Candidates for the Palm Beach County School Board District 4 seat being vacated by county commission hopeful Erica Whitfield are Tiffany Bryant, Anthony Hamlet, Christina Romelus and Daniel Zapata.
District 4 covers much of the Lake Worth Beach and central Boynton Beach area, along with surrounding unincorporated communities in central Palm Beach County.
The race is non-partisan, and a candidate needs more than 50% of the vote to win the seat. If no candidate gets a majority in the primary, then the top two vote‑getters advance to the November general election.
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Bryant, from Boynton Beach, is a licensed financial advisor and substitute teacher with the school district. Her campaign priorities included strengthening early literacy, reducing laptop use in grades K-2, expanding classroom support through partnerships with colleges and universities, promoting fiscal responsibility and responsible budgeting and increasing educator recruitment and retention.
Hamlet, 56, from Delray Beach, is the former superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools and, prior to that, a former principal and administrator in the Palm Beach County schools. His campaign priorities included improving student outcomes through measurable goals and accountability, creating safe, supportive and well-managed schools, strengthening teacher recruitment, compensation, development and retention and ensuring taxpayer dollars are invested transparently, responsibly and directly toward the district’s highest academic priorities.
Romelus, 38, from Boynton Beach, is a former Boynton Beach city commissioner and vice mayor, educator, nurse, and nonprofit and community leader. Her campaign priorities included improving literacy and academic outcomes, making schools safer, supporting teachers, engaging parents, and building stronger partnerships between schools, families, businesses, and community organizations.
Zapata, 25, from Lake Worth Beach, is a high school teacher and former assistant administrator and assistant athletic director. His campaign priorities included improving literacy by strengthening early learning opportunities, expanding career and technical education, hands-on experience and skills for high-paying careers and enhancing school security by supporting School Resource Officers and investing in proactive safety measures.
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A closer look at candidates for School Board District 4
School Board District 4 candidate Tiffany Bryant
Tiffany Bryant, from Boynton Beach, is a licensed financial advisor, substitute teacher with the Palm Beach County School District, mental health practitioner, adult education instructor, immigration specialist and consultant. She holds a Ph.D. in International Relations.
Her campaign priorities include strengthening early literacy and foundational learning so every student reads at grade level by the end of third grade; reducing laptop use in grades K-2 to emphasize teacher-led instruction and foundational skills; expanding classroom support through partnerships with colleges and universities; promoting fiscal responsibility and responsible budgeting; and increasing educator recruitment and retention through affordable housing and homeownership opportunities for teachers and school employees.
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When asked in a Palm Beach Post questionnaire why voters should choose her, she replied:
“I bring a unique combination of perspectives, experience, and expertise that will allow me to lead with both insight and action.
“I come to this role first and foremost as a parent of a child in the Palm Beach County School District, the spouse of a district educator, and a current district employee with direct, firsthand experience inside our schools. I also bring the perspective of a researcher dedicated to improving public education. Together, these experiences provide me with a comprehensive understanding of how School Board decisions impact students, families, educators, staff, and the broader community.”
School Board District 4 candidate Anthony Hamlet
Anthony Hamlet, 56, from Delray Beach, is the former superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools, a former principal and administrator with the Palm Beach County School District, a university professor and education consultant. He is president and CEO of CSI Strategies LLC and serves on the faculty of several higher education institutions.
His campaign priorities include improving student outcomes through measurable goals and accountability; creating safe, supportive and well-managed schools; strengthening teacher recruitment, compensation, development and retention; and ensuring taxpayer dollars are invested transparently, responsibly and directly toward the district’s highest academic priorities.
When asked in a Palm Beach Post questionnaire why voters should choose him, he replied:
“I have spent more than 30 years improving public education as a teacher, principal, superintendent, university professor, and national school governance coach. I have transformed struggling schools, led one of the nation’s largest urban school districts, managed a $700 million budget, and helped school boards across the country improve student outcomes through effective governance.
“My experience has taught me that student achievement does not improve because adults work harder. It improves when school boards establish a shared vision with their community, set clear student outcome goals, align resources with those priorities, monitor progress through transparent data, and hold the superintendent accountable for results while respecting the distinct roles of governance and management.
“As a lifelong Palm Beach County resident and graduate of its public schools, I am deeply invested in this community’s future. I am not running to make promises. I am running to bring proven leadership, disciplined governance, and unwavering accountability so every decision begins and ends with one question: How will this improve student outcomes for our children?”
School Board District 4 candidate Christina Romelus
Christina Romelus, 38, from Boynton Beach, is a former Boynton Beach city commissioner and vice mayor, educator, nurse, and nonprofit and community leader. She is the CEO of PolitiCALM, a professor at Palm Beach State College, and holds a master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from Barry University.
Her campaign priorities include improving literacy and academic outcomes, making schools safer, supporting teachers, engaging parents, and building stronger partnerships between schools, families, businesses, and community organizations. She said the School Board should remain focused on students, not politics or distractions, and make decisions that improve the daily experience of children, educators, school personnel and families.
When asked in a Palm Beach Post questionnaire why voters should choose her, she replied:
“Voters deserve a School Board member who has the experience to govern, the heart to listen, and the courage to put students first. Throughout my career, I have served this community as a nurse, educator, City Commissioner, Vice Mayor, and mother of two children in our public schools. Each of those experiences has reinforced the same belief: every child deserves a safe, high-quality education that prepares them for the future.
“I know how to oversee multimillion-dollar public budgets, ask tough questions, build consensus, and make thoughtful decisions that put the public’s interests first. I’ve spent my career bringing people together to solve problems, and I will bring that same collaborative, transparent, and accountable approach to the School Board.
“I am running to bring steady, student-focused leadership to the School Board. I believe our students, teachers, and families deserve a School Board member who is focused on improving academic outcomes, supporting educators, strengthening school safety, and earning the trust of the community every single day.”
School Board District 4 candidate Daniel Zapata
Daniel Zapata, 25, from Lake Worth Beach, is a high school teacher and former assistant administrator and assistant athletic director. He teaches government, economics and Spanish and holds an associate degree.
His campaign priorities include improving literacy by strengthening early learning opportunities and ensuring students develop strong reading skills from the earliest grades; expanding career and technical education so more students graduate with industry certifications, hands-on experience and skills for high-paying careers; and enhancing school security by supporting School Resource Officers and investing in proactive safety measures.
When asked in a Palm Beach Post questionnaire why voters should choose him, he replied:
“I will bring a perspective to the School Board that is grounded in firsthand experience. As a teacher, I understand the challenges our students, educators, and families face because I experience them every day. My background as a substitute teacher, assistant athletic director, assistant administrator, and teacher has given me a well-rounded understanding of how policy decisions affect our schools.
“I also believe School Board members should be accessible, transparent, and accountable to the communities they represent. Throughout this campaign, I have spent countless hours listening to parents, teachers, students, and community members to understand their concerns and priorities.
“If elected, I will focus on improving literacy, expanding career and technical education, ensuring safe schools, and exercising responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. I will approach every decision with one question in mind: What is best for students? That commitment, combined with my firsthand experience in education, is why I believe I can make a meaningful difference for Palm Beach County’s schools.”
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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: School board primary for District 4 includes four candidates
Reporting by Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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