Culpeper County Public Schools (CCPS) is thrilled to announce that our Division Superintendent, Dr. Tony Brads, has been selected by his peers as the Region IV Superintendent of the Year. This prestigious honor reflects not only Dr. Brads’ accomplishments as a school superintendent, but also the deep respect he has earned across the region for his leadership, advocacy, and steadfast commitment to public education.
The 2025–2026 school year marks Dr. Brads’ 21st year as a division superintendent, including ten years as the Division Superintendent with Botetourt County Public Schools before coming to Culpeper. In 2015, while in Botetourt County, Brads was selected as the Region VI Superintendent of the Year.
This year, the Region IV Superintendents indicated that Dr. Brads is widely regarded throughout the region as a trusted and committed leader. His colleagues shared that he is known as a voice of reason and a tenacious advocate for students and schools. Dr. Brads consistently provides guidance and support to colleagues across Region IV. His calm demeanor, institutional knowledge, and genuine willingness to both lead and listen have strengthened the region’s work and reputation.
“Dr. Tony Brads exemplifies the very best of public education leadership, steady, principled, collaborative, and relentlessly focused on students,” said Jason Van Heukelum, Region IV Chair and Superintendent of Winchester Public Schools. “Region IV is proud to have Tony represent our region at the state level, and his peers’ nomination reflects the deep respect he has earned across Virginia.”
Colleagues noted that Dr. Brads’ impact on Career and Technical Education is especially significant, highlighted by the opening of the Culpeper Technical Education Center (CTEC) in 2021, an achievement made possible through his vision, leadership, and strong collaboration with school and community partners. In addition, his efforts to expand program offerings, create meaningful student pathways, and strengthen partnerships with Virginia’s Community Colleges have positioned Culpeper students for real-world success while building stronger connections between education and workforce needs. Examples of this include but are not limited to the Future Educators Academy Lab School partnership with Germanna Community College and the addition of the Firefighting program at CTEC. He is also recognized for his many accomplishments in CCPS, including academic achievement gains and increased on-time graduation rates.
Beyond the local level, Dr. Brads has served as an advocate for Virginia Department of Education licensure reform and contributed to statewide policy efforts through the VDOE Teacher Licensure Reciprocity Workgroup, helping to shape improvements that benefit all school divisions across the Commonwealth.
Above all, Dr. Brads is known for his collaborative leadership and clear vision for student success. He works tirelessly to ensure the right people are in the right roles, empowering others to lead and thrive, while consistently placing the focus on the collective efforts of the team rather than taking credit for himself. By bringing stakeholders together around a shared commitment to opportunity, growth, and innovation, he inspires progress and success for all.
As the Region IV Superintendent of the Year, Dr. Brads will be considered for the 2026–2027 Virginia Superintendent of the Year, which will be announced during the Virginia Association of School Superintendents Spring Conference Awards in late April 2026.
Culpeper County Public Schools congratulates Dr. Brads on this well-deserved honor and is proud to see his exceptional leadership recognized beyond the boundaries of Culpeper County. His dedication to students, staff, and public education continues to make a lasting impact across Region IV and the Commonwealth.
About Virginia Superintendents Region IV
Virginia Superintendents Region 4 includes the following school divisions: Alexandria City, Arlington County, Clarke County, Culpeper County, Fairfax County, Falls Church City, Fauquier County, Frederick County, Loudoun County, Madison County, Manassas City, Manassas Park City, Orange County, Page County, Prince William County, Rappahannock County, Shenandoah County, Warren County, and Winchester City.