RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Richmond will have a new school board next year.
In addition to electing a new mayor and city council this November, Richmond voters will also decide who will serve on the city's school board, as all nine district seats will be on the ballot. .
as Richmond Public Schools Local Governmentthe board votes on implementing school policies, how the district's funds are spent, and has the power to fire the superintendent.
Members are elected to four-year terms and leadership roles are selected by the Board of Directors. Changes are expected because at least two current council members are not running for a second term, and a former council member from the 4th District is also not running. resigned from the board of directors.
1cent district
Matthew Percival sought to fill the vacancy in the District 1 seat in 2016; According to the Richmond Timesand filed paperwork with the state to do so this year.
Current School Board Vice Chair Elizabeth Doerr confirmed to 8News that she is not running for a second term to represent District 1 and is supporting Percival.
2n.d. district
School board member Mariah White is a longtime Richmond resident and graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School, retiring as a major in the Virginia National Guard in 2014. According to the campaign website when he ran in 2020..
She earned two master's degrees, including a master's degree in education, from Strayer University.
3rd district
RPS parent Ali M Faruk worked for Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) and Families Forward Virginia (FFV). According to his campaign website. His campaign website states that his key issues are “community, transparency and accountability.”
Charlene Riley, an RPS parent. She told 8News she's running. After expressing concerns about policy shifts and the response to the 2023 mass shooting of the Huguenot High School graduate.
Fourth district
According to her LinkedIn page, Angela Fontaine is the founder of a coaching and consulting company. Fontaine has filed paperwork with the state to run for the currently vacant seat, which the board will need to fill on an interim basis.
She was one of the candidates seeking to fill a vacancy on the City Council when Rep. Mike Jones joined the House of Representatives. According to the Richmond Times.
Fiveth district
Current school board chair Stephanie Rizzi did not respond to an email asking whether she would run for the District 5 seat again this year.
6th district
Dr. Shonda Harris Muhammed, a member of the Board of Education, is a longtime educator who has served as a math teacher, math specialist, curriculum specialist, and assistant principal. According to her website. She has filed to run for a second term on the board.
She is the Coordinator of Student Personnel and Hearing Officers for Southampton County Schools and the founder and executive director of the Northside Coalition for Children, Inc., according to her LinkedIn page.
7th district
Education Commissioner Cheryl Burke, a former RPS elementary school teacher and principal, has served on the city's Board of Education since 2017, when she was appointed interim representative.
Burke holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in management and supervision. VCU College of Education.
8th district
Emmett Jafari, owner of African American Tours in Richmond, has filed papers with the state to run for the District 8 board. Jafari has run or announced his candidacy for several offices in the city, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. Richmond Circuit Court Clerk, Richmond City Sheriff and Mayor.
Current District 8 School Board Member Dawn Page confirmed to 8News that she will not seek re-election in 2024, writing in a statement:
“When I began this initiative, I sought to ensure that all students had access to high-quality educational opportunities. Although I believe we have made significant progress toward achieving that goal, There is still work to do. However, after much soul-searching, I have decided not to seek re-election.”
9th district
Current District 9 Representative Shavonda Dixon joined the board earlier this year When she filled the seat vacated when Nicole Jones filled a City Council vacancy. Dixon is a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School and holds a master's degree in criminal justice. According to her campaign website.
According to her LinkedIn page, Mary Gresham has worked for Richmond Public Schools for nearly 38 years, including 33 years as a teacher before becoming the district's director of protective services. She announced her own campaign on Facebook.
This story will be updated with new candidates if anyone is eliminated or if there is a major development.