New Kent Charles City Chronicle

News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | February 14, 2025

Hardinge stepping down from New Kent school board post effective May 1

By Andre Jones | April 12, 2021 11:35 pm

New Kent School Board District 5 representative Gail Hardinge will be resigning from her position effective May 1.

The announcement came through an essay written by Hardinge that was read by School Board chairwoman Andrea Staskiel during Monday night’s board meeting.

“I felt a deep connection for this community and to New Kent County schools,” Hardinge said in the letter. “I have spent my recent years writing grants for education and I have a long passion for education and students.”

Hardinge commented to her ongoing battle with a medical condition that weighed heavily on her decision in stepping down.

“Unfortunately, as many as you know that the last several months I have been battling with ALS (Amyotrophis Lateral Sclerosis/Lou Gehrig’s disease) and it has been very progressive,” the letter continued. “I am grateful for your prayers and the many advocates and educators that I got to work with.”

Hardinge has been instrumental in several educational endeavors for both New Kent County Public Schools and other areas. In the essay, she mentioned working for six different school superintendents in New Kent as well as leading CODE RVA as its first chairwoman, a magnet school that teaches the school in Richmond.

Hardinge began her New Kent career as a school counselor and spent approximately 37 years in education in one facet or another. Among her accomplishments include being named as the Virginia School Board Association Regional Board Member of the Year and the “Women in Innovation” award recipient from Virginia Information Technologies Agency.

During her 18 years on New Kent School Board, the District 5 representative focused on providing the best learning environment for students, saying in past interviews that education is the key to a child’s door to the future. She also expressed the importance of parents and schools working together to create continuing success for the children.

Hardinge echoed those sentiments during her outgoing message.

“There were times when the board agreed and disagreed, but when you take a position like this on the school board, the key is to trust and respect each other,” her message said. “It takes time to learn this position and mistakes will be made, but more importantly, you must learn to compromise.”

New Kent’s School Board will seek legal advice in filling Hardinge’s void upon her resignation.