Ellen Osborne

I was motivated to serve by a belief that strong public schools are foundational to a healthy, equitable community. My children had an excellent experience at ACPS, and that should be the norm for everyone. As a single mother, I came to understand just how essential strong public schools are, not only for students, but for families. Teachers, administrators, and support personnel provided a consistent, stabilizing presence in my children’s lives, and I am deeply grateful. Serving on the School Board was an opportunity to give back.

Now in my second term, what continues to motivate me is a sense of responsibility to follow through on long-term efforts and to help strengthen how decisions are made and carried out across the division. We didn’t develop our longstanding challenges overnight, and addressing them requires focused, consistent work over time.

I value our students, families, and staff, and the deep commitment I see across the community to doing right by our children, even when circumstances are challenging. Our schools are anchors in their neighborhoods, and I have great respect for the educators and staff who show up every day to support students with a wide range of needs and experiences.

I focus on how decisions will actually affect students, staff, and families in practice, not just in theory. Equity, sustainability, and long-term impact matter to me, as does being mindful of staff capacity and fiscal responsibility. I try to weigh competing needs and wants carefully and support decisions that are principled, pragmatic, centered on students, and fair.

Closing the achievement gap remains a top priority, particularly for students who have historically been underserved, alongside supporting and retaining staff and ensuring students have access to the academic and social-emotional supports they need. I also see clear communication, thoughtful planning, and trust-building as essential priorities, both within the organization and with the broader Albemarle community.

I am hopeful that we can continue building stronger systems that reduce crisis-driven decision-making and improve consistency in student outcomes. I would like to see increased confidence from staff and families that their voices are heard, and tangible progress toward a school division that is stable, responsive, and well-positioned for future challenges. We’ve taken concrete steps to address significant problems, and meaningful progress will require patience, consistency, and a willingness to refine what isn’t working. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and progress will come from staying focused and consistent.