Incumbent Gina Geiger is currently the Gilchrist County 4th District school board member, having been in the seat for the last eight years, but she will soon become the county’s superintendent of schools. With her vacating the position, there is now a two-candidate race for the District 4 school board seat.
The duo contending for Geiger’s soon-to-be open spot are Tammy Moore and Patricia Hodge Philman.
According to the Gilchrist County Supervisor of Elections, neither Moore nor Philman received a majority of the vote during the primary election, sparking a runoff to be held alongside the general election on Nov. 5.
A third candidate, Dena Griffith, was eliminated during primary voting.
Here is what Gilchrist County voters need to know about the remaining candidates, Moore and Philman (listed alphabetically), for the upcoming election.
Tammy Moore
Moore, 55, is the human resource director for the Gilchrist County Board of County Commissioners, according to her candidate report. She’s spent 22 years working for the board, with 12 at her current position.
She has three children, all graduating from or attending county schools, along with a grandchild in the Gilchrist County education system. Moore said she prioritizes parents having a say in their children’s schools, as she has previously, and hopes to expand that if elected to the school board.
“Parental involvement in education is critical to allowing our children to grow and succeed. When parents can be around and connected to what their children are learning, everyone benefits,” Moore said.
While she believes there is a need for greater connection between parents and schools, she understands there is still a need for security when allowing family members into schools.
Moore explained that she believes Gilchrist County schools have improved their safety standards in recent years, but improvements can always be made.
“Our schools have strong security methods,” Moore said. “If parents are going to come into schools more often, though, we’ll need to make sure they provide information to ensure they’re safe to be around the kids.”
Moore’s campaign is focused on improving parental involvement while maintaining a safe school environment.
She has raised $1,850 in monetary contributions to fund her campaign and has spent just over $1,700 of it, according to the county supervisor of elections office.
Pat Hodge Philman
Philman served as a teacher and media specialist at Bell Elementary School for 25 years. As a long-time Gilchrist County resident, her five children all attended county schools. Additionally, she now has three grandchildren in the county education system.
When the District 4 school board position opened, she felt her background as a teacher would make her a great candidate.
“I spent a long time teaching in this county, and I understand what these schools and teachers need,” Philman said. “I want to do my part to support [the] county now.”
Philman has raised $5,450 in monetary contributions and has spent nearly $5,400 of that on her campaign for the position, according to the county supervisor of elections office.
Philman’s candidate profile details that she aims to focus on assisting teachers to perform at their best in the classroom.
“I’m hoping, as a School Board member, I can help those teachers who are getting out there in the pits with the kids. I can help them be able to teach better and more powerfully,” Philman said.
Philman believes that as a school board member, she will be able to provide teachers with the resources and support they need to assist their students.
She also understands that teachers need to feel supported by the county to perform at their best.
“I would love to see our teachers have raises and bonuses,” Philman said. “I’ll do whatever I can to push for that.”
Philman emphasized that teachers need to be given the opportunity to teach what they know how to teach while being provided with a supportive and controlled environment.
While hesitant to say that the Gilchrist County school system has any clear issues, she was willing to note that the county may need more discipline in its schools. In order to accomplish this, she believes there needs to be a standard of discipline set in all county schools.
“I think it needs to be the same no matter what school it is,” Philman said of school rules. “We need to stand up and be strong and do what we say we’re going to do.”