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ATLANTA — Five candidates are running in the Nov. 8 election for four spots on the Atlanta Community Schools Board of Education.

Incumbent Kelly Karll is an engineer and said she wants to help the schools’ science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs grow. With her knowledge in engineering, she believes she would be able to do that.

“I have kids at the school, and I was hoping to help work with the school to help grow more programs in the STEM technology,” Karll said.

If elected, Karll said it would be more of the same, but she would also like to bring more grant opportunities to the district. She has experience in that area, as well, that would help direct the school board.

“I think it’s really a lot of the same,” Karll said. “I think one of the things I would like to go for is grant opportunities.”

Pam Parsons has served the school board for two terms. She said she would like to continue to keep the district financially stable.

“Mainly, I want to continue on the board,” Parsons said. “I want to keep it financially stable and the board I’ve been with has done an excellent job, so I would like to continue in that school system. Just continue as we have been doing, again, hopefully continue to be treasurer. I would just like to keep involved in the school district.”

Doris Smith, an incumbent, is really excited about what’s been happening in the last few years regarding education and the students.

“I think we have a very good opportunity to bring a quality education to our students and we really developed some positive things in Atlanta,” Smith said. “We’ve come a long way and we’re fiscally sound and we have a great team. We really want to present an educational opportunity to our children, and we’ve really moved forward in the past few years.”

Smith wants to continue to help the students toward their goals and prepare them for their futures.

“We would continue to look for additional opportunities in enhancing our students’ needs,” Smith said.

Cody Stevens, another incumbent, said he wants to give comment from a parent’s perspective, since he has kids who are in the district.

“I would like to continue with another term,” Stevens said. “I have three children in the schools, so I would like to help in their education and give comment from a parent in the school.”

Stevens said that, if he wins, he would like to continue to do what he does on the board and he also said the school board and the administration work well together.

“Since I’m already on the board, it would be a continuation of what I’ve been doing for the last few years,” Stevens said.

Rhonda Adams is a retired school teacher. She taught high school grades in L.A. County and she said she wants to be a part of the school board to help out the community and the students. She also said she sat in on a current school board meeting and liked what she saw.

“I’ve been out of the classrooms for a while and I was going to substitute and this is a way I can help the community and the students as well,” Adams said.

Adams said if she won she would do her best to help facilitate the students in their learning and see what they need to become successful citizens.

“I would do my best to go along with what the students what is wanting to be done and what would be good for the community and by that I mean what do the students have when they get out and I’m referring to the In our community what do we have what do the students have,” Adams said. “And if there is something that we can do to facilitate that for them.”