Chesterfield board honors three departing members; outgoing chair defends district spending and teacher pay

Dot Anderson led a special recognition on Dec. 10 for three outgoing Chesterfield County School Board members. Jamie Wayne was honored for service from 2008–2024, Eric Dusa was recognized for 12 years on the board (serving as board secretary), and Chad Vick was thanked for 20 years of service including time as chairman.

Jamie Wayne and other speakers reflected on the difficulty and rewards of school governance. Wayne urged the public to “support your board members. Talk to them, not about them, and help them out,” saying the public often does not know “what it takes to run a school district.”

In a lengthy farewell, outgoing chairman Chad Vick said he chose not to run for re‑election in District 4 and endorsed the incoming representative. He framed his service as an advocacy effort for teachers and students and responded to critiques of district administration. Vick stated that "our district administrative salaries, including benefits, account for 3.11% of our budget. Without fringe benefits, that number drops below 3%." He also noted that starting teacher pay when he joined the board was about $27,000 and that it has risen to “over 47,000.”

Board members thanked the departing members for their service. Mister Swinney and others praised teamwork across differing viewpoints and highlighted students and staff initiatives the district is pursuing.

The recognitions concluded with photographs and applause; no formal actions were taken as part of the recognitions.