The Alexandria City School Board on Thursday appointed Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt as the interim superintendent for Alexandria City Public Schools.

Kay-Wyatt’s term will begin Sept. 1, when she will succeed current superintendent Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings Jr., who announced his resignation in June. The school board announced the interim superintendent appointment at a special meeting Thursday evening.

Kay-Wyatt is already familiar with the school district, as she currently serves as ACPS’ chief of human resources. She previously worked in human resources at Spotsylvania Public Schools, served as a principal and assistant principal at Fredericksburg City Public Schools and was a special education teacher at both Culpeper County Schools and Fredericksburg City Public Schools.

“I’d like to congratulate Dr. Kay-Wyatt. Thank you so much for willing to step up in a challenging time for education and for educators. [She] worked as a teacher, principal, administrative and recently lead HR during a tumultuous time,” ACPS board member Abdel-Rahman Elnoubi said at the board meeting.

Hutchings worked with ACPS for four years, leading the school district during a difficult time juggling the pandemic and managing conflict around antiracist initiatives. He was at the forefront of district-wide changes to address the school system’s racist past, including renaming T.C. Williams High School to Alexandria City High School. He also launched the 2025 Equity For All Strategic Plan which centers racial equity to improve education access and prepare students for a diverse world.

Kay-Wyatt’s experience and connections within the ACPS position her well to continue those equity goals while the board continues its search for a permanent superintendent, ACPS Board Chair Meagan Alderton said in a press release announcing the appointment. As head of human resources, Kay-Wyatt has “improved staff onboarding and elevated employee wellness and recognition,” and she was “instrumental in designing and leading the staff vaccination and testing requirement process last fall,” according to the release.

“I am very fortunate to stand before an amazing school community this evening. I’m grateful for the opportunity, and I look forward to working with strong leaders, amazing staff, and … it’s just an opportunity for us to keep getting better and better,” Kay-Wyatt said in brief remarks at the school board meeting.

Kay-Wyatt is contracted through June 30, 2023 or until a permanent superintendent is hired. The school board will start the search for the permanent superintendent immediately and the process will include input from students, teachers, families, and other community members, the district said in a press release.