Incumbent Alka Khanolkar believes recent decisions by the Keokuk School Board will lead to positive results for the entire school district.
She is one of four candidates in the September 10th election for three open seats on the panel.
Khanolkar is completing her first term on the board.
She says she and her fellow board members have addressed some serious issues over the last four years, including budget reductions, educational climate and facility improvements.
"We have accomplished many of our tasks... that needed to be completed," says Khanolkar, "but there are stil quite a few that need to be completed."
Khanolkar says the biggest challenges facing the district, at this point, are declining enrollment and lower-than acceptable graduation rates.
She says it is important that the district not get distracted by the specific numbers.
She believes programs like Professional Learning Communities for teachers and K-Pride, which stresses positive behaviors at KHS, will help.
"The initiatives that we have started, the new initiatives that we have started, we should focus our attention on making those successful," says Khanolkar.
She is confident those new initiatives will also help Keokuk reverse its negative open-enrollment numbers.
If re-elected, she says she would support developing more online classes, in the hopes of reconnecting with students who did not graduate or offering courses based in other districts.
