School Board Elects Bethany Zecher Sutton as Chair – Miranda Turner Named Vice Chair

The Arlington School Board held its annual organizational meeting for the 2025-26 school year and elected Bethany Zecher Sutton as Chair and Miranda Turner as Vice Chair. The terms for the new Chair and Vice Chair begin immediately and will continue until June 30, 2026.

Zecher Sutton began her remarks by thanking Mary Kadera for her service as Chair. “I am very grateful for the time and energy you devoted this past year to serving as Chair. One of the hallmarks of your service has been to be strongly oriented to the voices and input of the community. I appreciate what you’ve done to elevate community engagement with the work of the School Board.”

Zecher Sutton emphasized the importance of advancing APS’s strategic plan, which includes updating school boundaries, investing in facilities, and finalizing the FY2027 budget, while supporting students and staff. She called for a culture of professionalism, trust, and shared understanding to help the system continue delivering high-quality education. “We will do our best work together if we create the right conditions for success—conditions where students and staff feel a sense of belonging, and our schools function as safe, supportive, and equitable environments,” she said.

In outlining her priorities for the Board, Zecher Sutton called for proactive leadership, active listening, and an unwavering commitment to marginalized communities. “The School Board must create a culture of stability and thoughtful leadership,” she said. “We must center the students with the highest level of need, because what serves them well will serve everyone well.”

Zecher Sutton concluded by expressing her gratitude for the support of her colleagues and the APS community. “I am honored and humbled to serve as Chair, and I look forward to working collaboratively with families, educators, and our broader community to advance the success of every student.”

Prior to the new Chair’s remarks, outgoing Chair Mary Kadera thanked her Board colleagues as well as the Superintendent and Cabinet. “It’s been a privilege to serve as School Board Chair over the past year. I’d like to thank the Superintendent for his partnership, his Cabinet members for their leadership and collaboration, my Vice Chair Bethany Zecher Sutton for her support, and my School Board colleagues for their commitment to doing the hard work for this school division and our community.”

About Chair Bethany Zecher Sutton
Bethany Zecher Sutton joined the School Board on January 1, 2023, and served as Vice Chair during the 2024-25 school year. She is a proud Arlington resident of more than 21 years. She has two children enrolled in Arlington Public Schools—one a recent graduate and the other an upcoming 11th grader. Bethany’s journey with APS began in 2011 at Randolph Elementary School, where she served as a PTA board member for 7 years, including 3 years as PTA President.

In 2018, Bethany joined the Advisory Council on Teaching & Learning (ACTL), which she chaired in 2021-22 and fall 2022. Within ACTL, she participated in several subcommittees, including the Advisory Committee on English Learners, the Math Advisory Committee, and the Career, Technical & Adult Education Advisory Committee. She also served on the APS South Arlington Working Group in 2015. In 2021-22, Bethany served on the Arlington County Food Security Task Force, and she is currently a member of the Columbia Pike Partnership’s Community Advisory Council.

Bethany’s professional background includes nearly 25 years’ experience in higher education. She worked for 17 years at a national higher education non-profit organization with a focus on improving the quality of undergraduate education. More recently, Bethany has worked as a leadership coach and consultant, specializing in leadership development for women in higher education and nonprofit organizations.

For service to the Randolph PTA and leadership for the Randolph Food Pantry during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bethany received the APS Honored Citizen Award in 2021 and the Distinguished County Service Award in 2020 from Volunteer Arlington & the Leadership Center for Excellence.

About Vice Chair Miranda Turner
Miranda Turner joined the School Board on January 1, 2024. Miranda grew up in Washington, D.C. and is the daughter of a Barrett Elementary, Kenmore Middle, and Wakefield High School alum. She attended Brown University, graduating with a degree in public policy and playing volleyball.

While in college, Miranda spent a semester attending Bank Street College of Education and student-teaching second grade. Miranda has a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law and is a practicing lawyer. She has lived in Arlington since 2014 and has three children attending Arlington Public Schools.

Prior to joining the School Board, Miranda helped establish the Drew PTA in 2019 and belonged to the Montessori Public School of Arlington PTA. She was a member of the Early Childhood Advisory Committee of the Advisory Council on Teaching & Learning, was on the board of the advocacy group Arlington Parents for Education and served on the Executive Committee for the Green Valley Civic Association, including as a delegate to the Civic Federation.

Next School Board Meeting:
The School Board will hold its next Regular Meeting (2110 Washington Blvd.) on Thu, July 24 at 7 p.m. The agenda will be posted one week before the meeting on BoardDocs.

For More Information:
Community members who want to comment on any items discussed at the School Board meeting should email the Board at [email protected] or call 703-228-6015. School Board meetings are also broadcast live on Comcast Cable Channel 70 and Verizon Fios Channel 41; live-streamed on the APS website, and re-broadcast on Fridays at 9 p.m. and Mondays at 7:30 p.m. immediately following the meeting. All materials and minutes will be posted to the website at www.apsva.us/schoolboard upon School Board approval at a subsequent meeting.