Photo/Michael Cairns Photography

Vice Chair School Board Member Angie Gallo visited Boone High School’s newspaper class and spoke about her role as an OCPS representative. Gallo talked about her goals and contributions as a school board member representing District 1. Elected in 2018, Gallo has served our community through years of volunteering and starting a nonprofit company.

Eight hard working and dedicated citizens make up the school board, representing the county as a whole.

There are eight representatives, seven of which are assigned to each district. The eighth position is the chair, Teresa Jacobs, whose job is to take the lead in all areas of board leadership. 

The rest of the reresentatives are Angie Gallo, Maria Salamanca, Alicia Farrant, Pam Gould, Vicki-Elaine Felder, Karen Castor Dentel, and Melissa Byrd.

Our district’s representative is Farrant, who was elected as the school board member of District 3 in 2022 and founded a non-profit that helps orphans and those in need.

With the changes in recent education throughout the country, state, and county, Gallo, Vice Chair and the school board member of District 1, thinks that they could have handled these changes differently and not as harshly.

Gallo said, “I feel like we could have handled it with a flyswatter [rather than] a sledgehammer to it. I believe that it’s created a burden on our teachers, making things much more stressful on them.” 

Salamanca, the school board member of District 2, found that alterations to our education need to happen along with our ever-changing world. But the political aspects of these changes should not be welcomed in school. Salamanca said, “Some changes are necessary as our economy changes and evolves, but others are distracting us away from the core parts of education and into political topics that have no business in our classrooms.”

Some goals Gallo has for her district are educating students on topics regarding mental health and human trafficking. 

She also wants to make sure every student graduates with the best educational opportunities a students can have. 

Salamanca used her role as a representative to revise, draft, and review policies and the code of conduct, which keeps schools running smoothly throughout the year. 

As the school board members work together, students are granted safer systems and are provided with an education that works perfectly for the student body. 

Some representatives were involved in the school system before becoming a school board member.

Gallo said, “I got involved in the PTA. That’s kind of where that advocacy piece kicked in.” 

Gallo has worked on several PTAs, taking the position of PTA president, served every role as SAC, County Council PTA, Florida PTA, and the Baker Act reform. 

The PTA is the best legacy affiliation for children, families, and education. Her service toward our community has taken dedication and effort to move toward an improved school system. 

The school board members are advocating for positive changes in education. It is reassuring to know that they are dedicated to improving education in the county and keep students’ best interests in mind.