Endorsed: Giamis, Frantz, Karpowicz in District 68

Voters will elect at least one newcomer to the Oak Grove Elementary District 68 school board in the April 2 election.

Four candidates are seeking three, 4-year seats on the board that oversees the one-school district in Green Oaks. Incumbents Anthony "Tony" Giamis and Amy Frantz are on the ballot, with newcomers Raabia Khan and Agata Karpowicz.

District 68 has built a reputation as a high-achieving school that prepares students well for transition to high school. It is a National Blue Ribbon School award recipient and recently completed a $14 million building renovation.

Giamis, 49, a board member since 2015 and its current president, is a scientist who said he makes data-driven decisions. He stresses continual review of curriculum and programs to seek improvement. Math is one area in need of review, he said.

Frantz, 47, on the board since 2015 and current vice president, is a former communications manager and a current elementary school teacher in another district. She stresses two-way communication with stakeholders and says her teaching background gives her a unique perspective. Changing demographics make it important that teachers receive training in teaching English language learners, she said.

Khan, is an Oak Grove alum and a former Montessori teacher. With four children in District 68, she said she can see the transition of students through all levels. She is excited about the school's diversity and says she can reflect it on the board. She stresses the importance of small class sizes.

Karpowicz, 40, an attorney, moved to Green Oaks two years ago and has two small children in the school. She likes that the district offers programs outside of the basic curriculum to enrich children and expand their minds. She'd like to see more foreign languages offered to students and earlier in life, and an expansion of after-school programs, particularly sports. She wants to give students an education that leads to a broader scope of the world. Karpowicz says she came to the U.S. from Poland and Germany, and she can help represent immigrant families.

Giamis and Frantz are solid incumbents who deserve another term. Khan and Karpowicz are impressive challengers with much to offer. We lean toward Karpowicz because she has demonstrated an independent voice that will serve District 68 residents.