Moynihan wins third term on county School Board

Pamela Moynihan held onto her Rio District seat on the Albemarle County School Board on Tuesday, defeating challenger Ned Gallaway.

Moynihan will serve her third four-year term on the School Board.

Moynihan had campaigned on the importance of closing the academic achievement gap — the difference in performance between low-income and some minority student groups compared with higher-income white students. She also said she’d push for an increase in fiscal conservatism, in addition to using new technology to educate students

“I feel that it’s an affirmation of my ability to serve the residents of the Rio District and do a good job for them on the School Board,” Moynihan said after the election.

Moynihan is a senior analyst for the National Ground Intelligence Center.

Gallaway, a father of three who had been a teacher for six years at an Ohio high school, had campaigned on improving fine arts programs and closing the achievement gap, as well as adding sports programs in Albemarle’s middle schools.

Moynihan has said that she would work to ensure that the school division spends its funds wisely, and she said during the campaign that she’d fight for teacher pay increases, even if the economy continues to decline and even if that means the division will have to settle for fewer teachers.

Diantha McKeel was re-elected to the School Board in an uncontested race. It will be her fourth term representing the Jack Jouett District.

Eric Strucko, who was also uncontested, was elected to his first term on the School Board. Strucko, who is retiring from the county’s Planning Commission, will replace Jon Stokes, who holds the Samuel Miller District seat but did not run for re-election.