Dr. Michael Richards began work as the superintendent of Harrisonburg City Public Schools in 2019. His adventures in education have included special education, gifted education, special campuses, traditional campuses, research and development, state assessment, community relations, and classroom teaching from 2nd grade to graduate school in subjects ranging from English to Statistics. The central goal of his leadership is to place authentic, challenging problems at the center of teaching and learning, to further personalize learning experiences, and to extend learning beyond the classroom. He believes that the more we engage students in problems that they want to solve, put them at the center of their own learning, and connect them to the larger world, the deeper their learning will be. He is dedicated to partnering with families and the community to see Harrisonburg truly fulfill the vision and mission of public education as an institution where any student, regardless of their circumstances, can thrive and reach their full potential. 

Dr. Richards holds a Bachelor of Arts from The College of William and Mary, a Master of Arts in American Studies from The University of Maryland, a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Notre Dame, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

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