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Once again, Colonial Heights has gone in-house to sanction its adjacent schoolhouse superintendent. Once again, the prime is simply a archetypal for the city.
On May 14, the School Board voted unanimously to prosecute Travis Ridley, the system’s adjunct superintendent for instruction, arsenic its adjacent schools leader. Ridley, who roseate done the ranks portion spending 21 years of his 22-year acquisition vocation successful Colonial Heights, is the archetypal Black person to beryllium named superintendent of metropolis schools.
Ridley succeeds Haidee Ratliff, who is stepping down aft 2 years astatine the helm. Like with Ridley, Ratliff's prime was historical; she is the archetypal pistillate to ever service arsenic Colonial Heights' superintendent
Also conscionable similar Ridley, Ratliff was a erstwhile Colonial Heights adjunct superintendent of acquisition who was elevated to the apical position.
Travis Ridley has spent each but 1 of his 22 years arsenic an pedagogue successful the Colonial Heights schoolhouse system. He volition go the archetypal African American to beryllium the system's superintendent.
School Board Chair Steven Neece said Ridley was chosen from “many large applicants” for the position, but his acquisition arsenic a longtime pedagogue successful Colonial Heights factored successful his favor.
Ridley “is positioned to beryllium the person we want,” Neece said.
Board subordinate Dr. Joe Cox – himself a erstwhile Colonial Heights superintendent – said helium guessed that “I recommended Travis beryllium hired astatine slightest six times” for positions successful Colonial Heights.
Ridley signed a three-year contract, the presumption of which were not instantly available. He officially takes the presumption connected June 30.
The determination was a fashionable 1 among the citizens and unit who attended the meeting. As soon arsenic Vice Chair Angie Woody work the sanction “Travis Ridley” during the question to prosecute him, the assemblage broke retired successful applause.
In accepting the job, Ridley said helium was “deeply grateful” to the School Board for picking him. He vowed to enactment with the committee and the assemblage “to sphere the contented of excellence” of the schoolhouse system.
A autochthonal of Dinwiddie County, Ridley holds a bachelor's grade successful concern from Hampton University. He besides earned 2 master's degrees, 1 successful concern medication from Hampton University and the different successful acquisition medication and supervision from Virginia State University.
He came to Colonial Heights successful 2003 arsenic a teacher, and 5 years later, helium was promoted to adjunct main of the precocious school’s Vocational Education Center.
For 11 years, Ridley was main of North Elementary School until helium was promoted to the schoolhouse medication office. He spent 2022 arsenic an adjunct superintendent of acquisition successful Buckingham County earlier returning to a akin presumption successful Colonial Heights.
The Virginia School Boards Association helped Colonial Heights vet applicants for the position.
Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning writer who covers breaking news, authorities and politics. Reach him astatine batkinson@progress-index.com oregon connected X (formerly known arsenic Twitter) astatine @BAtkinson_PI.
This nonfiction primitively appeared connected The Progress-Index: Colonial Heights picks Travis Ridley to beryllium its adjacent superintendent
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