Farmington Student Round Table Members Grill School Board Candidates

They won't be able to vote in the Nov. 8 Board election, but that didn't stop a group of high school students from asking candidates some tough questions during a Monday night forum.

The adults were asked to talk about trimesters versus block scheduling, ensuring students are learning and not just being taught "to the test", lowering class sizes, and how to reduce the district's identified achievement gap between white students and students of color.

Farmington High senior Andy Hill turns 18 later this month, but not in time to register to vote on Nov. 8. Still, he said, "I think it's really good that students got to ask questions. A lot of my friends don't have a clue who's on the school board."

Hill said he will share the information from the forum with his parents, and said "just being informed helps. Whoever gets elected, I'll know where they're coming from."

Candidates for one 4-year term are Murray Kahn and David Sampson; Kahn was unable to attend the forum. George Gurrola is running unopposed to fill out the remainder of a 4-year term. Five candidates are running for the two 6-year terms, including incumbent Karen Bolsen, Irving Ginsberg, Samuel Ramsey, Angie Smith and incumbent Howard Wallach.

Held in the North Farmington High School auditorium, the forum was sponsored by the Farmington African American Parent Network and hosted by members of the District's Student Round Table. The group includes students from , , and High Schools.

Round Table president Kayla Wimbush said she received an email from School Board president Sheilah Clay, asking whether the students would participate. "We took it by the horns and got it done," Wimbush said.

Students came up with questions on their own, and some also collected questions from classes at each of the schools. They also took questions from the audience during the event.

Candidate responses to a question about class sizes in the wake of closing four elementary schools centered around supporting teachers.

Ramsey said his goal is to work with the board and superintendent to see what can be done to get retired teachers to help out in the classroom.

Sampson said he hadn't yet seen data as to whether classrooms are overly crowded, but said if that proves true, he would find ways to work with the superintendent and experts in the district to develop and implement recommendations.

Smith said the district needs to put more help in the classroom; she advocates smaller class sizes at the elementary and middle school level.

Wallach said having a teacher who is skilled at "differentiation", or being able to target lessons for individual learners at all levels, is critical.

As officials go into the budget process, Bolsen said, it's important to keep an eye on classroom size and support teachers with professional development and professional learning communities, as well as listening to parents.

Cost savings in the current budget could be used in the classroom, Ginsberg said, adding he has looked at the budget and identified redundancies and administrative cuts that could put hundreds of thousands of dollars back into the classroom.

Gurrola, who served on the facilities studies committee, clarified that buildings are not over-crowded, just closer to capacity. He said it's still important to maintain class size and ensure diverse class offerings for students.