Richmond school board elects Shavanda Fernandez chair, Matthew Percival vice chair; amends agenda and recesses to Jan. 13

Shavanda Fernandez was elected chair of the Richmond City Public Schools Board and Matthew Percival was elected vice chair during the board's special organizational meeting on Jan. 8, 2025. The board also amended its agenda because of a city water emergency, approved the superintendent's recommended clerk and deputy clerk appointments, and recessed the meeting to Jan. 13, 2025 at 6 p.m. on the 17th floor of City Hall.

The elections came during the board's organizational business. Miss Burke nominated Shavanda Fernandez for chair; the nomination was seconded by Dr. Harris Mohammad. The board approved the nomination by roll call; Fernandez responded after the vote, "I don't take this lightly. I'm humbled and grateful, and I look forward to continuing the work and collaboration with all of you." Immediately afterward, Dr. Harris Mohammad moved to accept Matthew Percival to serve as vice chair; the motion passed by roll call and Percival thanked the board, saying, "Thank you, madam chair, and thank you to my colleagues for this vote."

Board members voted unanimously on several procedural items. The board approved an amendment to the agenda put forward because of a recent city water emergency; the amendment removed or postponed certain items preceding item 1.06 so those matters could be handled at a later date. The amendment was moved by Doctor Gersman and seconded as stated on the record; the motion passed on a roll-call vote.

The board also approved superintendent recommendations to appoint Patrice Richardson as clerk, Mary Ann Asias as deputy clerk, Sherina Chang as agent, and Renisha Parks as an agent to act and sign in the superintendent's absence. The superintendent's slate was moved and seconded on the record and approved by roll call.

As the meeting's final formal action, the board voted to recess the Jan. 8 meeting to Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, at 6 p.m. on the 17th floor of City Hall. The motion to recess was stated on the record and adopted by roll call. During the organizational meeting the board established the next meeting date to meet policy and statutory requirements.

The meeting opened with a clerk's roll call confirming a quorum and included the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence. The board conducted only organizational and procedural business at the Jan. 8 session and did not take additional substantive policy votes or hearings during the portion of the meeting recorded in the transcript.