Our Superintendent

Dr. Chris Ballenger

Superintendent

I am a husband and father to two college-aged children, Tabor and Hannah. My wife, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, is originally from Asheboro, North Carolina. Family values are at the

core of my life and work, and I bring this perspective into my professional role by fostering a supportive, family-oriented culture within my staff. I believe in servant leadership, which guides my approach to administration.

My educational path began with a baseball scholarship to Bethany College and then continued at Oklahoma State University, where I earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. Striving for continuous growth, I later earned my Doctorate from Southwestern College. During my career, I have been fortunate to work in various roles, including teacher, coach, principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent. Additionally, I’ve taken on hands-on roles as a bus driver, janitor, and finance director, among others. I view the role of a school leader as all-encompassing and I am dedicated to providing a foundation of success for my staff by leading by example. My journey in education spans over 24 years, beginning in Oklahoma, where I served as a teacher, coach, principal, and superintendent. When we moved to Virginia in 2017, I joined Smyth County Public Schools as Assistant Superintendent and have had the privilege of serving as Superintendent of Warren County Public Schools since 2020. I will be starting my 19^th year as a superintendent and ready to work for the students and families of the Chesterfield County School District.

My Philosophy

As your new superintendent, my mission is to directly impact student achievement and school improvement by fostering a culture of trust, collaboration, and innovation.

I will LISTEN—through both formal and informal meetings—to students, teachers, parents, administrators, school employees, and community organizations to understand their aspirations for education.

I will BUILD TRUST by genuinely listening, understanding the needs of our school community, and involving stakeholders in the decision-making process.

I will LEARN by analyzing performance outcomes, reporting results transparently, and using feedback to shape policy and drive meaningful reform.

I will SHARE my story, philosophies, and values to foster open dialogue and connection across our district.

I will BUILD RELATIONSHIPS with community organizations and businesses to strengthen support for our schools and expand opportunities for students.

I will SEEK GUIDANCE by listening to the hopes and dreams of our community and valuing diverse perspectives to guide effective leadership.

I will CREATE TEACHER LEADERS by encouraging shared leadership and collaboration throughout the school division.

I will DEVELOP an inquiry-based environment that supports continuous growth, learning, and innovation systemwide.

I will OPEN MY DOOR to foster a welcoming environment where staff feel empowered to voice their concerns and ideas.

I will WORK ALONGSIDE our faculty to show my commitment to their work and our shared mission of educational excellence.

I will be FAIR and EQUITABLE in decision-making, carefully evaluating all possible solutions to best serve every student.

I will EXPLORE innovative strategies that challenge both students and educators to reach new heights.

And above all, I will CHALLENGE our entire school system to become the most effective, innovative, and student-centered educational system in South Carolina.

Together, we will create a future where every student thrives.

My Mission

I am honored to be the new superintendent of Chesterfield County Schools. I look forward to partnering with all stakeholders to ensure that our children are provided the best education possible and to prepare them for life.

I will provide an equitable education by valuing the differences within our community and I will provide resources and support mechanisms to ensure individual student success.

Our students will be afforded a quality education through the enhancement and development of a challenging curriculum.

My focus will be to build on our current successes while seeking other opportunities to enrich and amplify opportunities.

I will listen through various platforms to encapsulate the desires of the entire school community which will foster an open and trusting environment.

My Vision

My Goals

To build a positive, transparent, and collaborative governance model with theChesterfield County School Board.
To listen and learn from students, faculty, staff, and community members to gain insight on strengths, improvements, and challenges of the school district.
To create a strong and supportive environment by valuing the entire Chesterfield County School Community.
To listen to understand the core values and expectations of each school community.
To evaluate student outcome data, programming, and instructional practices.
To review the current operations of Instruction, Finance, Human Resources, Operations and Facilities, Student Services & Administration, Child Nutrition, InformationTechnology, Career and Technical Education, Transportation, Federal Programs, School Sites, Safety and Security Plans, Strategic Plan and Progress

Chesterfield County 100 Day Entry Plan