Danville Public Schools elects Taquan Graves chair, Keisha Avery vice chair after runoff

Taquan Graves was elected chair of the Danville Public Schools Board at the board’s Jan. 2 organizational meeting, and Keisha Avery was chosen vice chair after a second roll call.

The board opened the meeting with introductory remarks and candidate statements before holding nominations and votes. Candidates used the nonbinding candidate statements to outline priorities. Graves, who stressed district progress and partnerships, recounted past district challenges and improvements, including earlier low rankings, staffing vacancies and recent accreditation gains. Takisha Walker framed her candidacy around measurable goals, board effectiveness and training, noting completion of VSBA governance and budget courses.

A motion earlier in the meeting to postpone the officer elections failed for lack of a second. Nominations were then opened for chair and vice chair. During the chair vote the clerk announced the result in the record as “52 in favor, Mister Graves,” and Graves was declared chair. For vice chair, nominations produced candidates Terrell Payne and Keisha Avery. The first ballot produced a tie and the board held a second roll call; the second tally was reported as 4 votes for Avery and 2 votes for Payne, and the chair announced Avery as vice chair.

Board members described their reasons for running in similar terms: a focus on student achievement, stronger board governance and continued collaboration with the superintendent’s office and city council. “I’m committing to hold high expectation for student achievement and quality instruction,” Takisha Walker said during her remarks. In his remarks, Graves highlighted district partnerships, construction and teacher raise efforts, saying the district had made substantial progress since he took office.

The newly elected chair then assumed control of the meeting and continued with the agenda. The board scheduled follow-up to provide the newly requested written summary of the chair and vice chair prerogatives and responsibilities by email.

The board’s elections concluded without further challenge; the clerk and deputy clerk nominations were also approved unanimously later in the meeting.