WASHINGTON — The Alexandria City School Board has named an interim superintendent as the board conducts a nationwide search for a permanent schools chief.
Lois Berlin, who served as the superintendent of Falls Church City Public Schools between 2004 and 2011, will take on interim duties later this month, the school board said in a news release Wednesday.
Berlin has a long professional history with Alexandria schools, having previously served as the school system’s associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction and as a principal or assistant principal at three of the system’s schools during her career.
The school system’s superintendent oversees 16 schools, more than 15,000 students and a $277 million budget.
Current ACPS Superintendent Alvin Crawley announced in May he was stepping down from his role to join the faculty at George Mason University’s College of Education and Human Development. Crawley first joined as interim superintendent in October 2013 and was named full-time superintendent in February 2014. His last day with the school system is July 28.
Berlin is now the executive director of the Washington Area School Study Council, which convenes current and retired superintendents from around the D.C. area to discuss education issues.
“Dr. Berlin brings 40 years of educational leadership experience to this role, as well as background knowledge of ACPS through her past administrative positions across the school division,” said School Board Chair Ramee Gentry. “We are confident she is the right person to lead ACPS at this time.”
Berlin’s first day is July 31.
