the arrest of former Superintendent Ian Roberts by immigration officials for overstaying a 2024 deportation order; navigating state and federal investigations related to the district’s hiring practices; and a financial audit.
At the same time, the school board and other officials will move forward with the district’s Reimagining Education, Reinvigorating Schools construction plan following the passage of its $265 million general obligation bond question.
DMPS’ Reimagining Education plan aims to improve student achievement and overhaul the district including updates to buildings and technology. The bond will cover much of the plan’s construction cost over the next five years.
Alonzo, 53, has a master’s degree in counseling from Drake University. She is a counselor and victim advocate. She was elected to the Des Moines School Board in 2021.
She told the Des Moines Register after the race was called in her favor that the victory helps reassure her that “this is why I call Des Moines home.”
“It just tells me that I have been right about the way Des Moines believes — about the way Des Moines lives,” she said. “On a personal level, this has made me feel extremely, extremely safe, extremely at home, and I’m grateful for that. I’m grateful for the opportunity that Des Moines has given me to continue to serve and continue to support. So all I can say is thank you.”
She said she was also pleased to see the bond issue pass.
“This tonight meant the community sees what children need, and we are prioritizing it,” she said. “And I think that as a district, that is what we’re going to do. I think that the ballot specified what we will be doing with what the community will give us, and that is the plan. We’re going to stick to it.”
Hopkins, 42, is a realtor who has served on the boards of several nonprofits. She is a lifelong Des Moines resident, an East High graduate and a parent of two children in the district.
“The school board must earn back trust in our community,” she said in a candidate survey. “We have to create more accountability at all levels, be transparent with our financial and management decisions, and create high expectations for all students.”
She said that, as a realtor, she’s seen “far too many” families moving out of Des Moines because they want other school options for their children.
“I don’t think we’ve succeeded until I hear families want to move to Des Moines for our public schools,” she said.
She said she believes the district’s Reimagining Education plan will help address key issues such as declining enrollment, aging facilities and specialized programming.
“However, while these initiatives are important, it’s crucial to ensure that student success, teacher support and district-wide accountability remain central priorities throughout the Reimagining Education implementation,” she said. “We have to figure out a solution to declining enrollment, and that needs to start with earning trust back from the community.”
Howell, 45, is an attorney at Principal Financial Group. He grew up in Davenport and has lived in Des Moines since 2008. He and his wife have four children attending DMPS schools.
“This is a critical time for public education,” Howell said in his candidate survey. “We must continue to evolve, be willing to innovate to meet this moment, and be responsible stewards.”
He said passing the bond referendum was “the single most important issue” facing the district.
“I will ensure that resources are responsibly invested for our kids’ success,” he said.
Mayberry-Mayes, 36, is the executive director at Grand View University’s Jacobson Institute. He has served on the boards of the Oakridge neighborhood, Big Brothers Big Sisters, DMPS Foundation, Polk County Magistrate Commission and the Iowa Department of Human Services Council.
He said he thinks the Reimagining Education plan “does not focus solely on academics but also prioritizes relevance, ensuring that what happens in our classrooms connects to the real world.”
“This is essential if we want our students to leave our schools not only prepared for college and careers but equipped to thrive in their communities,” he said.
Des Moines Register reporter Samantha Hernandez contributed to this report.
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Des Moines Register. She writes about campaigns, elections and the Iowa Caucuses. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on X at @brianneDMR.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Maria Alonzo, Sara Hopkins elected to at-large seats on Des Moines School Board
Reporting by Brianne Pfannenstiel, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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