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.
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The Stafford County School Board unanimously approved JG Consulting to search for a new Superintendent of Stafford County schools during its meeting on June 25. The firm will begin the search process later this week, pending execution of the $40,000 contract.
The School Board and JG Consulting will schedule community meetings for the community to provide input regarding the qualities required of the next superintendent. Dates will be announced later this summer.
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The Stafford County School Board has voted to create a new Office of Student Conduct during its June 11, 2024 meeting. School Board member Alyssa Halstead motioned to support the Superintendent's recommendation, which included the creation of the Office of Student Conduct and allocating necessary funds and positions to support the new office. The motion also considered how to balance the budget to accommodate teacher salary increases while implementing the new Office of Student Conduct.
The final vote on the original motion passed 5 to 3, with Dr. Sarah Chase, Patricia Healey, and Dr. Elizabeth Warner voting against it.
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Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS) has announced the departure of Superintendent Dr. Thomas W. Taylor, who has led SCPS since November 2021. Dr. Taylor will begin serving as Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools effective this fall. In a county-wide email, Dr. Taylor lauded accomplishments made in the schools, but also noted the county has dropped from 111 to 117 in state rankings for school funding.
During his tenure, Dr. Taylor implemented several measures aimed at improving educational outcomes, including the introduction of staffing standards and a streamlined budget focused on efficiency. Â SCPS saw an over 20% increase in average staff wages, as well as advancements in both diversity and gender equity in leadership positions that exceed national and state averages. Dr. Taylor also oversaw the construction of three new schools and the renovation of Edward E. Drew Middle School to accommodate the county’s growth.
Dr. Taylor added several events like Transition Day, Chart Your Future, and Decision Day to schools to help students build plans for after graduation. To address community needs, Dr. Taylor partnered with the JED Foundation to provide mental health support at all schools, and with the Fredericksburg Food Bank and others to provide more resources for food security. Under his leadership, SCPS also partnered with the Commissioner of Revenue’s office and the Internal Revenue Service to train accounting students to provide tax preparation services for low-income families, as part of Virginia’s first Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
Recognized as Region III Superintendent of the Year in 2024, Dr. Taylor expressed gratitude for his time in Stafford County, saying “It has been an honor to serve Stafford County. The school division has made significant progress in a short period of time, and I am proud of what we have accomplished together. I would like to thank the School Board, students, staff, and community for allowing me to serve this great county.” Dr. Taylor’s email, in addition to noting the drop in funding rankings, also noted that on top of “rampant and largely unchecked growth, the school system’s facility maintenance has been continually underfunded for decades despite pleas from the schools to the Board of Supervisors to fix our aging infrastructure.” He reports students’ chronic absenteeism and discipline have eroded the schools’ culture, but are improving. Dr. Taylor encouraged citizens to voice their concerns and advocate for SCPS although “Stafford citizens espouse full support for our schools but their voices fall on the deaf ears of some local decision makers. “
SCPS spokesman Sandra Osborn said the School Board will begin the search for a new superintendent immediately.
Dr. Thomas W. Taylor has been named the Virginia Association of School Superintendent’s Region III Superintendent of the Year for the second time. Taylor has led the school division since December 2021 and has been its 4th superintendent in 12 years.
Our most-read story in 2024, so far, has been Taylor's rap video announcing schools would close on Jan. 16, 2024, for snow.
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Stafford County Schools Superintendent Dr. Thomas Taylor had little to say when asked if he expected the Board of Supervisors would vote to fully fund his school division's $442 million 2024 budget.
"I don't opine on what boards that I don't serve on might do," Taylor told PLN, after participating in months of budget negotiations between the school division and county government.
