School Board Appoints Kimberley Graves New Chief of School Support

The New Leadership Position Will Serve on Superintendent’s Cabinet

The Arlington School Board appointed Kimberley Graves as the new Chief of School Support. Graves is currently the Principal of Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School, a position she has held since 2018. The Chief of School Support is a new position that serves on the Superintendent’s Cabinet, overseeing both principals and Administrative Services as well as Student Services to serve schools and students. Her appointment begins July 1.

Graves brings 23 years of experience as an educator and instructional leader, including nearly a decade in Arlington Public Schools, to this new role. She has served as a high school social studies teacher, middle school assistant principal, high school executive associate principal, and elementary school principal.“Kim is a passionate, thoughtful, and collaborative leader. She truly demonstrates the belief and leadership practices that all children can learn and succeed,” said Superintendent Dr. Francisco Durán. “Kim strongly believes in community and family partnerships that lead to increasing student engagement and meeting students’ academic and social emotional needs. She is fair and consistent, but most importantly she believes in community and relationships. Kim is a proven leader who has a demonstrated record of success increasing student achievement and transforming culture, climate, and instructional programming to create positive learning environments for all students.”

Graves has deep expertise in a wide variety of instructional strategies and practices, having experience in her previous district implementing the IB Primary Years Program and the STEM program at Hoffman-Boston. As a Principal, Graves implemented a Tiered System of Support to provide framework for data analysis, instructional planning, goal setting and interventions. Under her leadership, Graves brought high-quality instructional programs and practices to Hoffman-Boston, which led to the school to receiving for the first time in its history the Virginia Distinguished Award of Excellence. Graves was named APS Principal of the Year in 2018 for her outstanding contributions to the Hoffman-Boston school community, prior to transitioning to Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary.

In her current role as the Principal of Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary, she led the community through the reopening and renaming of the school as a neighborhood school. She is well-known in her community and colleagues as a student-centered leader who knows how to enact positive change, motivate and inspire excellence in all students, and actively models and engages in the work that she asks of others.

Graves holds a Bachelor of Arts in government from the College of William and Mary and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from George Mason University. She also holds certification in K-12 supervision and administration and in social studies.