Va. Board of Education chief presides over final meeting

Familiar faces are coming and going from Virginia's top education board.

Virginia Board of Education President Mark E. Emblidge presided over his final meeting yesterday after eight years on the board and the past two as president. Emblidge was appointed in 2002 by then-Gov. Mark R. Warner and reappointed in 2006 by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine.

Before that, he served four terms on Richmond's School Board. He's an affiliate professor at Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Education and director of its Literacy Institute.

Board member David L. Johnson and the other board members praised Emblidge for his service to Virginia's students. Johnson said students are better off today because of the time and energy Emblidge has devoted to public education over the past eight years.

"Mark has set the bar awfully high" for anyone who follows him, Johnson said.

Additionally, former State Superintendent of Public Instruction Billy K. Cannaday Jr. has been appointed to the board by Kaine to take over the seat vacated by Kelvin Moore, who retired last month with more than a year left in his term.

Cannaday, who has served as superintendent of Hampton City Schools and Chesterfield County Public Schools, was appointed state superintendent in July 2006. He left in September 2008 to become dean of the University of Virginia's School of Continuing and Professional Studies. Cannaday will continue his work at U.Va.

Board members are reimbursed for travel and expenses but do not receive a salary.

Contact Holly Prestidge at (804) 649-6945 or .