Danville board approves superintendent designees, 2025 calendar and code of conduct

The Danville Public Schools Board approved a slate of designees to act on behalf of the superintendent in her absence, adopted the calendar of board meetings for 2025 and agreed to sign the VSBA board member code of conduct at its Jan. 2 organizational meeting.

Superintendent (recorded in the meeting as Doctor Harrison/Hairston) presented the designees she authorized to make decisions and preside in her absence: Doctor Babalova, chief academic officer; Andre(a) Gilles, chief financial officer; and Joanna Hilton. "In my absence, we are required to submit by law this document authorizing individuals to act in my place relative to decision making in the board meetings," the superintendent said in the record. A motion to approve the designees was made by Terrell Payne and seconded by a board member; the roll-call vote recorded affirmative votes and the motion passed.

The board then considered the attached list of 2025 meeting dates. Mister Payne moved to adopt the calendar, Doctor Williams seconded; a roll-call vote approved the schedule. Next, the board reviewed the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) member code of conduct, which was available on-screen and in board packets. Mister Payne moved to adopt the code and have members sign, Doctor Williams seconded, and a roll-call vote carried the motion. The chair said members would sign the official copy after the meeting.

Chair Taquan Graves closed the business portion of the meeting with a community announcement: the funeral for student Jacaven Follin will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, at the Remnant Church of Power, with a family viewing at noon.

All votes reported in the transcript were recorded by roll call; the meeting record shows affirmative votes for the designees, the meeting calendar and the code of conduct.