The Alexandria City School Board has appointed Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt to serve as Acting Superintendent of Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS), effective September 1, 2022, at a special school board meeting. Kay-Wyatt is currently CSPA’s Chief Human Resources Officer, having joined the school division in July 2021 and previously served as CSPA’s Acting Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive Director of Human Resources. She is the second black female acting superintendent at CSPA.
As acting superintendent, Kay-Wyatt will lead the school division succeeding current superintendent, Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr., who will be with CSPA until August 31, 2022. Kay-Wyatt’s contract as Acting Superintendent begins September 1, 2022, and extends until June 30, 2023 or until a permanent Superintendent is hired. This will allow for a transition period in August and help ensure a smooth start to the new school year on August 22, 2022.
“We are thrilled to appoint Dr. Kay-Wyatt as Acting Superintendent of Alexandria City Public Schools. The leadership, breadth and depth of experience and skills she brings to this role are critical to continuing to advance the goals of our Equity for All 2025 strategic plan,” said the Board Chair. of Alexandria City, Meagan L. Alderton. “Dr. Kay-Wyatt is a proven instructional leader whose background and skills as a special education teacher, school principal, and head of central office make her the right person to lead our school division at this time. We We are confident that the knowledge, trust and relationships she has built within the CSGA community will serve her well as Acting Superintendent and we look forward to working more closely with her.”
Prior to joining CSPA, Kay-Wyatt worked in Human Resources at Spotsylvania Public Schools, served as Principal and Vice Principal at City of Fredericksburg Public Schools, and was a Special Education Teacher at Culpepper County Schools. and the City of Fredericksburg Public Schools. She has also served as an executive coach and educational consultant, as well as an adjunct faculty member at the College of William and Mary and Shenandoah University. Under Kay-Wyatt’s leadership, CSPA’s human resources department has significantly increased recruiting and hiring, strengthened university partnerships, improved staff onboarding, and improved employee well-being and recognition. employees. She was instrumental in designing and leading the staff vaccination and testing requirement process last fall and ensured that all schools and offices remained open throughout the year. elapsed with innovative strategies to identify and reassign staff as needed during critical staffing shortages.
“I am honored and thrilled to serve our school community and students as Acting Superintendent of CSPA. I look forward to collaborating with our division leadership, our outstanding principals, and our dedicated staff in a new capacity as we work together to inspire our students, break down barriers to learning, and prepare them to succeed in school. , in their careers and in life,” Kay-Wyatt said. . Kay-Wyatt also said she will focus on continuing our work around social, emotional and academic learning, meeting the needs of the whole child and ensuring that we provide a safe and welcoming environment for all students, staff and families.
Kay-Wyatt has held various leadership positions with the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), including as President and Chairman of the Board, and has been involved in educational policy at the state and federal levels as part of the ASCD Legislative Committee. . She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Mary Washington College, a master’s degree in education from Old Dominion University, a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Mary Washington, and a doctorate in leadership. teaching at Virginia Commonwealth University. Among her awards and honors are Jaycees Educator of the Year and James Monroe High School Teacher of the Year.
The terms of Kay-Wyatt’s contract as acting superintendent include a monthly salary of $21,383. The school board will immediately begin the process of finding a permanent superintendent, which will include opportunities for input from staff, students, families, and community members.
Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) serves more than 15,400 students from over 110 countries and speaks 121 languages. CSPA has 18 schools, including two middle schools, two K-8 schools, one pre-K school, and the internationally recognized Alexandria City High School. ACPS is committed to putting racial equity at the heart of all decisions and ensuring the success of every student.
