The Chesterfield County School Board appointed Dr. Jenna Darby as the interim representative for the Clover Hill District, effective Jan. 1. The board made the appointment Oct. 31 during a special meeting.
Clover Hill’s current representative on the School Board, Dorothy Heffron, previously announced her resignation, effective Dec. 31. Dr. Darby’s interim appointment will continue until a special election can take place to elect a representative for the remainder of the term, which runs through Dec. 31, 2027. The date for that special election is not yet set.
In her remarks at the Oct. 31 meeting, Dr. Darby said, "Thank you for the trust you have placed in me today. I am honored to accept this appointment. ... With that responsibility comes a promise from me. I will earn confidence through openness, steadiness and actively listening. ... I am pleased to join a School Board where students are at the center of every decision. We will continue to focus on providing strong instruction in literacy and mathematics, maintaining safe and welcoming schools, and supporting special education and student services that meet needs with dignity and equity."
Dr. Darby has worked in education for 21 years. Currently, she teaches as an adjunct faculty member at Virginia Commonwealth University and as an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Richmond. She received the VCU School of Education Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award in 2025. Two previous jobs included working in Chesterfield County Public Schools as a research and evaluation specialist (2021-24) and as a literacy coach at the Chesterfield Juvenile Detention Home (2013-18).
To fill the pending vacancy, the Chesterfield County School Board sought applications from Clover Hill District residents via an online process that was open Oct. 1-10. Almost 20 people applied.
Dr. Darby wrote in her application for the appointment: “I have a base-belief in the need for equitable quality instruction to be offered to all students, and I bring an understanding of the support, infrastructure, preparation, and differentiation needed to do this across our very diverse division. I have worked in many high needs schools as a teacher at every level of education, including elementary up to graduate school. … While I do have a lot of experience, I have not served as a school board member, and I know I would have a lot to learn! However, I want to hear from and represent parents, families, and students of the Clover Hill district to support equitable student learning. I am a team player and enjoy working through tough debates to create positive outcomes and compromises through working together.”
Dr. Darby earned her doctorate in educational psychology from VCU, her master’s degree from the University of Virginia and her bachelor’s degree from Covenant College. She and her husband, Martin, have lived in the Clover Hill District of Chesterfield County since 2021. Their children attend Chesterfield County Public Schools.
Dr. Darby said, "My husband is also a CCPS employee, which means I will recuse myself when we discuss and vote on matters in which I have a conflict of interest." Martin Darby is the assistant director of special education for Chesterfield County Public Schools.