A meeting of the Newport News School Board on Friday, May 4th, brought an end to the months-long search for a new School Superintendent. The School Board selected Caroline County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. George Parker III to head the Newport News Public Schools system for the next several years. Parker will move from the Caroline County position (located near Fredericksburg) and assume the NNPS Superintendent position on July 1.

Following Dr. Ashby Kilgore’s announcement of retirement in December of 2017, the School Board interviewed an array of candidates to take her position. Meanwhile, Brian J Nichols, the Chief Academic Officer of NNPS, acted as interim superintendent.

Parker started his career working in the Virginia Beach Public Schools system, working as a teacher, principal, and Assistant Superintendent of Education during his time there. He took the job as Caroline County Superintendent after the 2014-2015 school year, and will have served three years in the system, located outside of Fredericksburg, come June. Parker fulfills all of the requirements established in the superintendent search meetings, including a doctoral degree from Virginia Tech in educational leadership and policy studies.