The Region 3 Leadership Team is pleased to announce that Darin A. Thompson, Ph.D. has been named as principal of Hayfield Secondary School.

Dr. Thompson has 16 years of experience as an educator.  He is currently the principal at Varina High School (Henrico County Public Schools, VA) where he has served since July 2020.  Prior to his time at Varina High School, Dr. Thompson served as an administrator for eight years including principal at Caroline Middle School, associate principal at Meadowbrook High School and principal and assistant principal at Thomas Jefferson High School (Richmond Public Schools, VA).  Previous experiences include Special Education department chair, summer school principal and Special Education teacher and Exceptional Education teacher.  

Dr. Thompson holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, a Master of Public Administration, a Master of Education, Administration and Supervision, an Education Specialist, an Advanced Educational Leadership, and a Doctor of Philosophy, Advanced Educational Specialist from Virginia Commonwealth University and Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA. He is certified in Special Education-General Curriculum K-12 and Administration and Supervision Pre-K-12, as well as holds a Division Superintendent’s License.

Dr. Thompson is an experienced administrator with a reputation for innovative problem-solving. He has a proven record of improving academic performance and the learning environment in order to maximize the potential of both students and staff. He fosters a culture of collaboration and empowers all members of the school community to thrive by creatively and proactively addressing student behavior and mental health issues, while ensuring that students' voices are heard and respected in the decision-making process.  He is committed to connecting with all stakeholders to obtain input and build meaningful relationships with staff, families, community members, and students as he has successful experience in improving school culture. He recognizes the value of inclusive decision-making and the necessity of learning from others to effectively develop and lead plans that will propel Hayfield Secondary School to new heights.

Dr. Thompson is a proven instructional leader who is a strong proponent of data-driven decision-making and gathering informal, anecdotal information in strengthening instructional programming to improve student learning outcomes.  He possesses a deep understanding of pedagogy and instructional best practices.  He understands the importance of and is committed to pursuing and implementing a systemic approach to social-emotional learning and behavioral intervention.  He is experienced in implementing a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and fostering a robust Professional Learning Community.   

Please join our Region Leadership Team in welcoming Dr. Thompson as the new principal at Hayfield Secondary School!  He begins his new position on July 5.  We are pleased to share that Mr. Matthew Mough, Acting Principal, will continue to serve the Hayfield Secondary School community for the remainder of the school year.  Mr. Mough, collaboratively with the administrative team, stands ready to lead and support students, staff, and families through the next few months and will work with Dr. Thompson to plan for the leadership transition.