New superintendent named
RCS successor John Reynolds
speedily appointed
By ELLIOTT WALKER
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Incoming Rockbridge County Schools superintendent John Reynolds
sits with outgoing superintendent Dr. Jake Burks. Photo by Elliott Walker |
It took less than three weeks after Dr. Jake Burks stepped down from his position as superintendent for the Rockbridge County Schools school board to appoint his successor. Board members named John Reynolds the new superintendent just 18 days after Burks announced he was retiring.
This may seem like a quick turnaround period, but Burks believes it is justified. He said in most cases the school board would have contacted the Virginia School Board Association for help or have hired someone to conduct a national search.
“But you do [a search] when you feel like you don’t already have the right person,” he said. If the school board feels the right person comes from within, he said, “there’s no point in going through the search then.”
School board member Laurie Macrae agreed. She said the school board talked about doing a VSBA search but the school board “looked to Reynolds as the person to take us into the future for the next however many years.”
Macrae did say the school board didn’t just settle on Reynolds. She said they held three meetings in which they asked themselves some pretty hard questions about hiring him. After the school board gave him “a full-blown interview” they knew for sure he was their man at their fourth and final meeting.
Reynolds said he was “very appreciative” that the school board had the courage not to conduct a search and “that they felt I was capable.”
Both of his parents were educators. “I guess it was in my genes,” he said, but also said that he can’t say he necessarily set out to work in the education field. After college, Reynolds started coaching, which he credits for helping him get into the field.
Reynolds is no stranger to the Rockbridge school system. He has served as assistant superintendent for the past 14 years and prior to that served as principal of Lexington High School and Rockbridge County High School for seven years.
Reynolds started his education career as a 12th grade government teacher in Allegheny County. He taught for five years before moving up in the ranks.
Reynolds believes that one of his strengths coming into this position is his long history in education, rising in the past 32 years from teacher to principal to administrator. He said he believes he knows what the strengths and weaknesses of the system are by now, which is a plus.
“He knows the system inside and out,” said Macrae. “He is so inside on everything,” she stressed, from faculty and staff to the complicated budget.
She also praised Reynolds people skills and ability to listen as some of the strengths he will bring to the job.
Burks added that in addition to being smart, Reynolds “knows the history of this place, too…you can’t really lose sight of that.”
Reynolds will take over when Burks’ term ends June 30. Macrae said that Burks’ seven year term involved lots of changes for the school system, saying “he brought us up to now with lots of visions we felt our schools needed.”
Burks has worked hard during his term. He and his team have worked to include schools in the decision making process, renovate all the schools, hire nurses and start the Rockbridge County Schools School Foundation, among other things.
“I wish we were a little bit further along in alternatives for kids,” he did say. “We haven’t figured out how to reach some kids earlier, one size doesn’t fit all.”
Burks, Reynolds and Macrae agree that the school system doesn’t need any drastic changes right now, but now they must work on enhancing what has been done.
“I think we’re in pretty good shape,” said Burks of the schools. “We need to use what we have and build on it.”
Reynolds agreed, but said he has a few goals of his own.
“I hope down the road that we’re confident with the way we teach children,” he said, “that SOLs and accreditation won’t drive us crazy, that teachers can get some of the joy back in teaching.”
Burks said he will miss his job, but he’ll keep working in education. As for what that might entail, Burks isn’t sure yet. He consulted for schools across the country before getting into administration but said he would even consider teaching.
“Keep pushing,” he said in a bit of advice for Reynolds. “Keep challenging. Always keep looking for what that next level is.”
Rockbridge County Schools home page
Produced by Washington and Lee journalism students.
Lead supervisor: Prof. Claudette Artwick
Reporting supervisors:
Technical supervisor: Michael Todd