Over the past seven months, Daniel Keever has been listening.
As the Williamsburg-James City County Schools’ newest superintendent, he’s been listening to staff, students and the community. And all the while, he has been coming up with ideas and goals.
Keever recently laid out his findings — and his outlook for the future — after months of community meetings, listening sessions and surveys. What emerged, he said, is the foundation for how he will focus his priorities as the division’s leader, including pushing for increased educational achievement, helping students decide their futures and maintaining a top-notch staff.
These actions, along with others, will help make WJCC Schools the state’s premier school division, he said.
“It is a process and it is a journey,” Keever said.
Taking the reins
The 54-year-old stepped into his role June 1 following the retirement of Olwen Herron. But Keever’s work, really, had begun after Herron retired Jan. 31. He served as interim superintendent until he was named to the permanent post in May after a nationwide search.
Sarah Ortego, who chaired the WJCC School Board during the search, said Keever stood out from more than 40 applicants, consistently rising to the top after a rigorous interview process.
The board prioritized candidates who not only were committed to improving student academic achievement, she said, but who were also open to innovation and willing to listen and respond to the community.
“Dr. Keever stood out for his unique combination of fresh ideas, inspiring energy, and deep, established relationships within WJCC and the broader community,” Ortego said. “That combination has enabled him to move swiftly from vision to action with a level of trust and collaboration that accelerates progress from day one.”
Herron, who spent eight years as superintendent, said she was delighted Keever was chosen as her successor, saying he broughtexceptional leadership skills to the role.
“I know he is totally committed to the success of WJCC Schools,” Herron said.
Career beginnings
Initially, a career in education wasn’t on Keever’s radar. His parents — Richard and Evelyn Keever — were in the ministry, moving from Lynchburg to Richmond and finally in 1982 to Virginia Beach, where his father served as pastor of Bayside Presbyterian Church and his mother as chaplain for the Children’s Hospital for the King’s Daughters in Norfolk.
Growing up in Virginia Beach, Keever enjoyed playing soccer and participating in student council and student government, he said. It was, he said, a “phenomenal” childhood, noting that his parents helped him learn the importance of service and community.
“Both of my parents are incredibly human-centered folks who are service-oriented and worked really, really hard,” Keever said.
After graduating high school in 1990, Keever attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating in 1994 with a double major in political science and history. Initially having an interest in law, Keever enrolled at the Virginia Beach Leadership Workshop, where he discovered his passion for working with young people, he said.
It was at the workshop that he met his mentor Jerry Deviney, the first principal of Ocean Lakes High School, who encouraged him to go into public education. Keever joined the staff there as a security officer.
Williamsburg-James City County Superintendent Daniel Keever sits down with students in their classroom. (Williamsburg-James City County Schools)
Keever studied at Norfolk State University to receive his teaching credentials. In 2004, he graduated from Old Dominion University with a master’s in education and later on, returned to obtain a doctorate in education administration in 2023.
Keever worked as a suspension coordinator, a boys and girls travel soccer coach and a high school history teacher before becoming a principal at Larkspur Middle School in 2009 and Salem High School in 2012. Three years later, he served as the senior executive high school director for Virginia Beach Public Schools.
He joined WJCC Schools as chief operating officer in 2020, serving in that role for three years before becoming the division’s deputy superintendent.
Keever said each of his roles have given him empathy for people who work in public education. He makes sure to take into account everyone’s perspectives and needs, no matter who they are, he said.
“Whether it be a classroom teacher or principal or working in central office, I try to always keep in mind how difficult each person’s job is, and what can I do to help make their job a little simpler or a little clearer,” Keever said.
Priorities and goals
At WJCC Schools, student achievement has been and will always be a focus of the division, Keever said. Last year, the division met and exceeded the average Standards of Learning state results in reading, writing, science, mathematics and history. The results were an improvement from the 2023-24 school year with history and writing seeing 9 and 15 percentage point increases, respectively. Despite this success, achievement growth is still needed, he said.
In October, Keever called addressing achievement gaps for Williamsburg students a “central priority” after the school board, James City County supervisors and City Council members approved a new contract for operating the joint school system. Prior to the contract, the city had conducted a study exploring the possibility of forming its own school system. Among the findings of the study were statistics showing that city students weren’t performing as well as their county counterparts.
Since the city’s 2023 assessment, Williamsburg student pass rates have improved by 6% and 8% in science and math respectively, Keever said. While their reading scores dropped by 1%, he said that students have been assessed on a “more rigorous reading standard.”
To address this, Keever said the division would analyze local data such as class ratios, student demographics and attendance to learn and focus on factors that lead to better achievement results. The division would also gather feedback from teachers and families to understand the personal experiences behind their data.
Keever also wants to create a group with school and city leaders to look at how to make future improvements. Adding additional staff support for schools to serve a higher percentage of Williamsburg students is also being considered, he said.
Williamsburg-James City County Superintendent Daniel Keever sits down with a student in her classroom. (Williamsburg-James City County Schools)
Another of Keever’s initiatives is retaining staff. Alongside strong compensation and benefits, he said he wants to create a stronger work culture where all staff feel valued and supported. He notes that celebrating staff and asking the community to share their educators’ work would help with this endeavor. On improving the mental health and well-being of staff and students, Keever said he is looking to establish a work group to learn their needs and discover ways to provide support.
Keever also said he wants to introduce a post-graduate action plan to help students map out their post-high school futures. The plan would have students working with their families and the school to develop specific graduate goals, such as applying for jobs and college or enlisting in the military. Keever wants the plan to be a graduation requirement for students, he said.
One new project Keever is hoping to bring to the division is a dedicated career and technical education center. While WJCC Schools has a “strong relationship” with the New Horizons Regional Education Center, which has campuses in both Hampton and Newport News, some students can’t get in due to a limited number of seats for each school division, he said. Transportation is also a barrier for students, with bus rides to the campuses taking 45 to 50 minutes from the Historic Triangle area.
Keever hopes to bring the center, which would be at Warhill High School, to fruition by 2030-31.
Another new project is having Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps education for WJCC high school students. The division currently does not have a JROTC branch. Keever said there are two types of JROTC programs: a cost-sharing program, where the cost is split between the school and the service branch, and a cadet program, where the locality pays for the entirety of the program.
“We know there’s a desire for some form of structured JROTC programming in the division,” Keever said. “Now its just a matter of determining exactly which branch and when we can get it started.”
Focused on the future
School, county and city officials have shared positive reception toward Keever’s goals and ideas. Randy Riffle, the school board’s new vice chair, commended him on his list, noting there are “things for everyone to be excited about.” Jim Icenhour, who chairs the Board of Supervisors, has said he was impressed by Keever’s work.
“It’s never been so clear to me that WJCC is focused on producing well-rounded and prepared students,” Williamsburg Mayor Douglas Pons said during a joint meeting between city and county officials and the school board in December.
Trinity Bea, president of the Williamsburg/James City Education Association, also spoke highly of Keever and his progress.
“I am pleased that Dr. Keever listens to our voices along with many other community partners,” Bea said.
When away from the office, Keever said he enjoys spending time with his wife Amber and their two children. Their son Minor, 21, is a high school physical education teacher assistant while Finley, 14, is in the ninth grade.
He and his family love to watch and play sports (he’s a big North Carolina basketball fan), and their daughter plays high school volleyball, he said.
But Keever has another family, too. Each of his 11,146 students helps keep him moving forward, he said. They, along with the school community and his staff, are what make the division great.
“If we can continue to prioritize specific student needs and look at ways to expand their learning opportunities, we can become an even stronger school division,” Keever said.
James W. Robinson, 757-799-0621, james.robinson@virginiamedia.com
