ODU Graduate Named Superintendent of Chesapeake Public Schools

James T. Roberts, an Old Dominion University alumnus, will become superintendent of Chesapeake Public Schools on July 1.

Roberts, who holds three ODU degrees, was selected by the Chesapeake School Board following a national search. He will succeed retiring superintendent W. Randolph Nichols as head of the seventh-largest school division in Virginia.

An employee of Chesapeake Public Schools for the past 15 years, Roberts most recently served as assistant superintendent for personnel and support services. Prior to that position, he was the director of the budget.

He joined the Chesapeake system after 26 years with Portsmouth Public Schools, where he was a social studies teacher at I.C. Norcom High School and later served as budget director for the Portsmouth schools.

He has also been an adjunct instructor at ODU, George Washington University and Virginia Tech.

Roberts received the following degrees from ODU: B.S. in secondary education (1969), M.S. in secondary education (1974) and Ph.D. in urban services - education (1995).