District 4 interview round spotlights student mental‑health, teacher support and outreach

Des Moines — At a special meeting to fill a District 4 vacancy, members of the Des Moines Independent Comm School District board interviewed three finalists and heard recurring commitments to bolster student social‑emotional supports, strengthen teachers’ capacity and expand engagement with families and community partners.

John Mark told board members he applied as a foster and adoptive parent and said he had ‘‘a really powerful voice’’ for children experiencing discipline and restraint issues. He said the district must address mounting social‑emotional needs and cited ‘‘41% chronic absenteeism’’ as part of the evidence he’d use to prioritize outreach and trauma‑informed supports. He also said empowering teachers — giving them professional trust and resources — would improve outcomes.

Cameron Middlebrooks emphasized representation, accountability and partnerships. He described past work organizing community listening sessions that produced policy initiatives in housing and economic supports, and said the board should ‘‘establish[] those key guard rails’’ and monitor progress with transparent reporting and community education about governance roles.

Skyler Mayberry Mae focused on closing achievement gaps for historically underserved groups, increasing equitable awareness of available district resources and bringing engagement to neighborhoods rather than relying solely on evening public hearings. Skyler said the board must set clear goals and press for ongoing monitoring and continuous improvement while allowing the superintendent to lead implementation.

Throughout the interviews board members repeatedly asked how candidates would balance District 4 constituents’ needs with citywide priorities, ensure transparency and hold the superintendent accountable to board‑set goals and guard rails. Candidates described similar approaches: one‑on‑one meetings with colleagues and staff, more frequent and varied outreach to families, and leaning on community partners (nonprofits, higher‑education institutions and health providers) for service delivery the district cannot provide directly.

The panel reminded candidates the session was being recorded and that the board will compile scale scores, conduct deliberations and expect to name a designee the same evening; the selected candidate is slated to be sworn in at the board’s regular business meeting on April 16. No formal appointment was recorded in the interview session itself.