Dear Botetourt County Students, Staff, Parents, and Community,
I am truly honored and excited to have been selected as the next superintendent for Botetourt County Public Schools (BCPS). Although in this position for only one week, I have quickly learned that BCPS employees and parents are “all in” for the students in this school division and this community. Additionally, the BCPS School Board has made it clear; they are vested in this school division for the right reason, to provide every student with the best education possible. For these reasons I am elated and look forward to our future together.
I have been blessed with a beautiful family. I am married to my best friend, Brenda, who is also a public educator. She currently serves as a high school assistant principal. She will be completing her Doctor of Education in the next few months. I have four beautiful children: Haley, Kensley, Brody, and Sofía.
I am beginning my 30th year in this profession. I have obtained the following degrees: B.A. in Mathematics from Emory & Henry College, M.Ed. in Administration and Supervision from George Mason University, and Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies from Virginia Tech. During my career I have served in the following positions: middle school mathematics teacher, high school mathematics teacher, high school assistant principal, middle school assistant principal, elementary principal, director of assessment and accountability, director of human resources, chief administrative officer, and deputy superintendent.
The coming school year is going to be a year that none of have experienced in our lifetime. Every school division in the Commonwealth and across the United States are currently altering schedules and educational plans to ensure the safety of our students, faculty, and staff to the best of our ability, while also providing students with the best possible educational experience during these unprecedented times. Without a doubt, this school year is going to take collaborative efforts, patience, understanding, and a willingness to compromise from BCPS employees, students, parents, and community members to make this a successful year. From what I have learned from my short time in Botetourt County, I have no doubt this will be the case.
In the coming days and weeks, we will provide several Meet & Greet opportunities throughout the county to give me the chance to meet and learn from as many of you as possible. Once the schedule is published, I hope you make plans to attend one of these sessions. In the meantime, or if you cannot attend a session, never hesitate to reach out to me via phone or email regarding any matter. Again, I am very excited to be the superintendent of such a reputable school division, and I look forward to meeting and getting to know as many of you as possible in the immediate future.
Jonathan D. Russ, Ed.D.
Botetourt County Superintendent
