The Goochland County School Board voted at a special session on March 22, 2016 to accept the resignation of school superintendent Dr. James Lane, effective June 22, 2016. Lane has accepted the position of Superintendent for Chesterfield County Public Schools.
“I have loved every minute of my more than three years in Goochland,” said Dr. Lane, “and will treasure the relationships that I have built with the faculty, staff, students, and community.”
Dr. Lane just began his fourth year as superintendent in Goochland after being hired in December 2012. Among other major projects, he initiated a 1-to-1 technology program for students at the elementary and middle schools, opened Goochland Tech and expanded CTE programming, fostered great relationships with the Board of Supervisors to provide staff compensation increases each year of his tenure, and reduced the focus on SOL testing through the balanced assessment initiative.
“I want to thank Dr. Lane for his time in Goochland and for everything he has done to enhance the schools in this county. Under his leadership, we have begun many new projects that have improved both the academic and career opportunities for our students,” said School Board chair Kevin Hazzard. “Dr. Lane will be missed, but we certainly wish him all the best. Thanks to his foundational work, we are well-positioned for the future and for continuing toward our goal of becoming the top performing school division in the state.”
School board vice-chair Beth Hardy said, “Dr. Lane has worked diligently with the board to build an award-winning school division that exemplifies innovation in education. We will immediately begin our search for a leader who shares our focus on innovation to maximize the potential of every learner.”
Dr. Lane stated that “we have worked together on so many projects over the past three years to build Goochland County Public Schools as a model school division in the region and I am honored to have worked with so many amazing professionals and focused students; however, the decision to accept the position in Chesterfield offers many new opportunities for my personal and professional growth. I am excited to start a new chapter in my career, but I will always look back on my time in Goochland fondly and will miss my colleagues, the students, and the community greatly.”
“It goes without saying that many of the successes we have seen in Goochland are also in large part due to the leadership of the School Board,” Lane continued. “I am forever grateful for their decision to bring me here and for their guidance and mentorship. They are focused on the future and I am confident they will find a leader that meets Goochland’s high standards.”