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Superintendent says Crozet Gazette article mischaracterized administrative staffing; ACPS to send clarifying letter
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Matthew Hawes told the board the division will send a letter to the Crozet Gazette correcting perceived inaccuracies in an April 5 article about administrative staffing, saying the cited 54% figure reflects an internal pay-grade grouping and includes reclassifications rather than newly created central-office positions.
Dr. Matthew Hawes, superintendent of Albemarle County Public Schools, told the board on April 10 that he and staff, including Dr. Dunn, prepared a letter to the Crozet Gazette to address inaccuracies and missing context in a Gazette article published April 5 about administrative staffing.
Hawes said the Gazette's reported "54 increase in administrative roles is based on a broad internal classification system that includes school-based leaders, curriculum directors, and support staff, not solely departmental administrators." He emphasized that many positions were reclassifications of existing roles after a 2022 compensation study and were not newly created central-office positions.
The superintendent said the letter will explain that staffing changes were made to support enrollment growth, students with special needs, mental health and safety, technology, and capital projects tied to new school openings and program launches. "As the division opens new schools and implements new programs, we will continue to need school-based and central leadership to ensure strong implementation, student support, and accountability," Hawes said, adding that the division remains "committed to transparency, responsible budgeting, and clear communication with the community."
Hawes said the Gazette published the story "without consulting ACPS," which he described as a missed opportunity to clarify these points before publication. The board did not take formal action on the letter during the April 10 meeting; Hawes said the division will send the letter to the Gazette shortly.
The superintendent's remarks came during the "board and superintendent business" portion of the agenda and preceded other routine board items that evening.
