Chesterfield School Board elects leaders and sets meetings

Bermuda District representative Ann Coker was elected chair of the Chesterfield County School Board last night during the board’s annual organizational meeting. Clover Hill District representative Dorothy Heffron was elected vice chair. The other School Board members are Debbie Bailey (Dale District), Ryan Harter (Matoaca District) and Kathryn Haines (Midlothian District).

After her selection, Coker said, “Our mission this year remains the same: to provide the best education for our students that helps them see their true potential and to explore the career and college opportunities that this world has to offer” and to provide Chesterfield County Public Schools employees “a fantastic place to work that pays them what they so greatly deserve, while also allowing them to be there for their families.”

The School Boards’ first initiative in 2022 will be “next year’s budget and setting our school division up for success financially,” she said. “Helping our teachers and staff financially navigate unprecedented inflation will be a top goal. Providing our students with more opportunities and services will be another.”
During last night’s meeting, the School Board approved its 2022 meeting schedule:

• The School Board will hold a 4 p.m. work session and 6:30 p.m. business meeting on Feb. 8, March 8, April 12, May 10, June 7, Sept. 13, Oct. 11, Nov. 7 and Dec. 13 in the Public Meeting Room (10001 Iron Bridge Road).
• The School Board will hold a 4 p.m. budget work session in the Public Meeting Room on Jan. 25, Feb. 1, Feb. 8 and Feb. 16.
• The School Board will hold a special meeting to vote on the FY 2023 budget at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 22 in the Public Meeting Room.
• The School Board will hold its annual retreat at noon Aug. 9, followed by a 6:30 p.m. business meeting.

The Chesterfield County School Board encourages public participation at meetings. Details of the procedures by which the public may speak before the School Board are available at https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/chesterfield/Board.nsf/Public, which also offers the adopted meeting calendar and other School Board information.