Melanie Kay-Wyatt will become superintendent at Virginia’s Alexandria City Public Schools starting in July, after being in that role on an interim basis since September.

Kay-Wyatt will be the first Black woman to serve in that position with the school system.

“The School Board is excited to announce Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt as our next permanent superintendent for ACPS. She is an experienced, forward-thinking leader, and is exactly what we need for our school division’s success,” Alexandria City School Board Chair Meagan Alderton said in a statement following the board’s decision.

Kay-Wyatt was chief of human resources for ACPS before she was appointed interim superintendent. Previously, she had served as acting chief of human resources and executive director of human resources, since joining the school system in July 2021.

She’s also held positions in the public school systems in Spotsylvania and Culpeper counties and the city of Fredericksburg.

“Everything we do is for our students, and this is an exciting opportunity for us to reaffirm our commitment and support for all of our students in their social-emotional and academic success,” Kay-Wyatt said. “I look forward to continuing our school division’s work on behalf of ACPS students and our school community.”

The national superintendent search included a pool of 35 applicants and feedback from more than 2,000 community survey participants.

Kay-Wyatt’s contract will extend through June 30, 2027, with an annual salary of $265,000.