The Gloucester County School Board met Tuesday night in Conference Room A111 at the T.C. Walker Education Center to discuss applicants for the recently vacated Petsworth District school board seat. After nearly an hour and a half of discussion, the board named Anita Parker to the seat as an interim appointment.
Parker had served on the board from 2006 to 2021, when she was defeated in her reelection bid by Karen Espinoza, who stepped down last month with a year remaining on her term, which created the vacancy.
The board received two applicants to fill the vacancy, Parker and Allen Evans, by its application deadline of Sept. 6 at noon. The candidates were announced at the Sept. 10 regular monthly school board meeting.
During her 16 years on the school board, Parker served as chair and vice chair for three terms in each position. While on the board, she served on many committees including the Middle Peninsula Regional Special Education Board, Safety Advisory Committee, Facilities Committee, Disciplinary Committee, Gloucester County Public Schools Educational Foundation and GCPS Educational Foundation Scholarship Committee, and Taskforce on Workforce Readiness. She also served on the Virginia School Boards Association Board of Directors from 2016-2017.
In addition to her board responsibilities, Parker has been involved with many community organizations over the years. She has been a member of Gloucester’s American Red Cross Board, chair on the Local Emergency Planning Committee, Bay Start Soccer fundraising chairperson and Cub Scout/Boy Scout leader. She has volunteered with Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Gloucester Daffodil Festival, Gloucester County Sheriff Office’s Shop With a Cop program and Gloucester High School Athletic Boosters.
Before serving on the school board, Parker was employed as a substitute teacher for GCPS and served as Parent Teacher Association president at Botetourt Elementary School. She was also a PTA member at Petsworth Elementary, Peasley Middle and Gloucester High schools. Throughout the years of her three sons’ education, she served as a classroom volunteer.
In her letter of interest, Parker wrote, “I love to live in and serve the community of Gloucester.”
Parker will fulfill the remainder of Espinoza’s term, which will expire on Dec. 31, 2025. She will begin her interim duties on Oct. 8.