A forum for candidates for the North Platte public school board will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15 at North Platte Community College.

The forum, organized by the North Platte Education Association teachers union, will be held in the McDonald-Belton Theater on the south campus of the college.

As the Nov. 3 general election approaches, three seats are up for grabs on the board. Two current members are not running again.

President Emily Garrick faces challenger Kyle Nichols.

Harlan Anderson and Val Hyde square off in Ward 2. Stuart Simpson and Shreya Agrawal are running for the Ward 1 seat.

School board members are elected for four-year terms, so the winners will be seated through 2030.

All six candidates are invited to participate in the forum. They will answer questions posed by Tristen Winder of KNOP News 2.

“We know it matters who makes decisions for our schools and students,” NPEA President Kenzie Mollring said. “In the North Platte Public Schools, six elected school board members have a responsibility for shaping and monitoring education policies, deciding the direction of the district, and how funds will be spent.”

“It is up to all of us to know and understand what each school board member believes and supports,” Mollring said. “At the heart of it all, members of a district’s board of education must believe and ensure all students have access to high-quality teachers and safe learning environments. It means ensuring that all students have the tools and resources they need to learn and succeed, no matter where they live or what their life circumstances are.”

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