Alexandria City School Board Announces Interim Superintendent

Alexandria City School Board Announces Interim Superintendent

Dr. Alvin L. Crawley Recommended as Interim Superintendent 

 

Alexandria, Va. — The Alexandria City School Board will approve a contract on Oct. 10 confirming Alvin L. Crawley as interim superintendent for Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS). Dr. Crawley will begin his appointment on Oct. 14 and serve until a superintendent search is conducted and a new superintendent is selected.

 

“Our school board sought an interim superintendent who could lead our efforts to increase the achievement of all students and analyze our gap issues,” said Chair Karen Graf. “Dr. Crawley showed strong communication skills, professionalism and various educational experiences that we believe will serve Alexandria during the time he is here. He impressed us during a conversation on the importance of sound leadership during this interim phase when he said, ‘The students cannot wait for us; we need to serve them now.’”

 

Dr. Crawley received a bachelor’s degree in communication disorders and education from Hampton University in Hampton, Va., and earned a master’s degree in speech and language pathology from Northeastern University in Boston, Mass. He also has a doctorate in education, focusing on instructional leadership and administration, from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

 

“I have spent the last 33 years dedicated to children in many different communities, and I'm honored to be able to bring that same dedication to this community,” Dr. Crawley said. “I feel it is essential for an interim superintendent to engage in a collaborative fashion with the school board, community, administrators and the staff to ensure a productive and successful school year. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the leadership team in Alexandria City Public Schools this year.”

 

Most recently, Dr. Crawley served as the interim superintendent of Prince George’s County Public Schools. He spent the majority of his career in education in Arlington Public Schools, where he held top roles including assistant superintendent of student services and director of special education. He has also worked in Boston Public Schools, Chicago Public Schools and District of Columbia Public Schools. His broad experience and credentials include special education, student services, instructional leadership development, talented and gifted and cultural competency roles. Dr. Crawley is a co-author of “Gaining on the Gap: Changing Hearts, Minds and Practice” and is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions.

 

Since the departure of former ACPS Superintendent Morton Sherman at the end of August, the School Board has worked diligently to appoint an interim superintendent. Acting Superintendent Margaret May (Margee) Walsh led the division through the first month of the new school year and will remain in this role until Dr. Crawley’s arrival. 

 

“Dr. Walsh has been a calm and steady presence in the schools and to her peers during this transition,” Graf commented. “We hope to continue to expand her contribution, seeing that it served our community so powerfully to have her institutional knowledge.”

 

The School Board plans to select a superintendent search firm by Oct. 17 and then immediately begin to develop a schedule for community and staff involvement in the search. Check the ACPS website for continued updates at:http://www.acps.k12.va.us/superintendent-search/.

 

For more information or interview requests, please contact Kelly Alexander at 703-824-6635.