Candidates Run For Farmington School Board, Zone 2

Business Owner Seeks Position On School Board

— Atina King of Farmington is seeking her first public office to serve as the Zone 2 representative on Farmington School Board.

She is running for office, she said, because she believes the current district policies make it hard to communicate with the school board and the school administration.

“I think that parents should have open and honest communication with those who are working with and making rules and policies for their children,” King said.

Fa rm ing ton

School Board is changing from a board made up of at- large members to a zoned school board because a greater percentage of the population now belongs to a minority status.

State law requires any board of a community having a combined minority population of more than 10% create zones. According to the 2020 census, Farmington School District has a 19.6% minority population.

King and school board President Travis Warren are running for the Zone 2 position on the board in the May 24 school election. Only registered voters living in Zone 2 will be able to vote in this race.

Candidates for the other zoned positions are unopposed for election.

King, 39, is a small business owner and photographer and graduated from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor of science degree in business administration.

She served with the Williams Elementary PTA for two years, from 2015-2017.

King said she has a vested interest in the education of Farmington students because she has two children in the school district and a child with special needs. Her mother was an Arkansas public school teacher for 32 years, and she said she has seen problems that teachers and staff face on a daily basis.

She said she believes her experiences as a mom will help her serve as a school board member. She has juggled her schedule, her children’s schedules, taught her child

as a virtual learner and run her small business. Prior to the covid pandemic, she often volunteered at the school.

“Who better to serve on the school board than the parent who is juggling all those things while interacting with the school daily?” King said. “My past experiences as a manager and small business owner have given me a thick skin as well. I don’t get easily offended, and I’m not afraid to stand up for what is right, even if it isn’t popular.”

She said she wants to give a voice to parents, students and teachers by hearing their concerns and working with them to make necessary changes, as well as keeping them informed.

King sees more an avenue for more open communication as one of the most pressing needs at Farmington School District. She said people have voiced these concerns to her that they believe the school does a “poor job” communicating with students, parents and the public.

She also is concerned about the districtwide reading scores and believes the district needs to address this sooner, rather than later, whether through additional training, hiring more aides or school provided tutoring.

Another need, King said in a profile form submitted to the Enterprise-Leader, is that the district needs to support its teachers further.

“Their jobs have been chaotic and increasingly stressful since early 2020 due to the pandemic. I’ve spoken to teachers who feel that they aren’t getting the support from administration that they need. I hope to implement changes that will not only attract but also retain the very best educators for our students through providing more support to our teachers and staff and listening to and addressing their concerns.”

If elected, King said she hopes to be the board member who initiates change in district policy that will facilitate open communication between all stakeholders and the school board.

King