On Wednesday, July 17, the Joint School Board of the Governor’s School of Southside Virginia (GSSV) voted unanimously to appoint Dr. David Smith as the regional school’s interim director, effective Aug. 1, until a full-time director is hired. Dr. Smith brings a wealth of administrative and leadership expertise to the position, including experience in Region 8. Previously, he was the superintendent of Prince Edward Public Schools from 2010-2016 and most recently served as the interim superintendent in Amelia County Public Schools from July 2018-April 2019.

He was the unanimous choice for the position due to his administrative experience with gifted education, budgeting, supervision and human resources. Moreover, his prior knowledge of GSSV and the relationships he has built throughout Region 8 will be strengths during this transitional time.