Angela Barnes

My name is Angela Barnes and it has been my pleasure to serve as a member of the Pike School Board. I began my journey as an appointed Pike Township school board member in the winter of 2022, finishing a vacant term. As a long-time resident and parent of a Pike High School Class of 2020 alumna, I already greatly valued the education my daughter received. In my time on the board, I have advocated for our exceptional learners and served on the District Wellness Council. I enjoyed fostering and maintaining strong, collegial relationships with fellow board members and staff. I also made it a priority to be present at various schools and community events throughout the district, demonstrating my deep commitment to understanding the unique needs of our district and ensuring the best outcomes for our students, staff, and families.

• My passion lies in nurturing our children and fostering positive experiences that empower them to become impactful global citizens. With 30 years as a public school teacher and as the parent of a Pike High School graduate (Class of 2020), I bring a wealth of knowledge and dedication to the table.
• I am committed to leveraging my deep understanding of school data, pedagogy, and policy to enhance education quality while identifying and addressing opportunities to improve safety and the work environment at Pike.
• I proudly advocate for affirming policies that reflect the inclusive nature of our community, ensuring Pike continues to thrive.

Policies and programs that support our students and teachers are what I am most passionate about.

I would like to leave a legacy of love and kindness where those who know me or about me become people who are boldly kind with no expectations of reward. They are kind because it is the right thing to do.

Fear has been a struggle in my life. Fear of change, fear of trying, and fear of failing have dictated some of my decisions in my life. Fortunately, my faith increased as I prayed daily for this campaign for over a year. Now, I realize that my fears were not based on facts; I made them up. My faith gives me freedom from fear and courage to change, try, and recover if I fail.

A school board member serves as the voice of the community, ensuring the school board creates a safe and enriching learning environment for all students while maintaining a positive work environment for staff. As a school board, it is our responsibility to actively listen to the community and be mindful stewards of district resources to sustain excellence in both areas.

My budgetary priorities will be in alignment with what we promised our community in the spring when we passed the referendum, which is to attract and retain highly qualified teachers, sustain effective programs previously funded by ESSER, and improve safety in our school district. The task now is to carefully plan to allocate those funds in January as we promised. As a board member, I will listen to the community when you say what you need. Then, I will share your concerns with the rest of the board and Pike leadership.

Pike Classroom Teachers Association