ACPS will pay Kay-Wyatt $37,500 in separation deal; she was under contract through 2028

Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt was under contract with Alexandria City Public Schools through June 2028 when she announced her retirement last month — nearly two years before her agreement was set to expire — and the school board approved a separation package that includes a $37,500 payout, according to a signed agreement made public as part of the March 26 school board meeting minutes.

The Alexandria City School Board voted unanimously 8-0 to accept Kay-Wyatt's resignation following a closed session at its March 26 meeting. Christopher Harris made the motion; Kelly Carmichael Booz seconded. The board deliberated in closed session before returning to open session to take the public vote. All eight members present voted in favor.

Background

Kay-Wyatt joined ACPS in July 2021 as chief of human resources and was appointed interim superintendent in September 2022 following the resignation of Superintendent Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings Jr. She became the first Black female permanent superintendent of ACPS when the board appointed her in May 2023 following a national search that drew 35 applicants and engaged more than 2,000 community members. Her initial four-year contract ran through June 30, 2027, at an annual salary of $265,000. The board extended her contract in June 2024 through June 30, 2028. She is departing Oct. 1, 2026 — nearly two years early.

The separation agreement

The signed separation agreement, dated March 26, 2026, confirms that Kay-Wyatt had been employed under a Second Employment Agreement dated June 20, 2024, set to expire June 30, 2028. Her departure is effective Oct. 1, 2026.

Under the terms of the agreement, the school board will pay Kay-Wyatt $37,500 — representing 75 days of accrued sick leave at $500 per day — on or before Nov. 1, 2026. The agreement specifies the payment is intended to supplement, not replace, any obligation the board has to pay out accumulated annual, vacation, personal or other leave.

The agreement also releases Kay-Wyatt from the residency requirement in her employment contract. After July 15, 2026, she will no longer be required to maintain Alexandria residency.

Nondisparagement

Both parties signed a mutual nondisparagement clause, agreeing not to disparage, defame or impugn the reputation of the other through any medium — including social media, interviews, newspapers or electronic communication. The agreement describes the provision as a material term.

Kay-Wyatt also agreed to cooperate with the school board on any future legal matters involving ACPS, including making herself available for meetings, depositions or trial testimony if needed.

Other employment

The agreement permits Kay-Wyatt to engage in other business or employment during her remaining tenure through Oct. 1, provided it does not create a conflict of interest or reduce her availability to fulfill her full-time responsibilities as superintendent.

What comes next

The board has said it will immediately begin searching for a permanent replacement, with plans to hire an outside search firm. The last superintendent search, launched in November 2022, took roughly seven months and used McPherson & Jacobson as its search firm. The board has stated a strong preference to move directly to a permanent hire without an interim appointment, though it has left that option open if needed to ensure continuity. Additional details on the search process are expected in April.

In a ParentSquare message sent to families and staff the morning after the vote, Kay-Wyatt cited family as the reason for her decision. "The time has come to turn that same devotion toward my family, to honor the relationships that have anchored and sustained me," she wrote.

The superintendent search will run concurrently with an ongoing nationwide search for a new principal at Alexandria City High School, which has operated without a permanent leader since July 2025. The board hopes to approve a new ACHS principal at its May 28 meeting.

The board's first regular meeting since the announcement is scheduled for Thursday at 6 p.m. at 1340 Braddock Place. An agenda had not yet been published as of Monday. The board has said additional details on the superintendent search process will be shared in April."