The Roaring Fork School District and Roaring Fork Community Education Association co-hosted a school board candidate forum Thursday night ahead of the November election.

The hourlong event, held at the district office in Carbondale, gave the four candidates running for the open District A and District E seats a platform to share their views and priorities with the community.

The District A seat will be vacated by current representative Kenny Teitler, who announced in August he would not seek a second term. Jodi Barr and Tamara Nimmo are running for the open seat. Incumbent District E board member Kathryn Kuhlenberg is seeking re-election against challenger Elizabeth Cockrill Taylor.

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The forum was moderated by Pitkin County Strategic Communications Manager Alycin Bektesh, who emphasized it was not a debate. Each candidate had two minutes for opening and closing statements and to answer four questions, which were asked in rotation.

“Tonight is an opportunity to introduce yourself to the community and allow the audience to get to know you,” Bektesh said at the start.

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Question 1: The role of a board member

Candidates began by describing how they would approach the responsibilities of the position.

Barr and Nimmo both said the role would involve a learning curve but emphasized their commitment to teamwork and support for the district’s mission.

“I have to learn on the job, but I believe I have so many skill sets coming in that I would be a really good person to be on the board,” Barr said. “I could bring a fresh perspective and a lot of skills that would be beneficial.”

“The role of a board member is to support the administration, Dr. Cole, the mission and the strategic plan,” Nimmo said. “It’s our job to work as a team — we are not individuals.”

Cockrill Taylor described board members as responsible for ensuring student safety, supporting teachers, and reviewing curriculum.

“The board members are in charge of hiring and retaining teachers — finding good teachers and taking care of them in terms of pay, housing and insurance,” she said. “It’s important we look over and find the best curriculum that will challenge all of our kids.”

Kuhlenberg, the incumbent, corrected that assertion, noting the board is not involved in personnel decisions outside of the superintendent.

“The board manages one person — the superintendent,” she said. “The board’s other major role is creating policy. I’m proud to say we updated our entire local policy, some of which was 30 years outdated.”

Question 2: Increasing equity in student achievement

When asked how they would support the district’s goal of increasing equity in student achievement, Nimmo said the challenge was “huge” and “complex.”

“I believe my role will be helping the team, supporting the superintendent, and making sure the policies we put in place are good,” she said. “The key is following up with data to see if it’s actually happening.”

Cockrill Taylor said additional support for students with learning differences is essential.

“For kids who have dyslexia, those kids have a disability that needs extra attention,” she said. “If they get tested early, they can probably reach the same level as other kids, but it needs to be caught early.”

Kuhlenberg said that while additional support is ideal, funding limits what the district can do.

“Providing extra help to every student is great in theory, but that costs a lot of money,” she said. “We need to look at how we can shift programs and staff effectively to ensure students are getting the help they need — while staying within budget.”

Barr emphasized supporting teachers and parents.

“It starts with teachers,” she said. “We need to make sure the curriculum being taught is effective and that teachers have the professional development they need. I also believe it begins in the home, so families need to be part of the solution.”

Question 3: Policy and governance priorities

When asked what policies or governance practices they would prioritize, Cockrill Taylor focused on accountability and school safety.

“I would like to keep parents in the loop and in charge of what’s going on with their kids,” she said. “As for safety, if we can’t afford more school resource officers, we could consider training willing teachers and staff to conceal carry.”

Kuhlenberg agreed that safety is critical but said security funding should come from partnerships with local governments, not classroom dollars.

“We are funded for K-12 education, not to police our own schools,” she said. “Board professional development is also incredibly important so members understand their power and its limits.”

Barr also cited safety as a top concern but added wellness and nutrition as priorities.

“I agree that safety is at the forefront,” she said. “I’d also like to bring wellness policies that address nutrition, movement and mental health.”

Nimmo said her focus would remain on existing challenges rather than introducing new policies.

“The achievement gap is really important to me,” she said. “Teacher housing is also incredibly important because teachers need to feel like part of the community.”

Question 4: Future funding measures

Candidates were asked whether they would support a mill levy override to fund staff salaries and retention.

Kuhlenberg noted the district has already reached its mill levy limit but said she supports finding other funding sources.

“Our district has maxed our mills, so that’s not possible,” she said. “We would have to pursue a bond, sales tax or other funding measure. We need additional funding to recruit and retain high-quality staff.”

Barr said rebuilding community trust would help the district attract more students and financial stability.

“If we started focusing on increasing trust that we have excellent and safe schools, then families are going to want to come here,” she said.

Nimmo said she would support a mill levy override if it were an option.

“When we want services, we need to pay for them,” she said. “It would be okay to ask second homeowners or residents without children to help fund our schools.”

Cockrill Taylor said she supports the idea but mischaracterized how such measures are funded. She also voiced concerns about transparency and curriculum content.

“I think if we could rebuild trust with parents and the community, we might have a better chance of bringing more students back to our schools,” she said. “Bringing in a lot of the transgender ideology in a way parents didn’t know about has scared some families.”

Closing statements

Kuhlenberg closed by highlighting her experience and personal investment in the district.

“My three children are in our buildings every day,” she said. “I’m a huge advocate of public education, and my entire career has been devoted to children and education.”

Cockrill Taylor again called for transparency.

“I think we need to bring curriculum and lesson plans to a place where parents can find them easily,” she said. “That kind of transparency would build bridges of trust.”

Nimmo emphasized her hands-on experience and willingness to learn.

“I know all our schools are led really well,” she said. “I support the goals and mission of the board and am ready to learn.”

Barr reiterated her focus on communication and accountability.

“I might not have all the degrees, but I can figure things out,” she said. “We need to care about the community’s concerns about the health curriculum and protect our kids.”

Ballots will be mailed starting Monday, with Election Day set for Tuesday, Nov. 4. More information is available at rfschools.com.