By Taylor Boyd
Jason Wood was named Acting Superintendent of the Patrick County School division.
Wood, formerly the Assistant Superintendent of Administration, begins in the new position on Dec. 1, pending the approval of his Superintendent’s license by the State Board of Education at its next meeting in January 2022.
Once he is on the Superintendent’s eligibility list, Wood will be appointed as Superintendent of Patrick County Schools with a four-year contract.
Jason Wood and his family celebrate his promotion to Acting Superintendent of Patrick County Schools.
Interim Superintendent Dr. David Martin’s tenure with the division ended on Nov. 30.
Wood said he is thankful for the opportunity to serve the school division in this capacity.
“I feel blessed to lead and serve the school division that I grew up in and I am proud to say the school division my own children attend,” he said, and noted the school division has a reputation of excellence due to staff, students, and families.
“I know firsthand the hard work and dedication of our staff. From bus drivers and cafeteria staff to teacher assistants and teachers – all deserve the credit for our success. It’s my goal to find ways to make them feel appreciated and recognized,” he said.
Wood said he will strive to have honest and open communications with students, families, staff members, and the community.
“My door will always be open, and I look forward to working together to meet the vision and mission of our school division. I feel building positive relationships and creating a family atmosphere in our schools is essential to our continued success,” he said.
Patrick County School Board member Shannon Harrell said that she and the rest of the board are excited about what Wood will do for the school system.
Brandon Simmons, chairman, said that while this is one of his last school board meetings, it might be one of the most important ones he has attended.
“I feel really confident in what this system is going to be like in the future with you at the helm,” said Simmons, who will begin his tenure on the Patrick County Board of Supervisors in January.
Ryan Lawson said he is as optimistic as he has ever been about the school division with Wood at the helm. “I’m really happy to see you doing this,” he said.
The board expressed its gratitude to Martin for his work for the division.
“Thank you for coming back to Patrick County and helping us do this. I hate to see you leave,” vice chairman Walter Scott said.
“We’ll miss you and we thank you so much for what you’ve done for us and our school system,” Amy Walker said, tearing up.
