DES MOINES, Iowa — Early voting kicks off on Wednesday and one of the most anticipated races is for the Des Moines School Board. Member Maria Alonzo is now sharing why she is running for a second term.

Alonzo is running for one of the two at-large seats on the Des Moines School Board. It is the only contested position on the board because two other candidates are in the running for the seats.

Alonzo was one of the seven board members who unanimously voted to hire former Superintendent Ian Roberts in 2023.

“Having hired him is not a regret. Perhaps it’s a regret that we were not more invested in verifying him, right. At that time, we didn’t know what was to come. We believe that the system that we had in place would suffice. We believe that we had or that we were going through the the appropriate channels, right. To to make the best decision possible for a district, for our district. And so I don’t regret having done that. I regret perhaps not being more aware that, you know, there were other things that we could do to just verify,” Alonzo said.

The school board has come under major scrutiny since the former superintendent was arrested on September 26. Many people have taken to social media to call on the board to step down.

“I believe that everyone has a right to an opinion, and I respect that. But stepping down would be the same as running away. And personally, I have nothing to hide. On the contrary, there’s a lot of things that I think the district, the entire board has done in the four years that truly has helped things move forward and better student outcomes. And I believe that those things need to be recognized. I don’t run away from issues. I believe in listening. I believe in talking and dialoging. I believe in doing the work and I believe in stepping up. And that’s why I’m here. And that’s why I continue to be here,” she said.

Alonzo began her first term on the school board in 2021. She has developed a reputation for being a voice for the largest demographic in Des Moines Public Schools.

According to the district, 32% of the students at DMPS are Hispanic, followed by 31%White, 22% African American, and 7% Asian American.

Alonzo frequently translates important district dialogue into Spanish.

“One of the things that I think I learned at the beginning was that communities of color in our district existed but only in the classroom. And it, it was evident that we needed to change that as a district,” she said. “It is important to acknowledge and recognize who we have in our district, and it’s important to elevate that the presence and magnify the voice of everyone. And I think, I believe, that in the four years I’ve been there, I have pushed for that at the table so that it’s a priority.”

Alonzo said she will continue to meet with community members and seek better educational opportunities for students.

“I believe that in order to lead, you have to know who you’re leading. And I am committed to community. I am committed to families and I’m strongly committed to our students. You have to know who you’re leading. You have to know your community. The demographics, I think, speak for themselves. And I have worked really hard to make myself visible, to stay present in the community, building relationships to create trust because that’s important. And so I believe I lead with integrity. I’m not going anywhere. I like to get things done. I like to push and I believe that students deserve the best, the best education possible. We have great educators. Let’s help them get the work done for our kids,” she said.

Alonzo said her main focus if elected to a second term is student outcomes.

Also in the running for an at-large position is Sara Hopkins and Marcus Coenen.

Hopkins is a Des Moines native and alumna of East High School and Grand View University. She has two children who currently attend Brody Middle School and Lincoln High School.

Hopkins is a realtor and her business is located in the Highland Park neighborhood.

“I think that the success of our city depends on the success of our schools. We have got to have a thriving, successful school system that people really want to be a part of for far too long. I understand how much the schools dictate where people want to live, and I do not think that we have succeeded until people call me to say, ‘I want to move to Des Moines because I want to go to our schools,’” she said.

Hopkins started running for school board before the former superintendent was arrested, but she said her goal if elected is to help the district move forward.

“Every student in every neighborhood deserves an excellent education despite everything else that’s happening. As long as that is our main focus, I think that we can continue to move forward and thrive. We can figure out what caused problems in the first place so that they don’t happen again, but this school district will move on and will continue to be successful. And I think having the right people in leadership to begin making those decisions is really important,” she said.

Coenen previously spoke with WHO 13 News earlier in October. He also joined the race for school board before Roberts’ arrest. Coenen spent six years as president of the Beaverdale Neighborhood Association. He has two young daughters, and one of them recently started school in the district.

Coenen and Hopkins both said they support the $265 million bond referendum for Des Moines Public Schools that is also on the November ballot.

Aside from the two open at-large seats for Des Moines School Board, there are also open seats for District 2 and District 4.

The current board member for District 2, Jenna Knox, is not running for re-election. Instead, newcomer Ryan P. Howell is running uncontested for that seat.

District 4 is currently held by Skylar Mayberry-Mayes and he is running for re-election.

Mayberry-Mayes was appointed to the board in April 2024 after longtime board member Teree Caldwell-Johnson stepped down due to health reasons. Caldwell-Johnson later passed away after a long battle with cancer.

Mayberry-Mayes is also running uncontested in this election.

Early voting officially started on Wednesday, October 15. Polk County residents who want to vote early in-person can go to the new election office, the Polk County River Place, which is located at 2309 Euclid Avenue.

Absentee ballots will also begin to be mailed out on Wednesday, October 15. Absentee ballots can be sent by mail or be dropped off in-person at the county auditor’s office or at a satellite station.