Albemarle County Public Schools is in the midst of multiple sex-scandals involving child-victims:
- On March 2, former Woodbrook Elementary teacher Nicholas Clark was arrested on charges of possessing child pornography.
- On June 3, Hollymead Elementary Social Emotional Learning Coach Michael J. Swiney was arrested on 11 counts of felony “sex crimes involving children.”
Former Superintendent Matt Haas, Ed.D., received a rich settlement—estimated at over $300,000—following his “resignation” over the alleged sex crimes.
Now, after Haas’s arranged sacrifice, another head is rolling. This time embattled Hollymead principal Joseph Downes McCauley has tendered his resignation:
ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. — Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) accepted the resignation of Joe McCauley from his position as principal of Hollymead Elementary School.
“I have been extremely grateful for these last four years at Hollymead Elementary School. It is a wonderful place filled with an incredible staff, wonderful children and caring families,” McCauley reflected. “As much as I would have loved to continue in my role, I believe that it is in the best interest of Hollymead Elementary School that new leadership carry it forward in this next part of its journey. New leadership will allow this school to begin and continue a journey of healing that it so very much needs.”
“We have accepted Mr. McCauley’s resignation, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors,” said Dr. Rebecca Berlin, chair of the Albemarle County School Board. “We have asked acting superintendent Dr. Hayes to establish a transition plan to prepare for the coming school year.”
ACPS will appoint an interim principal for the 2026-27 school year and intends to conduct a formal search for McCauley’s replacement beginning February 2027.
McCauley, whose most recent employment contract stipulated a salary of $145,953.60, was suspected by some ACPS parents of inadequate response to concerns raised over Mr. Swiney.
In response to a Schilling Show open records request seeking a copy of McCauley’s settlement agreement, Albemarle County Public Schools spokesman Jason Grant declined to provide the document, stating:
Pursuant to § 2.2-3705.1 of the Code of Virginia, the settlement agreement with Mr. McCauley was drafted to resolve an employment dispute. Therefore, it is not a public record.
While the exemption claim may be dubious, ACPS’s community credibility-problem will not be solved by more legal obfuscation or institutional wagon-circling.
As the call for an independent investigation of ACPS procedures and practices intensifies, observers and affected parties are left wondering: what’s the holdup in seeking accountability?
And perhaps more importantly: what are they hiding?
