The three public school districts that serve our community
are bound by one theme — change.
This past year, both Spotsylvania and Stafford county public
schools hired new superintendents. In Spotsylvania, Clint Mitchell was named
the new superintendent over the summer. He takes control at a time of change in
the county. Prior to his arrival, the county was roiled by board members and
several parents sympathetic to Moms for Liberty, who advocated banning books.
Mitchell has focused on stabilizing the district and refocusing on academics.
With a long track record of success leading schools and districts in Virginia
to success on state standardized testing, expectations are high he will do the
same in Spotsylvania.
In November, Stafford named Daniel Smith its new leader. He
replaces Thomas Taylor, who enjoyed a successful tenure strengthening technical
education, elevating student achievement, and raising the bar for how a public
school system should operate. Smith is still fairly new to his role, and the
Advance has yet to sit down with him. That will happen in the new year; until
then, we look forward to observing his efforts as he takes the helm of the
area’s largest school district.
Marci Catlett has been superintendent of Fredericksburg City
Schools since 2019. For the 2024-2025 school year, she has instituted a major
change. The district, which has long struggled with low standardized test
scores, has joined the Comprehensive Instructional Program (CIP), a consortium
of over 70, mostly small, school districts in Virginia that share resources and
administrative duties in an effort to free teachers to focus on teaching. The
program, born in 2014, has been remarkably successful.
All three districts this year have also ventured into
banning cellphones in the classroom. Fredericksburg was the first to act,
requiring students to lock phones and other Bluetooth-connected devices into
Yondr pouches that can only be opened at the end of the day. Stafford has
instituted a no-cellphone policy but does not require students to lock their
phones away. Spotsylvania is finalizing its approach, which will be rolled out
in 2025.
