Four districts in 4 months: Central Virginia schools grapple with superintendent turnover

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The recent departure of several school superintendents across Central Virginia has sparked concerns and raised questions about the stability of educational leadership within the region.

Over the past few months, four school districts — Petersburg, Prince George County, Chesterfield County and Hanover County — have all seen their superintendents step down for various reasons, leaving their respective districts without permanent leaders as the new school year approaches.

The issue first came to the forefront in Petersburg, where superintendent Tamara Sterling announced her resignation in March after just over a year in the role.

Her departure was followed by Acting Superintendent John Farrelly, who resigned in Jun e to take a new position with Caroline County Schools.

Yolanda Brown has since been appointed as the acting superintendent , tasked with stabilizing the district until Oct. 31. She shared a 100-day entry plan with community members at a meeting on Wednesday, July 17.

Cool Springs Elementary School PTA President Lakeisha Tinsley said they need someone to stay in the role, so the district can experience long-term, positive change.

“Because we know getting Petersburg is a lot of issues, but I feel like we really can make the change if the person wants to make the change,” Tinsley said.

Chesterfield County faces a similar scenario, as Mervin B. Daugherty retired on April 9 after nearly six years as superintendent and a distinguished 50-year career in education.

The district is currently in the process of finding a replacement.

In Prince George County, Lisa Pennycuff announced her retirement on April 19 , citing personal reasons related to family care.

The school board has appointed Joseph O. Cox Jr. as the acting superintendent while they search for a permanent successor.

The Prince George County School Board will be conducting interviews for the position of superintendent from Aug. 7 to Aug. 21, according to Prince George County Public Schools .

Most recently, Michael Gill announced his resignation as superintendent of Hanover County Schools, citing the school board’s new objectives as a catalyst for his decision to step down after nearly a decade in the role.

Kimberly Bridges, a professor of educational leadership at VCU who specialized in K-12, emphasized the complexities of the superintendent role, noting that districts with higher levels of poverty and racial segregation tend to have shorter superintendent tenures.

“The students that need that stability and that longer tenure for real, deep change to happen are the ones that are getting that the least,” Bridges said.

According to Bridges, these searches can be time-consuming, especially if districts opt for national searches to attract diverse and qualified candidates. It’s also difficult for a school district to thrive when they don’t have a permanent leader.

“It takes a little while to make sure the measures they’re putting in place [are] paying off in student outcomes,” Bridges said. “So, that’s the biggest barrier for an interim, time to get to know everyone and build relationships.”

She emphasized that the superintendent job is not easy, nor able to be done by just anyone.

“If folks are looking at other opportunities, you can’t really blame them because, in some respects, it’s a tough job,” Bridges said. “But, in other respects, we got to work harder to find people who want to be there for the long run.”

As Central Virginia prepares for the upcoming academic year starting on Aug. 19, the focus remains on stabilizing leadership and ensuring a seamless transition for students and staff alike.

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