Cityscape

Youngkin appoints Lisa Coons as superintendent of public instruction

Free Press staff report

Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Wednesday announced the appointment of Tennessee Chief Academic Officer Lisa Coons as Virginia’s 27th superintendent of public instruction. Dr. Coons’ appointment as the commonwealth’s chief school officer is effective Monday, April 17.

“Dr. Coons’ proven leadership will serve Virginia’s students, families and teachers well and help make Virginia’s education system best-in-class,” Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera said. “She has demonstrated success in addressing learning loss, creating and implementing evidence-based literacy policy and practices, and building strong partnerships with teachers, communities, school and division leaders, and parents.”

“I am honored that Governor Youngkin has selected me to serve as Virginia’s superintendent of public instruction in collaboration with Secretary Guidera,” Dr. Coons said. “The governor has set a bold academic agenda that puts students first and empowers families to help set priorities for their children. We have an opportunity in Virginia to be the coun- try’s best state for education, and we’ll achieve that vision through partnerships with families, educators and school division leaders.”

Dr. Coons replaces Jillian Balow, who resigned earlier this month just 14 months into her tenure, and after the state education department came under fire for errors for its redrafting of K-12 history standards and for miscalculating how much education funding localities would receive from the state.

At the time of her resignation, Gov. Youngkin refused to say whether he asked for Dr. Balow’s resignation. Ms. Balow is to receive $266,213 in 24 semi-monthly settlement payments over the next year.

Gov. Youngkin also announced the appointment of Goochland County Superintendent Jeremy Raley as the Virginia Department of Education’s new chief of staff.

“Dr. Raley is a trusted school division superintendent from the Goochland and

Shenandoah County communities, and will be a great asset to the department,” Guidera said. “He is committed to serving Virginia families and educators as we all work together to support student success. Together, Dr. Coons and Dr. Raley bring decades of experience in education systems centered on high expectations and multiple pathways for every student, strong knowledge and experience in the commonwealth, and proven leadership.”

Dr. Coons has served in multiple leadership roles in K-12 education. She most recently served as chief academic officer for the Tennessee Department of Education, where she led all birth to grade 12 academic programming, including K-12 teaching and learning in language arts, mathematics, science, and fine arts; early childhood education; voluntary pre-K and Head Start.

Dr. Coons also worked as an executive officer of division priority schools for Metro Nashville Public Schools and executive director of instructional leadership at the Tennessee Department of Education. She holds a doctorate in education from Lipscomb University.

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Jan. 30 - Community members and elected officials host a vigil for Tyre Nichols, age 29, at Abner Clay Park weeks after he died from injuries sustained during a beating by police officers in Memphis.

Feb. 5 - Jonathan Starks, age 24, is memorialized in Chesterfield County after being found dead in the Bend 804 apartments the morning of Thursday, Feb. 2.

Feb. 8 - A vigil in remembrance of Tyrese Robinson, age 30, is held weeks after he was shot and killed in Gilpin Court on Friday, Jan. 27.

Feb. 25 - Summer Fuller, 31, allegedly shot and killed by her boyfriend on Monday, Feb. 13 - is the focus of a vigil held by friends and family outside the Glam Boutique Salon where she worked in Richmond.

March 4 - Dozens gather for a vigil at Pine Camp Cultural Arts and Community Center in honor of 20-year-old Antajuan Hawkins, who was found dead near the Center two days after being reported missing Thursday, Feb. 23.

March 16 - Tyrek Brandon, age 21, is mourned by family and friends in Blackwell. near where he was fatally shot on Monday, March 6.

RPS proposes metal detectors and other devices to offset gun violence

By George Copeland Jr.

In the wake of the shooting and deaths of multiple Richmond Public Schools students and ongoing concerns about school safety, RPS leaders are considering an estimated $1.3 million plan to expand the use of metal detectors in the city’s school system.

The proposal, introduced by RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras during Monday’s School Board meeting, focuses on adding stationary and hand-held metal detectors to seven middle schools. Two walk-through and wand detectors would each be installed in Albert Hill and Binford Middle Schools, four walk-through and wand detectors would be installed at Henderson, Lucille Brown, Martin Luther King Jr. and Thomas C. Boushall Middle Schools, and eight walk-through and wand detectors would be added to River City Middle School in the current proposal. Additional care and safety associates would be hired as part of the current proposal. If approved, the schools would join six Richmond high schools that already use metal detectors as part of their operations, including Huguenot, Thomas Jefferson and George Wythe.

“I want to be clear that I am acutely aware of the drawbacks of taking this step,” said Mr. Kamras, who acknowledged the need to not police students and how the proposal can’t be the only solution for school safety. “I’m (also) cognizant that every dollar we spend on security is a dollar that we don’t spend on mental health and instruction and all of our other core work.

“At the same time, my No.1 responsibility is, and I believe you all agree this body’s No.1 responsibility, is to keep our students safe and to do everything we possibly can to that.”

The proposal was introduced a week after a gun was discovered at Boushall Middle School, and after a weekend that saw several RPS students shot, with one Binford Middle School student Marquan Mitchell-Nash, killed Friday, March 10.

For 8th District Board Member Dawn Page, who voiced reluctant support of the proposal alongside Jonathan Young, 4th District, Shonda HarrisMuhammed, 6th District and Mariah White, 2nd District, the proposal was an unfortunate but necessary step to prevent further violence and fear.

Members also brought other suggestions to ensure greater security in schools during the discussion, from transparent backpacks to further involvement from the Richmond Po- lice Department in efforts involving school safety.

“It pains me that we’re having this conversation, but this is reality,” Ms. Page said. “So I support this, because no one wants to experience some of the gun violence we have had across the country.”

Other board members were less convinced, with Board Chair Stephanie Rizzi, 5th District, and Kenya Gibson, 3rd District, pointing out incidents where firearms were brought into schools without being discovered by metal detectors. A loaded gun had previously been found inside George Wythe in October after passing through the metal detectors undiscovered.

Ms. Rizzi, Nicole Jones, 9th District, and Vice-Chair Cheryl Burke, 7th District, also pointed to issues in the local community as a critical point to address in reducing the potential for violence in schools.

From the lingering impact of COVID-19 to the fears of students when walking home or to school bus stops, members saw the source of these school incidents as something that had to be tackled by an involved public and board to ensure safety outside and inside the city’s schools.

“I will never support an initiative like this without deep community and student engagement,” Ms. Rizzi said. “I want to hear student voices on this.”

“We need community engagement to help us address this, not more ways of treating our children like criminals when they enter our buildings.”

A vote wasn’t taken on the proposal during Monday’s meeting as Mr. Kamras sought to gather the board’s feedback before a more precise plan is provided.