Louisa County Public Schools

LOUISA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT

NAMED REGION V SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR

The Virginia Association of School Superintendents (VASS) and Louisa County Public Schools (LCPS) are proud to jointly announce that Louisa County Public Schools division superintendent J. Douglas “Doug” Straley II has been selected as the Region V Superintendent of the Year. The annual award is given to a superintendent who consistently displays excellence and leadership throughout their role as a public school division leader.

“The superintendents in our region were thrilled to honor our colleague Doug Straley with this well-deserved recognition and celebration of his leadership,” said Fluvanna County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Peter Gretz, who also serves as VASS’ chairperson for Region V. “Mr. Straley embodies all that we hope to promote in our leadership across the commonwealth. He is a committed, knowledgeable educator, a passionate and sacrificial leader, and a strong, reputable voice for schools, students, and families.”

This announcement now marks the second time Mr. Straley has received the prestigious award, first earning the honor in 2020. Known distinctly for the pride he has in his hometown of Louisa County, Mr. Straley credited his community for the accomplishment.

“It’s a tremendous honor to receive the Region V Superintendent of the Year award,” Mr. Straley said. “But as I receive this award, I give all the credit to the amazing team and community that I get to work with every single day. Their hard work and dedication have been the driving force behind our success at Louisa County Public Schools.”

Mr. Straley, a lifelong native of Louisa County, is now in his eighth year as superintendent and has worked for Louisa County Public Schools for the past 29 years. He served in a multitude of roles before his time as superintendent, including as a classroom teacher, coach, principal, athletics director, and assistant superintendent. At each stop, Mr. Straley has brought a unique blend of positivity and professionalism to the task at hand.

“Mr. Straley exemplifies everything you want a leader to be,” said Louisa County School Board chairman Greg Strickland. ”He cares deeply about the success of each student and he also believes in supporting his staff at every opportunity. We are incredibly proud of him and grateful to have him as the leader of our team here in Louisa County.”

As superintendent, Mr. Straley has worked to create a positive, team-centered culture throughout Louisa County Public Schools and the entire Louisa County community. Each Friday, Mr. Straley hosts his TeamLCPS MVP Awards video series, which recognizes a student, classified staff member, certified staff member, and community member for making a positive impact on the LCPS and Louisa County community. Mr. Straley also helped launch the LCPS #Kindness initiative, through which students and staff regularly collaborate to perform acts of service throughout Louisa County.

“We call ourselves ‘TeamLCPS’ here in Louisa County because we believe in teamwork and we believe in each other,” Mr. Straley said. “I think we have the best students, the best educators, and the best community in the world right here in Louisa County because we believe that by working together and taking care of one another, we can make the world around us a better place.” 

Mr. Straley’s leadership has also led to an increased focus on The 5 Cs of Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Citizenship. During Mr. Straley's tenure as superintendent, LCPS has received numerous accolades for its Profile of a Graduate program, which encourages the implementation of The 5 Cs into instruction throughout the school division. Along with that effort, LCPS has also developed one of the most comprehensive and state-of-the-art Career and Technical Education programs in the country, with a priority of providing hands-on learning and workforce skills.

The announcement is the latest in a series of honors for Mr. Straley and the school division. In November 2023, LCPS received the Virginia Governor’s Volunteerism in Community Service Award, the only educational organization to be honored. Also in 2023, LCPS received the Innovative Practice Award and the Best School Districts in America Award from the Virginia Department of Education and Niche.com, respectively. Mr. Straley was named the “Most Spirited Superintendent in America” by the nationally recognized company Varsity Brands in 2018.

Looking ahead, Mr. Straley is now eligible for the Virginia Superintendent of the Year award, which is also presented by VASS.

“Virginia, and our region, specifically, is fortunate to have such an exceptional educator and leader among us,” Dr. Gretz said.

“What I’m most proud of is the fact that this awards process provides another opportunity to shine a light on our team here in Louisa County,” Mr. Straley said. “I feel extremely blessed every day when I come to work because I am surrounded by great people.”

Mr. Straley lives in Louisa with his wife, Kate, who is a teacher at Louisa County Middle School. Together, they have six children, all of whom graduated from or are currently attending Louisa County Public Schools. He earned his B.S. in Education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and his M.A. in K-12 Educational Leadership from Regent University.