On Oct. 31 the Chesterfield County School Board made a decision in appointing interim representative, Dr. Jenna Darby, for the Clover Hill district. The special appointment was made following the resignation of representative Dorothy Heffron and will be in effect until a special election can be held to decide who will serve the rest of the term which runs through Dec. 31, 2027.

Heffron’s resignation will be in effect Dec. 31, 2025 and Darby will immediately take office Jan. 1. Darby’s experience includes 21 years of working in education where she was an adjunct faculty member at Virginia Commonwealth University, an adjunct assistant professor as the University of Richmond, a research and evaluation specialist for Chesterfield County Public Schools, and a literacy coach at the Chesterfield Juvenile Detention Home.

During the Oct. 31 meeting regarding the interim appointment, Darby expressed her gratitude and goals for her appointment.

“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,” Darby said.

In Darby’s application, she shared her fundamental beliefs regarding education and her care for the lives that she will be affecting as a representative.

“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,” Darby said, “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.”