Superintendent will retire at the end of next school year

What happened

On June 23, 2026 Superintendent Dr. Verletta White told the School Board she will retire at the end of the 2026-27 school year. It will be her seventh year leading Roanoke City Public Schools and her 35th year in public education. She said she will keep leading through the coming year and will support the board's search for a successor.

Why it matters to families

The superintendent runs the division day to day and recommends the budget, the staffing plan and the school boundary changes the board votes on. A change at the top comes as the division is working through a funding gap, a reduction in force and a multi-year boundary study, so who the board hires next will shape how those plans are carried out. The board has a full school year to run a search.

The evidence

The recording of the June 23, 2026 special meeting carries Dr. White's announcement in her own words, including that she will retire at the end of the 2026-27 school year, that it marks her 35th year in public education and seventh as superintendent, and her commitment to a stable transition and to supporting the board's forthcoming search process.

The source