Albemarle County School Board interviews seven candidates to fill Rio District vacancy

The Albemarle County School Board on a special meeting night interviewed seven applicants for the interim Rio Magisterial District seat, vacated by the death of board member Chuck Pace.

The interviews were part of the board’s process under the Code of Virginia for filling local school-board vacancies. Chair Kate Acuff and staff said the board had solicited applications, would hold a public hearing on the candidates at its Jan. 23 work session, and intended to appoint an interim member who will serve through Dec. 31, 2025; the appointee is expected to attend a first school-board meeting in February.

Why it matters: The interim appointee will represent roughly the Rio Magisterial District on policy, budget and personnel matters through the end of 2025. Board members and candidates framed the interviews around near-term priorities the next member would face, including the upcoming budget process, building capacity in Rio schools and closing achievement gaps.

The format and process Board members said each applicant would have a two-minute opening statement followed by 15 minutes of standardized questioning. School division counsel Josiah Black cited the timeline the board is following under state law: the board must act within 45 days of the…