Virginia Beach School Board member Dr. Todd C. Davidson will step down from this service, effective August 1. He will be leaving the Hampton Roads area to take the pastorate of Antioch Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio, in September. Davidson is currently the senior pastor of Piney Grove Baptist Church in Virginia Beach.

Davidson was first elected to the School Board in 2006 and re-elected in 2010. During his tenure he has served as the Board representative for a number of important committees and community organizations, including the Access College Foundation, the Equity Council, and the Mayor’s Committee for the Disabled.

School Board Chairman Daniel D. Edwards described Davidson’s resignation as a “tremendous loss” for the school division. “Dr. Davidson was a stabilizing force on our School Board, always keeping us focused on the greater good of children,” he said.

Davidson said he was proud to be part of the mission-focused Virginia Beach School Board, pointing to several accomplishments as particular points of pride: the development of a world-class strategic plan; a concentration on improving the success of African American males; and helping the school division navigate tough financial times. “There are many life lessons that I learned here and many friendships that I have developed over the years. I will carry these with me when I leave,” he said.

Davidson characterized his decision to leave Virginia Beach as “agonizing,” but pointed to the long and storied history of Antioch Baptist Church as a key factor. The church, founded in 1893, is renowned in its community for its outreach programs, including a fellowship fund that provides financial assistance to those in need, a hot meal feeding center, and a program that provides HIV prevention education and testing. 

Davidson’s School Board term expires in December 2014. At its July 31 meeting, the School Board will set a timeline for an appointment process. Because his resignation is more than 90 days away from a general election, the appointment of a successor will be a short-term one with a special election required to take place in November. The person elected in the special election will hold office through December 2014, the remainder of Davidson's original term.

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