The Hanover County School Board this week appointed an interim superintendent and began the process to replace a board member who’s set to resign in the fall because he moved out of the district he represents.
The board unanimously appointed Lisa Pennycuff on Tuesday as interim superintendent while it searches for a permanent replacement for Michael Gill, who announced his departure earlier in July.
Pennycuff has worked in education for more than 30 years, including serving as a classroom teacher, learning specialist for students with disabilities, an assistant principal, principal and superintendent.
Most recently, Pennycuff retired from Prince George County Public Schools as its superintendent.
During her tenure, she and the school system were the subject of multiple civil rights lawsuits, including one filed by a former bus driver who claimed the division displayed a pattern of racism and discrimination in the workplace. The case was filed in 2021 and dismissed the next year.
“In my life, I have found that there is no more important work than helping our children build a strong foundation for their futures. I am thankful for this opportunity to support and serve Hanover County,” Pennycuff said in a statement.
Gill’s resignation comes after 10 years with the school system, nine as its lead administrator. He and board chair Bob May were recently named in a Title IX lawsuit filed against the Hanover school system by the ACLU of Virginia.
In a statement posted to the division’s website, Gill said it had been an honor to have served the school system. He added that after his decade-long tenure with the division, he recognized a new leader would be better suited to meet the board’s “new goals and objectives.”
“While I am excited for the next chapter of my life as I explore other opportunities, I will sincerely miss the many wonderful people I have encountered along this journey,” Gill wrote.
John Redd, who represents the Mechanicsville District, and Karen Lynne, a recent appointee to the Ashland post, called Gill’s departure during the board’s proceedings Tuesday “a great loss for Hanover County.”
“My family and I would like to thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to this community,” Lynne said in a statement addressed to Gill. “You have been the superintendent for the better part of my children's school careers. … As a parent, I want to thank you for always answering your emails and phone calls with kindness.”
Pennycuff was included on a general list of potential employees created by the Virginia School Board Association, a 100-year-old organization that supports local school boards through administrative training, legal services and networking events.
Hanover recently explored the idea of leaving the VSBA and joining the School Board Member Alliance, a conservative-leaning alternative. May spoke highly of VSBA following Gill’s resignation and reassured residents that Hanover schools would maintain the mission and goals identified in the board’s comprehensive plan.
“Our focus continues to be preparing our children for their future,” May said. “We look forward to working with Dr. Pennycuff to advance these goals.”
The seven-member school board has welcomed four new appointees within the past year. Redd’s planned departure in September after serving since 2022 will result in another new appointee. The Hanover panel is one of about a dozen in Virginia that appoints school board members, instead of the public voting on representatives.
Hanover’s Board of Supervisors received nominations for the Mechanicsville District school board seat Wednesday. They include Deborah P. Wickham, Jody McMaster, J. Chris Stanley, Sterling Daniel and Ryan Martin.
Daniel served on the school board in 2020, when he played a role in keeping schools open during the onset of COVID-19, as well as the renaming of Stonewall Jackson Middle School and Lee-Davis High School.
Martin, vice president of local utility company Accumark, contributed to the election campaign of Mechanicsville Supervisor Ryan Hudson.
Residents raised concerns Wednesday about his potential appointment, but Hudson assured them that he intends to interview each nominee thoroughly before making a decision.
The new appointee is tentatively scheduled to serve from October through June 2026, when Redd’s term would have expired.
The Board of Supervisors is expected to make its decision on Redd’s replacement during its Aug. 28 meeting.
