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Wesley Hedgepeth
2025 - Present
2029
0
Wesley Hedgepeth is a member of the Richmond City Public Schools in Virginia, representing District 4. He assumed office on January 1, 2025. His current term ends on January 1, 2029.
Hedgepeth ran for election to the Richmond City Public Schools to represent District 4 in Virginia. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Hedgepeth completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Wesley Hedgepeth was born in Hopewell, Virginia. Hedgepeth's career experience includes working as a teacher. He earned a bachelor's degree and a graduate degree from James Madison University.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Richmond City Public Schools, Virginia, elections (2024)
General election
General election for Richmond City Public Schools, District 4
Wesley Hedgepeth defeated incumbent Garrett Sawyer and Angela Fontaine in the general election for Richmond City Public Schools, District 4 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Wesley Hedgepeth (Nonpartisan)  | 44.1 | 5,948 |
 | Garrett Sawyer (Nonpartisan) | 37.4 | 5,039 | |
 | Angela Fontaine (Nonpartisan) | 17.5 | 2,365 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.9 | 125 | ||
| Total votes: 13,477 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Hedgepeth in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Wesley Hedgepeth completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hedgepeth's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Wesley also served as the 2023-2024 President of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), the largest association in the country dedicated to social studies education. Before being elected NCSS President, Wesley represented secondary classroom teachers on the NCSS Board of Directors from 2018-2021 and served as President of the Virginia Council for the Social Studies (VCSS) from 2014-2017.
Locally, Wesley served on the Board of Directors of Patrick Henry School for Science and Arts from 2018-2020. During his tenure, the Board successfully renewed the school’s charter with the City of Richmond School Board, initiated a vigorous campaign to grow the diversity of the board, and secured multiple funding gr funding grants for school programs. Most recently, he served on the VMHC's Teacher Advisory Council.- School buildings must safe for learning, not only for physical health, but also their social, emotional, and mental health. Advocating for fully funded public education is the very first way to ensure this happens. Next, we need to make sure each of our schools is physically safe for our kids to attend. As an example, schools must be fire-safe from day one. At the same time, we need to attend to the emotional and mental health needs of our people, students and employees alike. We need to support our most vulnerable populations, such as those who have suffered from trauma. Then, we need to see short and long-term goals set and achieved to consolidate and rezone our schools.
- Our students deserve the very best teachers. Teachers who represent the diversity of the student body, have growth mindsets and are empathetic, caring, professional, and collaborative. Teacher burnout is a significant problem, and so is teacher recruitment. First of all, I believe we need to pay teachers what they are worth (and full disclosure, I am a teacher outside of RPS). We generally make 80% or less than individuals in other fields that require as much education and training as teaching does. Right now, RPS does lead in the area in teacher pay; however, it is not enough. We should set an example for the rest of the state by paying teachers equitable salaries.
- We must set high standards and a curriculum that represent best practices, include multiple perspectives, & allow for students to see themselves and others in their learning. As a growth-minded educator, I have been committed to professional development my entire career. All teachers deserve this opportunity. Additionally, there need for great tangible and intangible support, trust, and empowerment. As a nonprofit leader, I helped form a coalition that was made up of educators, parents, union leaders, faith leaders, nonprofit leaders, child advocates, and other community members to stand for inclusive social studies standards and fight against the whitewashing of those standards. I will continue fighting hard for our students and teachers.
understanding board and staff jurisdiction and relations.
Above the waterline sits the school board. The voice of the voters, the board is focused on strategy,
governance, and oversight. The board also establishes and reviews policy to make sure it fits best
practices and is what the school system needs. The board also hires, directs, supports, and evaluates the
superintendent.
The superintendent sits on the waterline and hires faculty and staff to implement board policy. Faculty
and staff carry out everyday operations and school activities and report directly to the superintendent or a designee.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Richmond City Public Schools, District 4 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 31, 2024
