‘His brilliant legacy’: Beloved Richmond school leader passes away

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- A beloved leader at Richmond Public Schools (RPS) passed away on Sunday, with RPS leaders saying the students he guided and cared for will remain his "brilliant legacy."

On Sunday, Nov. 23, Solomon Jefferson -- RPS' Chief Academic Officer for Secondary Education -- passed away at his home, according to superintendent Jason Kamras.

"My thoughts and prayers, along with those of Chair Fernandez and the entire Richmond City School Board, are with his family, friends and all those who loved him," Kamras said in a Monday, Nov. 24 letter announcing Jefferson's death.

Jefferson, a Central Virginia native, grew up in Richmond's school system and earned his high school diploma at Meadowbrook High School, Kamras said. He went on to get his degree from Radford University before his desire to teach was ignited in North Carolina through Teach for America.

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"There, he found a passion for his ‘scholars’ — as he always called the young people he served — and dedicated his life to creating high-quality educational pathways for students furthest from opportunity," Kamras said.

Solomon Jefferson, Richmond Public Schools' Chief Administrative Officer for Secondary Education. (Photo: Richmond Public Schools)

Jefferson then spent several years teaching across multiple states. All the while, Jefferson worked to get his master's and a certificate in educational leadership. At the time of his death, he had nearly completed his doctorate, with only his thesis between him and securing that distinction.

In 2018, Jefferson returned to his roots by joining RPS as its Middle School Principal Director. He was one of Kamras' first hires. Jefferson then became RPS' Chief Academic Officer for Secondary Education in 2023.

"Under his leadership, RPS achieved the highest graduation rate in nearly a decade and the highest rates for Black students and economically disadvantaged students in nearly 20 years," Kamras said.

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Kamras said that, if Jefferson were here to read those words, he would "undoubtedly give all the credit to his team, his principals and all the secondary educators."

However, Kamras emphasized that Jefferson's personal impact cannot be called into question.

Solomon Jefferson, Richmond Public Schools' Chief Administrative Officer for Secondary Education. (Photo: Richmond Public Schools)

Solomon Jefferson, Richmond Public Schools' Chief Administrative Officer for Secondary Education. (Photo: Richmond Public Schools)

"I can confidently say that there are young adults in our community who would not have graduated, who would not be alive today, if not for Solomon and the work he did at RPS," Kamras said. "He loved his scholars deeply — loved spending time with them, loved finding ways to help them succeed, loved making sure they were supported every step of the way. To his very core, he was a deeply kind man, a caring and thoughtful mentor and teammate and a tireless advocate for his scholars. He truly exemplified what it means to Teach, Lead and Serve with Love, and he will be deeply missed."

In the wake of this profound loss, Kamras said that RPS employees are welcome to utilize the Employee Assistance Program to aid them during this time. They can also speak with their manager or a coworker, or even contact Kamras himself for support.

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"Finally, the scholars who learned from and were loved by Mr. Jefferson — you were the light in his eyes and you are now his brilliant legacy," Kamras said.