Incumbents Ruthina Malone, Jayne Finch, and newcomer Jennifer Horn-Fraiser secured the three open seats on the Iowa City Community School Board on Tuesday.

Finch received the most votes, with 10,950 ballots cast in her favor, according to unofficial results released Tuesday night. Malone and Horn-Fraiser trailed behind with 10,935 and 8,413 votes, respectively.

Horn-Frasier prepares to take on new role 

Twenty of Horn-Frasier’s closest friends and family gathered in an intimate celebration at her home in Iowa City. Attendees spent the night gathered around a computer, impatiently refreshing and waiting for results. 

Horn-Frasier, a longtime educator and University of Iowa alum, previously taught middle school and high school language arts in the school district. She is now a strategy consultant with Bluebird Sky and will serve her first term on the school board. 

Horn-Frasier reflected on her campaign while awaiting the election results. 

“I’ve had the opportunity to have really wonderful conversations with people about things that they really care about,” Horn-Frasier said. “It feels like a privilege to have been able to do that.”

Mike Frasier, Horn-Frasier’s husband, said he is proud of the work his wife has put into her campaign, and said she learned a lot throughout the process. 

“When she decided to do this, she didn’t really know what she was getting into,” Frasier said. “All of the work that she has done with community outreach has been amazing.”

When the results came in, the room was filled with cheering, hugging, and tears. Horn-Frasier said it was the people in the room who made the moment so special. 

“I’m just really grateful. I got to be in a room with all of my favorite people,” Horn-Frasier said.

Horn-Frasier said she feels a sense of responsibility now that she has been officially elected to the board. 

She said her biggest priority right now is understanding the role she has been elected to.

“I think my role is going to be focused on learning, but that doesn’t mean I won’t use my voice when appropriate,” Horn-Frasier said. 

Malone is looking forward to serving a third term

Malone, current school board president, has served two consecutive terms. She was initially elected to the board in 2017 and then reelected in 2021. Malone said she is excited to serve a third term. 

“I am just forever grateful to the Iowa City Community School District voters for allowing me to continue to serve our community and continue to make our schools a better place,” Malone said.

Malone said her biggest priority going into a third term is making sure the district is prioritizing the well-being of staff, including classroom safety for teachers and students.

She said her first priority in her third term is focusing on safety in school buildings. 

“One of the things that I truly hope we can shine a light on and address is the concern of mental health for our staff,” Malone said.

Finch is excited for four more years on the board

Finch was originally elected to the school board in 2021 and has served on the board since. She has been involved with the district for eight years, serving as chair of the district’s Equity Advisory Committee and as a school board member. 

Finch said she is honored to be elected for a second term.

“I’m so grateful to all of the voters who are giving me another four years on the board,” Finch said. “The message that is sent tonight is that our community is hungry for leadership on the board that is curious and asks questions.”

In an interview with the DI ahead of the election, Finch said the most pressing issue facing the district is enrollment numbers. From 2024-35, total enrollment is expected to decrease by 758 students. She said declining enrollment in the district is being directly impacted by the voucher program.

Finch said she is excited to serve on the board and work with her fellow board members for another term. 

“We’ve gotten to know each other over the last several months, and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of individuals that want to serve this community,” Finch said.

Two newcomers fall short on election night

Dan Stevenson, a newcomer to the race, is a teacher of eighth-grade U.S. history at West Liberty High School with over 20 years of experience in the classroom. Serving as president for the West Liberty Education Association, he has also served on the Iowa City Public Library Board of Trustees. 

Stevenson was not elected to a seat on the board, but is grateful for the experiences he gained through the process.

“Obviously, I’m disappointed not to have won, but I am hopeful for the future of ICCSD,” Stevenson said. “I know the board members that won care deeply about our school district, and I know the future is bright for our district.”

Stevenson said he doesn’t have any regrets about his campaign and feels he did everything in his power to win. 

“There is nothing that’s nagging me,” Stevenson said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity that I had, and I’m proud of the people that won.”

David Noerper said in an interview with the DI before the election he strongly supports public education, having been a peer tutor for many years. Because of this experience, he advocated for policies that align with children’s needs, as he has two children enrolled in the district.

Noerper did not respond to a request for comment at the time of publication.