NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk's interim school superintendent will take on the position permanently.
The Norfolk School Board announced Wednesday it appointed Dr. Sharon I. Byrdsong as superintendent. Dr. Byrdsong had been interim superintendent since June 2019.
The school board says that as superintendent, Dr. Byrdsong will lead the day-to-day operations of an organization comprising 29,500 students, 51 schools and centers, and approximately 8,000 full-time and part-time employees.
"I cannot begin to convey how humbled I am to be named the superintendent of Norfolk Public Schools," Dr. Byrdsong said in a statement following her appointment. "I have spent the majority of my career here and I am a firm believer in the equalizing power of public education. Every child in this city deserves a high quality education and I want to be part of the team that makes that happen. I also believe that schools work best when they work in partnership with the parents and communities that they serve. I will build on those strong connections because together we can make a positive difference for the thousands of children who walk through our doors daily."