Gabrielle L. Gallon
Gabrielle Gallon is an experienced Student Services professional and educator with a strong commitment to supporting diverse student populations and fostering inclusive learning environments. She currently serves as a Student Services Coordinator at Renaissance Academy (formerly GCA), where she oversees case management for ESE, 504, and ESOL students, supports behavior intervention programs through RTI processes, and contributes to school-wide guidance and safety initiatives as a member of the suicide risk and threat assessment team. With nearly a decade of experience in education, Gabrielle is dedicated to helping students overcome academic and social challenges while promoting equitable access to educational opportunities.
Prior to her current role, Gabrielle served as a K-2nd Grade ESE Teacher at Governors Charter Academy, where she specialized in writing quality Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), supporting early elementary students with academic, behavioral, and social skills development, and assisting with MTSS interventions. She has extensive experience collaborating with teachers, families, and support staff to ensure students receive personalized instruction and appropriate accommodations. Her background also includes experience as a substitute teacher at Florida State University School, where she supported daily classroom operations and maintained positive learning environments for students.
Gabrielle holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and Teaching from Flagler College-Tallahassee, along with an Associate of Arts degree from Tallahassee State College. Throughout her career, she has remained active in professional education organizations, including the Florida Education Association and the National Education Association. Earlier in her career, she gained valuable experience in customer service, childcare, and youth program coordination, which strengthened her communication, organizational, and leadership skills. Gabrielle is passionate about continuing her professional growth while making a meaningful impact in the lives of children and families.
• Dual Certification in General Education K-6 and Special Needs K-12
• Flagler College-Tallahassee - BEEd
• Tallahassee State College - AA, Elementary Education and Teaching
• Culture of Excellence Award
• Florida Education Association (FEA)
• National Education Association (NEA)
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to remembering my why. Every day when I get out of bed and come into work, whether as a fourth grade teacher now or previously as a student services coordinator, what keeps me going and drives me is my why. Every day is not going to be perfect - not going to be sparkly and beautiful with everything just in line - but when things happen, when challenges come, when I am presented with an obstacle, I remember my why. When I remember my why of why I'm in education and why I do what I do, that is what keeps me going. My first and foremost value is pleasing my Heavenly Father. Being an educator has so many appendages that it's very easy to feel overwhelmed and buried by it all, because everyone has their different perspectives and thoughts, and you're required to do this and do that. For me, I stay centered around my faith. At the end of the day, I tell myself, if I'm pleasing my Heavenly Father, then I'm pleasing everybody else out here that's wanting something different from me or wanting a piece from me. That is honestly the core of who I am.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is simply to remember your why. Every day when I get out of bed and come into work, what keeps me going, what drives me, is my why. Every day is not going to be perfect. Every day is not going to be sparkly and beautiful with everything just in line, but when things happen, when challenges come, when you are presented with an obstacle, remember your why. When I remember my why of why I'm in education and why I do what I do, that is what keeps me going.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say definitely be grounded and rooted. Know who you are, and do not waver from knowing who you are. You have to be confident and know who you are, and you have to know that your area of expertise, your skill sets, your experience - they have value, and you have something to bring to the table. If someone else doesn't recognize it, that's a PP, a personal problem. It's not on you. You bring value to the table. So shine and bloom where you are planted, and remember your why, and act on your why.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I would say definitely the demand on the educators is a major challenge. When we look at student performance and student outcomes, there are so many variables that go into that, especially for an educator who is in the classroom as a classroom teacher, because everything is hinged on this end-of-year test. It still goes back to the same standard where every time the powers that be get together to see how else to help support the industry, it's always, well, what more can the teachers do? What more can they do? We never look at holding the students accountable or holding the parents accountable. I don't say that from a negative standpoint - I say that from the standpoint of everyone has a part. If the teacher's doing her part, well, let's look at the student, because if everyone does their part, we should see successful outcomes for the student, instead of just piling more on the teachers. That, frankly, does burn them out. I've seen that firsthand, and even personally, when things may get more pressurized, I remember my why. I would say that's definitely a huge thing for me within this industry. There's a very disproportionate scale, and if they are not careful, they're going to find themselves with an even greater gap and deficit of needing more teachers. In this industry, we want more people running to it, not running people away from it.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My first and foremost value is pleasing my Heavenly Father. Being an educator has so many appendages that it's very easy to feel overwhelmed and buried by it all, because everyone has their different perspectives and thoughts, and you're required to do this and do that. For me, I stay centered around my faith. At the end of the day, I tell myself, if I'm pleasing my Heavenly Father, then I'm pleasing everybody else out here that's wanting something different from me or wanting a piece from me. That is honestly the core of who I am. I always try to treat others how I want to be treated. In anything I do, I think about, if the roles were reversed, how would I want this person to respond to me? Would I want this person to help me? So keeping in mind that I need to approach everyone with how I want to be treated, and keeping in mind my integrity and being a woman of my word is extremely important to me. I do my best to live that out and to be that example for my students as well.