Hillsborough names interim school superintendent to replace Addison Davis

Marlene Sokol, Tampa Bay Times
Updated ·2 min read

Veteran educator Van Ayres will lead the Hillsborough County school district in the year ahead as work begins to find a permanent replacement for outgoing superintendent Addison Davis.

“When I walk through schools everyone knows Van Ayres,” Davis said in recommending Ayres at a special school board meeting on Tuesday in which members approved the appointment unanimously. “Everyone knows him, they respect him and they appreciate him.”

Another special meeting is scheduled June 27. Between now and then, board members will meet individually with the district’s attorneys and Human Capital Chief Marie Whelan to discuss qualities and qualifications for Davis’ permanent replacement.

Board member Patti Rendon tried to convince the board to wait until the June 27 meeting to make a decision on an interim leader, saying she had not had time to evaluate Ayres against other possible candidates. Her motion died for lack of a second.

Davis submitted his resignation on Thursday, effective July 14. While not providing a reason, he said he plans to return to Duval County, where he grew up and began his career.

Ayres, 48, is a Tampa native and 1992 Jefferson High graduate whose parents each spent more than 30 years working for the school district.

He played baseball for Jefferson and the University of Tampa. He joined the district in 1997 and taught at Blake High before being named principal of Jefferson in 2012, where he presided over a 9-point increase in that school’s graduation rate.

In 2015, Jeff Eakins, then a newly appointed superintendent, promoted Ayres to deputy superintendent. Ayres oversaw the district’s five-year strategic plan with special attention to graduation rates.

After Davis assumed leadership, Ayres became chief of innovation and then chief of strategic planning and partnerships. Those positions gave Ayres a portfolio that included athletics, charter schools, after-school programs and magnet schools.

“I know that he would bring stability during a time when we are starting a new school year,” board member Stacy Hahn said. “I also think that he is beloved by principals and teachers. He is loved in the community as well.”