Chesterfield County School Board appoints Dr. Jenna Darby as interim Clover Hill representative

The Chesterfield County School Board voted unanimously on Oct. 31, 2025, to appoint Dr. Jenna Darby as the interim representative for the Clover Hill District, effective Jan. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2027, until a special election is held to select a representative for the remainder of the term.

Board Chair Ian Coker called the special meeting to order after the board reconvened in open session and adopted a certification that only matters lawfully exempted under Virginia law had been discussed in the prior closed meeting. The appointment was introduced as the meeting’s sole action item and drew support from multiple board members before a roll-call vote.

"I am honored to accept this appointment to serve as the interim school board representative for the Clover Hill District," Dr. Jenna Darby said after the vote, addressing Chair Coker, board members and the community. She described her background as a former City of Richmond and Chesterfield County Public Schools reading specialist and a current collegiate adjunct faculty member and said, "I will earn confidence through openness, steadiness, and active listening." Darby also said her husband is a CCPS employee and that she "will recuse myself when we discuss and vote on matters in which I have a conflict of interest."

Board member Dominique Chatters thanked Clover Hill residents for applying and said the process was "a tough process, a fast process" that resulted in selecting "an educator to serve since that is the skill set that Clover Hill voted for." Other members echoed appreciation for applicants and pledged support to the appointee.

The clerk called the roll on the motion to appoint Darby. Dominique Chatters, Steven Pronto, Lisa Hudgins and Chair Ian Coker each answered "I," and the motion carried. The board recorded the appointment with the stated effective dates of Jan. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2027; the transcript indicates the seat will remain filled until a special election selects the remainder of the term, but the date of that election was not specified.

Earlier in the meeting the board read and adopted a resolution certifying the closed session and reminded the public that audience comments are permitted only during the designated public comment period. The meeting concluded after brief announcements, including a Nov. 12 work session and business meeting, and a motion to adjourn.

The board did not specify the date for the special election to fill the remainder of the Clover Hill term. The appointee's recusal acknowledgment and the unanimous vote were the meeting’s principal outcomes.