ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. — Josh Davis, chief operating officer for Albemarle County Public Schools, is transitioning to a different post at a new district: the director of pupil transportation for Henrico (Va.) County Public Schools.

At his new district, Davis will be responsible for pupil transportation in a school division of approximately 49,000 students across 71 elementary, middle and high schools.

Albemarle County Public Schools, by contrast, has 13,100 students and 27 schools.

“I am excited by this new challenge to serve the students and community of Henrico County in a large and vibrant school division,” Davis said. “Both my wife and I look forward to the professional opportunities offered by the Richmond area. I have loved working for Albemarle County and will always treasure the many relationships I found with co-workers, students and families while working for the school division.”

Davis joined the Albemarle County school division in 2009 as its director of transportation, and under his leadership, officials said the department realized significant cost efficiencies. He became the interim chief operating officer in 2011 and was named chief operating officer a year later.

“Josh has been an incredible asset to our community and our schools and will be missed,” said Dr. Pamela R. Moran, superintendent of Albemarle County Public Schools. “His leadership created a strong level of support across multiple departments and helped move us forward through challenging budget cycles. We have been fortunate to have had him work with us as both our transportation director and as our chief operating officer.”  

According to officials at Albemarle County Public Schools, Davis became well-known to many of the students and their families as the voice on the phone when inclement weather caused school openings to be delayed or school to be canceled. A music video parody produced by an Albemarle High School student earlier this year, “Call Me Maybe Josh Davis,” resulted in more than 38,000 hits on YouTube.

As chief operating officer, Davis’ supervisory responsibilities included fiscal services, transportation, building services, child nutrition and strategic communications. He also led the formation of and served as facilitator for recent citizen advisory committees on redistricting in the county’s northern and western feeder patterns.

Moran said the district would immediately begin a search process for a new chief operating officer and hoped to complete the search this summer.

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