Mary McIntyre, a literacy instructor Agnor-Hurt Elementary School, has officially announced her candidacy for the Rio District seat on the Albemarle County School Board.
McIntyre is running for the seat currently held by Pam Moynihan, who has said that she will not seek a fifth term.
“I will bring young energy, a fresh vision and a diverse perspective to the School Board,” McIntyre said on Wednesday in a speech at Northside Library.
McIntyre, 37, moved to Albemarle from Hawaii last summer with her husband and two children. She works part-time for Agnor-Hurt’s Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening program.
If elected, McIntyre said she would resign from her position at Agnor-Hurt before joining the board, as required by Virginia law.
McIntyre began her career as a music teacher at public schools in Virginia, North Carolina, and a Department of Defense Dependent School in Germany. In Hawaii, she taught elementary music and reading.
McIntyre holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and the University of Michigan, respectively. She expects to receive another master’s degree in curriculum studies for literacy specialists from the University of Hawaii-Manoa in May.
McIntyre’s husband, Marshall, recently retired from the Air Force.
“…[Marshall] understands that after many years of travelling the world for his career, I am looking forward to focusing on my own,” she said. “We are each other’s biggest fans.”
McIntyre said she would support innovative pedagogy to individualize instruction for students as a member of the School Board.
“We must be willing to continue to try new things,” said McIntyre. “That is what sets leaders apart.”
McIntyre also said she would support actions to prevent further overcrowding in county schools.
“I am committed to the idea of proactive growth, expansion and investment for Albemarle County Public Schools,” McIntyre said. “We must be willing to invest in new schools and modernized classrooms that will accommodate all of our students, and the changing landscape of education.”
