Dr. Kari Weston Named Region 1 Superintendent of the Year

Dinwiddie, VA - Dinwiddie County Public Schools proudly announces that Dr. Kari Weston, Superintendent of Schools, has been selected as the Region 1 Superintendent of the Year, recognizing her exceptional leadership, unwavering commitment to student success, and transformative impact on education across the region. Dr. Weston has served as Superintendent of Dinwiddie County Public Schools since 2017, bringing more than 30 years of experience in public education. Her career spans roles as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, director, executive director, and assistant superintendent in academic and instructional services. These diverse experiences have positioned her as a highly respected instructional leader at every level of education-early childhood, elementary, middle, high school, and central services-across rural, suburban, and urban districts serving between 4,000 and 35,000 students. As a first-generation college student, Dr. Weston holds a Bachelor of Science in Middle Education, a Master of Education in Education and Human Development, an Education Specialist degree in Administration and Supervision, and a Doctorate in Education and Policy Studies. In addition to her work in public education, she has served as a Director of Achievement in the private sector, collaborating with school boards and district leaders across the United States to improve outcomes in public, private, parochial, and charter schools. She has also shared her expertise as an adjunct instructor at both Old Dominion University and The George Washington University. Throughout her career, Dr. Weston has received honors at the local, state, and national levels for leadership in student achievement and community engagement. Her peers have recognized her as both Teacher of the Year and Administrator of the Year. Her work in closing achievement gaps has been highlighted by the Associated Press and Education Trust, and schools under her leadership have earned distinction as a Virginia Title I Distinguished School and a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School. She has also been honored as a Principal of Excellence by the local Council of PTA and is an Honorary Life Member of the Virginia Congress of Parents and Teachers.

A champion of community partnerships, Dr. Weston believes that school systems are strongest when they work hand in hand with families, businesses, and local organizations. She has served as Board President of Smart Beginnings Southeast, as a Board member of the Dinwiddie Chamber of Commerce, as a member of the leadership team of the Dinwiddie County Resource Council Steering Committee, as a member of the Dinwiddie Kiwanis, and as a member of the Dinwiddie Race and Reconciliation Task Force. She has also partnered with county leaders to facilitate a thriving Pastoral Roundtable, which has sponsored annual countywide leadership and learning summits, learning initiatives to prepare students for careers and service, and cross-functional think tanks to address intergenerational poverty, the opioid crisis, and community asset mapping. Currently, Dr. Weston serves on the Southside Advisory Council, the UVA K-12 Advisory Council, the Dinwiddie Education Foundation, the VASS Board of Directors, the Improvement Association (Head Start) Advisory Board, Brightpoint's Career and Education Executive Committee, the Coalition of Small and Rural Schools Board of Directors, and the Superintendent Advisory Council for four regional programs. In 2025, she joined the Breakthrough Battlefield Foundation, continuing her commitment to civic and educational leadership beyond the school division. "Dr. Weston's selection as Region 1 Superintendent of the Year reflects the respect she has earned from her colleagues and the lasting difference she continues to make for students, staff, and the Dinwiddie community," said Barbara Pittman, Dinwiddie School Board Vice-Chair and longest serving member of fourteen years. "Her leadership exemplifies what it means to serve with vision, integrity, and heart." This honor celebrates not only Dr. Weston's professional accomplishments but also her enduring belief that all students deserve access to excellent instruction, meaningful opportunities, and аa community that, working together, believes in their potential.