The Hanover County Board of Supervisors appointed two new members to the county’s school board Wednesday, marking another shift in a year of transition for the division’s leadership.
William Sroufe and Frank Shelp were unanimously selected to represent the Cold Harbor and South Anna districts, respectively. Sroufe replaces current Vice Chair Steve Ikenberry, while Shelp takes the seat held by Bob May, the board’s current chair.
Sroufe has over 27 years of experience in public education, and most recently served as superintendent for Colonial Heights Public Schools and Patrick County Public Schools. Shelp, a physician specializing in psychiatry and behavioral health, has held positions with the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the US Public Health Service.
“The Hanover County School Board is one of the most important citizen-led bodies in the County,” South Anna Supervisor Susan P. Dibble said in a press release. “We are thrilled to welcome two new members who bring with them decades of professional and life experiences that will serve Hanover’s students, families, and staff well.”
The appointments come during a pivotal period for Hanover County Public Schools, which has faced both leadership changes and public controversy over the past year.
In April, the School Board appointed Lisa Pennycuff as the division’s permanent superintendent after she had served in an interim role for several months. Pennycuff stepped into the role following the resignation of longtime superintendent Michael Gill in 2024.
Over the past two years, each of the school board’s seven seats has turned over to a new member. The leadership shake-up follows multiple years of public pressure surrounding thorny cultural issues and educational policy.
One of the most high-profile controversies involved the district’s policy on transgender student participation in sports. In 2024, the ACLU of Virginia sued the school division in federal court on behalf of a transgender student known as “Janie Doe” after the board denied her 2023 request to compete on the girls’ tennis team at her middle school.
The lawsuit was later withdrawn, but it left behind a trail of criticism from civil rights advocates.
In a separate controversy, the board faced backlash after adopting a policy that made it easier to remove books from school libraries. Critics, including educators and free speech organizations, argued that the policy disproportionately targeted titles by authors of color or containing themes related to race or LGBTQ+ issues.
Ikenberry was a key figure in the county’s recent book banning debate. In June 2023, Ikenberry listed several books at a public meeting he said he’d reviewed and personally deemed “age-inappropriate” or had “zero educational value.”
The board defended the move as a step toward ensuring age-appropriate content, sparking debate about whether Hanover's school board members should be elected rather than appointed.
Still, the county’s supervisors have expressed optimism that the new appointees will help the school division move forward. Cold Harbor Supervisor Michael Herzeberg, the board’s chair, expressed his gratitude to May and Ikenberry on Wednesday.
“Mr. Ikenberry worked hard,” Herzberg said. “He showed up prepared and was ready to work, and he accomplished a lot of good things on the school board.”
Sroufe emphasized his dedication to fostering positive relationships and student success, saying he believes in the power of public education and is “committed to ensuring all students receive a high-quality education in a safe and supportive environment.”
Shelp also signaled a focus on mental health and student well-being, highlighting his experience in behavioral health as an asset.
“Our schools face complex challenges that impact both academic and emotional development,” Shelp shared in a statement. “I look forward to working collaboratively with my colleagues to support the whole child.”
The new board members will be sworn in later this summer, before the new board term begins on July 1.
