Rachel G. Smallwood
No party listed
Senior project manager
The gist
No documented position found.
Home
School board
City of Harrisonburg School Board
At large
- Vote for
- 3
- Term
- 4 years
- Candidates
- 3
- Election
- Nov 3, 2026
What this office does: The elected school board sets policy for Harrisonburg City Public Schools, hires the superintendent and adopts the school budget.
Debra Stevens Fitzgerald
No party listed
Economics professor, Blue Ridge Community College
The gist
- Voted to allow collective bargaining for school staffIn office
In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.
More about Debra
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Voted to allow collective bargaining for school staff
3 seats, 3 candidates: This fall's city school board election is less competitive than recent electionsNews coverage · The Harrisonburg Citizen · hburgcitizen.com
“One of Fitzgerald's last votes when she was last on the school board was to”
Emma Phillips
No party listedIncumbent
Harrisonburg City School Board member
The gist
- Supports raising staff salaries above state-funded levels
- Supports closing achievement gaps for English learners
- Supports paid parental leave for school staffIn office
In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.
More about Emma
View sources (1)
Supports raising staff salaries above state-funded levels
3 seats, 3 candidates: This fall's city school board election is less competitive than recent electionsNews coverage · The Harrisonburg Citizen · hburgcitizen.com
“Phillips has also advocated for salary increases that are higher than what the state budget has allotted.”
Supports closing achievement gaps for English learners
3 seats, 3 candidates: This fall's city school board election is less competitive than recent electionsNews coverage · The Harrisonburg Citizen · hburgcitizen.com
“HCPS works hard to close the achievement gaps, especially among English language learners”
Supports paid parental leave for school staff
3 seats, 3 candidates: This fall's city school board election is less competitive than recent electionsNews coverage · The Harrisonburg Citizen · hburgcitizen.com
“She helped push for a parental leave policy which allows for school staff who are new parents to take paid time off”
Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 1 issue covered in this race.