Anonymous
Post 07/29/2022 13:03     Subject: ACPS Interim Superintendent
Being HR director and a principal does not give you enough experience to run a school system. It just doesn’t. This will give her enough experience to move up to a bigger district however. I give her two years max. It’s unfortunate that ACPS didn’t try to find someone who will give the students staff and parents the continuity and stability the community deserves.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2022 12:31     Subject: ACPS Interim Superintendent
PP - also by “climb the ladder” I am referring to Hutchins hires or other favorites who he gave increasingly inflated titles over the pasts 1-2 years.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2022 12:29     Subject: ACPS Interim Superintendent
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yeah I have a feeling this is not going to be a good pick.


Me too. Head of HR? The press release was so light on any significant details of her career outside climbing the ladder under Hutchings at ACPS. Does she has any significant experience with education? I hate saying this, but I feel like (based on the press release) they felt they had to replace Hutchings with a person of color. Which is fine, but I think there were better options within ACPS that have a background in both education and administration. Glad I have a senior and one in college, because if this is where we are headed, I am glad to get out.


Dare I say I'm cautiously optimistic about her? She didn't climb the ladder under Hutchings. She was only hired last summer, and she has the education and experience (both teaching and admin) to back up the choice. What we should be criticizing is the poor communication in the press release of ACPS that focused on her sex and race, rather than her qualifications. No surprise there. Here's what ACPS said about her when first hired:

"Dr. Kay-Wyatt currently serves as director of human resources for secondary education in Spotsylvania County Public Schools, a division of 29 schools with 23,000 students and 3,100 staff. Dr. Kay-Wyatt is an adviser and past president of ASCD and served on its board of directors. Previously, she held positions as a middle school principal and assistant principal in Fredericksburg City Public Schools. She also served as a special education teacher at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

Dr. Kay-Wyatt holds a doctorate from Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, a master’s degree from the University of Mary Washington, a master’s degree from Old Dominion University and a bachelor’s degree from Mary Washington College. Dr. Kay-Wyatt is our inaugural executive director of HR following the divisional staff restructure plan of January 2020."


I am the PP. Thanks for posting this. I do think the press release was poorly written and I am happy to hear this. I still think there were better candidates (who also happen to be Black but not female) within the ACPS administration who have years of hands on experience within ACPS and really understand school system operates. But you are correct, not as bad of a choice as I initially thought. I am skeptical of anyone who came in under Hutchings, though, as I know a few high level people who left ACPS under him and had a lot to say about the types of employees he favored v. disfavored (if did not like any criticism).
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2022 10:17     Subject: ACPS Interim Superintendent
The press release says she was a principal and assistant principal at Fredericksburg City Public Schools, and was a special education teacher at both Culpepper County Schools and Fredericksburg City Public Schools.

Her linked in profile lists that she was a Principal in Fredericksburg for 7.5 years. After that she was in HR in Spotsylvania for 5.5 years. Came to ACPS about a year ago. It doesn't list any teaching experience that I can see but presumably it came before the principal gig.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-melanie-kay-wyatt-67756087/details/experience/
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2022 10:12     Subject: ACPS Interim Superintendent
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yeah I have a feeling this is not going to be a good pick.


Me too. Head of HR? The press release was so light on any significant details of her career outside climbing the ladder under Hutchings at ACPS. Does she has any significant experience with education? I hate saying this, but I feel like (based on the press release) they felt they had to replace Hutchings with a person of color. Which is fine, but I think there were better options within ACPS that have a background in both education and administration. Glad I have a senior and one in college, because if this is where we are headed, I am glad to get out.


Dare I say I'm cautiously optimistic about her? She didn't climb the ladder under Hutchings. She was only hired last summer, and she has the education and experience (both teaching and admin) to back up the choice. What we should be criticizing is the poor communication in the press release of ACPS that focused on her sex and race, rather than her qualifications. No surprise there. Here's what ACPS said about her when first hired:

"Dr. Kay-Wyatt currently serves as director of human resources for secondary education in Spotsylvania County Public Schools, a division of 29 schools with 23,000 students and 3,100 staff. Dr. Kay-Wyatt is an adviser and past president of ASCD and served on its board of directors. Previously, she held positions as a middle school principal and assistant principal in Fredericksburg City Public Schools. She also served as a special education teacher at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

Dr. Kay-Wyatt holds a doctorate from Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, a master’s degree from the University of Mary Washington, a master’s degree from Old Dominion University and a bachelor’s degree from Mary Washington College. Dr. Kay-Wyatt is our inaugural executive director of HR following the divisional staff restructure plan of January 2020."
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2022 08:40     Subject: ACPS Interim Superintendent
Anonymous wrote:My kids are in ACPS, and I am not sure it matters who they pick. Maybe for elementary students it does. For middle and high, the school(s) are overcrowded, and that increases violence and diminishes the quality of education. A new superintendent can't fix that.


A new super could help fix overcrowding, but no school official can fix problems that begin at home.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2022 08:37     Subject: ACPS Interim Superintendent
My kids are in ACPS, and I am not sure it matters who they pick. Maybe for elementary students it does. For middle and high, the school(s) are overcrowded, and that increases violence and diminishes the quality of education. A new superintendent can't fix that.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2022 08:13     Subject: ACPS Interim Superintendent
Of course it was a black woman. There was zero chance a white guy was going to get that job.

Textbook racism.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2022 08:05     Subject: ACPS Interim Superintendent
Anonymous wrote:Yeah I have a feeling this is not going to be a good pick.


Me too. Head of HR? The press release was so light on any significant details of her career outside climbing the ladder under Hutchings at ACPS. Does she has any significant experience with education? I hate saying this, but I feel like (based on the press release) they felt they had to replace Hutchings with a person of color. Which is fine, but I think there were better options within ACPS that have a background in both education and administration. Glad I have a senior and one in college, because if this is where we are headed, I am glad to get out.
Anonymous
Post 07/28/2022 19:38     Subject: Re:ACPS Interim Superintendent
Prescient of you to post this today, OP. Just announced!

ACPS has appointed Melanie Kay-Wyatt who is "currently the ACPS chief of human resources, having joined the school division in July 2021." "She is the second Black female interim superintendent at ACPS."
Anonymous
Post 07/28/2022 16:19     Subject: ACPS Interim Superintendent
Yeah I have a feeling this is not going to be a good pick.
Anonymous
Post 07/28/2022 14:44     Subject: Re:ACPS Interim Superintendent
Anonymous wrote:One of the school board members is probably trying to figure out if she can legally appoint herself…


Lot of candidates...my bets are on Ignacio and Green and Alderton in that order.

Alderton would be a good heir to Hutchings. Her kids are in private school, she's fond of word salad, making fun of parents and their kids. She's perfect for ACPS!
Anonymous
Post 07/28/2022 14:40     Subject: Re:ACPS Interim Superintendent
One of the school board members is probably trying to figure out if she can legally appoint herself…
Anonymous
Post 07/28/2022 08:02     Subject: Re:ACPS Interim Superintendent
Special school board meeting tonight on this topic.
Anonymous
Post 07/26/2022 17:08     Subject: ACPS Interim Superintendent
Do we know if the board made an offer to anyone? Their timeline said offer would be made July 22nd, but I'd be surprised if they found someone that quickly and stuck to their own timeline. What's the word on the street?