Waynesboro: School Board at critical juncture in search for new superintendent

The search for a new Waynesboro Public Schools superintendent is reportedly down to three finalists, with the goal of the Waynesboro School Board to have an announcement about the hire of a new superintendent by the end of the month.

The current superintendent, Jeffrey Cassell, is set to retire on Dec. 31 – the end of the calendar year, but the midpoint of the fiscal year and academic year, which presents a challenge for the School Board and WPS, given the timing of where things stand at that date in the work on the upcoming fiscal year budget.

An item on the agenda for the October School Board meeting laid out the schedule related to the development of the budget for the 2027-2028 fiscal year.

October 2026

• Review budget calendar
• Identify preliminary needs and budget priorities

November 2026

• Budget instructions forwarded to budget managers
• Adopt budget priorities
• Adopt budget calendar

December 2026

• Review budget managers’ requests
• Review governor’s state budget proposal
• Develop revenue projections for local and federal funds

January 2027

• Budget public hearing and work session: Jan. 12, 5:30 p.m.
• Preliminary budget information presented to School Board

February 2027

• Superintendent’s budget presentation: Feb. 9

I’ve been told that the goal of the School Board is to have a new superintendent on the job on Jan. 1.

That would mean whoever this new person is will be on the job 11 days before the first public hearing on the budget, which seems tight.

Also tight: announcing a hire by the end of November and expecting that person to be on the job four weeks later.

Details on the applicant pool

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WPS released details on what it got in terms of interest in the superintendent job earlier in the week.

• Overview: 33 inquires, 23 submitted applications
• Professional experience: eight current/former superintendents; five assistant/associate/deputy superintendents; seven central office administrators; one principal; two others
• Applicant demographics: 11 men, 12 women
• Geographic representation: 14 Virginia applicants, nine out-of-state applicants representing eight states (Arizona, Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina Texas, Vermont, Washington)