Stafford County Parents Push for Responsive, Long-Term Superintendent

The Stafford County School Board has provided a detailed timeline for its search for a new school division superintendent. During a recent board meeting, the consulting firm JG Consulting, hired to assist with the search, presented the timeline and key milestones.

The search is currently in the community engagement phase. JG Consulting has conducted meetings with various groups within Stafford County, both internally and externally, to gather input on the leadership qualities desired in the next superintendent.

“We’ve just completed two days of meetings with various groups to gather input for developing the leadership profile of the next superintendent,” said a representative from JG Consulting during a school board meeting on August 6, 2024. Dr. Thomas Taylor held the position for two and a half years before leaving in June 2024 to become the superintendent of public schools in Montgomery County, Md.

The leadership profile, which will guide the board in selecting candidates, is expected to be presented for review and approval by September 10. Following this, the application process for candidates will be open from September 11 through October 11.

During the candidate review phase, each board member will receive digital information on the candidates, including resumes, academic transcripts, and other relevant documents. The board will also have access to videos of the candidates responding to questions.

During the meeting, board members raised several questions, focusing on the process and the candidates’ privacy.

Falmouth Board member Dr. Sarah Chase asked about the decision not to hold public interviews. “From my experience, public interviews can deter top candidates from applying, as it might jeopardize their current jobs,” Chase noted.

JG Consulting confirmed that public interviews are not required in Virginia and explained that publicizing the process could reduce the number of high-quality applicants. “We agree that public interviews can limit the applicant pool and recommend against them unless required by law,” the representative said.

Rock Hill School Board member Patricia Healey inquired about the consistency of background checks for all candidates, asking, “Will they be consistent for all candidates? And can we make it clear in the announcement that public forums will not be conducted?”

The consultant assured the board that all background checks would follow a formal checklist and that the confidential nature of the search would be communicated. “Yes, the background checks will be consistent for all candidates, following a formal checklist,” the representative confirmed.

Student School Board member Joellaine Duku echoed concerns about public forums deterring candidates, saying, “I agree with Dr. Chase on avoiding public forums for the same reasons. It’s important to ensure candidates aren’t deterred from applying.”

What parents want

Stephanie Mojica, a Stafford County parent, moderates an online discussion group for parents concerned about the county’s public schools. “Citizens Advocating for SCPS Students,” serves as a platform where parents, teachers, and community members discuss various issues affecting Stafford County Public Schools.

During the coronavirus-era government-mandated school building closures, Mojica started the group in 2021. “We were trying to get parents on board who were having the same concerns I was having with the shutdown of our schools,” she said. The group has grown to over 1,000 members, allowing parents to share information and discuss concerns.

One of the primary concerns raised in the group is the ongoing search for a new superintendent. Stafford County is conducting a national search for its second superintendent in two and a half years following the departure of Dr. Taylor. Parents in the group have expressed a desire for stability in the school system’s leadership.

“Parents want to have a superintendent that’s going to stay awhile, not use Stafford as a stepping stone,” Mojica said. She added that parents are looking for someone who will be responsive to their concerns and committed to seeing their vision through. “One parent told me they’d like to see a superintendent willing to stay in our community to see their vision through,” she said.

The group has also discussed issues related to school safety, including the handling of bullying and the use of cell phones in classrooms. “Bullying is a major concern that seems to have gotten worse over time, possibly due to a lack of consequences for the bullies,” Mojica said. She noted that some parents have had to withdraw their children from the public school system due to the impact of bullying.

The use of cell phones in schools is another hot topic in the group. While most parents agree that phones should not be used during instructional time, there is debate over whether a complete ban is practical. “We live in a different world now, and completely banning phones might not be practical,” Mojica said.

The school division was one of the first in Virginia to ban cell phone use in the classroom for the 2024-25 school year. Following its decision, Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order requiring public schools to ban phones in classrooms by 2025.

Interviews to begin

The first round of interviews is scheduled for mid-October. “The first round of interviews will take place over two consecutive days, depending on the number of candidates,” the JJ Consulting representative said.

The final round of interviews will occur later in October and involve the top two or three candidates. The board is encouraged to plan their schedules for these interviews now.

JJ Consulting will continue to update the board as the search progresses. The community is invited to participate in the process through online surveys available on the district’s website. All feedback will remain anonymous.

“The application process will open on September 11 and run through October 11,” the JJ Consulting representative stated, emphasizing the key dates in the search process.

The Stafford County School Board is expected to make its final selection for the new superintendent following the completion of the interview process in October.

Associate Superintendent Chris Fulmer is leading the school division through the transition.

As of Sunday, August 11, 2024, many children had not been assigned bus routes for the first school days,  August 12 and 13. The school division asked parents to drive their children to school during the first week of classes while it scrambled to provide bus service.

Starting in July, and now again following the bus shortage announcement, we’ve asked elected county school board members for interviews and have received no response.