Eileen Gallagher takes a shot at Park City School District Board of Education

https://www.parkrecord.com/news/eileen-gallagher-takes-a-shot-at-park-city-school-district-board-of-education/

Dr. Eileen Gallagher believes Park City School District’s Board of Education needs new perspectives, and she intends to give them one: hers. Concerned about how the school district has managed projects, spent money and run programs, she thinks it’s time for a change, and is running against incumbent and current board president Andrew Caplan as well as fellow challenger Dave McFawn.

A pediatrician by trade, Gallagher explained she has connections to several people who help kids in different ways throughout the community and also has experience as a volunteer and leader.

She has taught at St. Mary’s Religious Education program, volunteered at People’s Health Clinic and worked with Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

“I’ve served in a variety of places in volunteer roles and then also in leadership roles in both our public and private healthcare systems,” she said. “I am politically involved, everything from being an election observer to working on campaigns to I ran for office once already.”

She added that she also works to encourage young people to get politically involved. “I think it is time for new members and new leadership for the current school board for our school district to continue an upward trajectory toward excellence,” she explained.

She also said she wants to work to ensure that schoolchildren can learn in a safe and healthy environment, something many parents have been concerned with since it was revealed the school district broke a covenant with the Environmental Protection Agency by digging up potentially harmful soil and piling it on school grounds at Treasure Mountain Junior High School.

“It’s time for projects to be managed effectively and with attention to taxpayer money,” Gallagher said.

She explained that anyone paying attention to the current board’s mistakes over the past two years would understand the need for things to be different. To make this change, she said she would prioritize having important conversations about the district and its contracts in view of the public eye.

“I’m a community leader who works already with teachers, administrators and who’s been working with people from a wide variety of backgrounds with an honest and open communication style,” she said. She also practices fiscal responsibility through running “a profitable, successful business.”

If elected, she said she would also prioritize the needs of teachers. “As someone who comes from a family of teachers, I would say, and is pro-union, I look forward to making sure that teachers are well compensated and love their jobs and feel respected and listened to,” she said. “For our youth, I hope that we continue to make sure that the Park City School District Board of Education fulfills its mission of providing an equitable and outstanding learning environment and social environment.”