Goochland board appoints Andrew Armstrong as superintendent after closed-session personnel action

The Goochland County School Board voted to appoint Dr. Andrew Armstrong as superintendent, effective April 22, 2025, after convening a closed session to discuss personnel matters and legal briefings. A board member moved to appoint Armstrong, the motion was seconded and approved by roll call.

The board chair announced earlier in the meeting that the board had terminated the previous superintendent, Dr. Michael Cromartie, saying the decision was "hard and painful" but in "the best interest of our students." Dr. Armstrong addressed the board and community, thanking members for the appointment and pledging to "work every day to provide every child in this school division not just opportunity, but meaningful outcomes" as superintendent.

The appointment was made after a closed session the board said was held under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act exemptions for personnel and legal consultation (citing Virginia Code section 2.2-3711). The board conducted a roll-call vote; members who answered during the roll call supported the appointment.

The meeting record shows a large public turnout and an extended public comment period that followed the appointment vote. Speakers during public comment raised questions about the timing of the personnel action, the board's process for leadership transitions, and the financial effect of terminating a contracted superintendent.

Board members emphasized that personnel matters are confidential and said the vote and the board's contractual obligations guided their actions. The board also affirmed that existing nondiscrimination language remains in division policies even as it considers revisions to equity-related wording.

Next steps: Dr. Armstrong's start date was stated as April 22, 2025. The board did not provide additional detail about the former superintendent's contract in the public meeting and cited confidentiality statutes for personnel issues.