Booker T. Washington Elementary School has a new principal following the promotion of Temesha Dabney to that position during the Suffolk School Board’s meeting on Thursday.

Dabney has been the assistant principal at the school since 2008. Previously, she taught at Driver Elementary School for three years and for five years in Portsmouth Public Schools.

Dabney has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Norfolk State University and a master’s degree in school administration from Cambridge College.

She replaces Patricia Montgomery, who recently retired.

The School Board also named Jacqueline Chavis as deputy superintendent to replace Deran Whitney, who was appointed recently to be the superintendent of Suffolk Public Schools.

Chavis is the chief academic officer in Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools, where she has served since 2005. Previously, she served as a science teacher and science teacher specialist in Norfolk Public Schools from 1990 to 1998, as an assistant principal from 1998 to 2001 and as a principal there from 2001 to 2005.

Chavis earned her bachelor’s degree in science and her master’s degree in education from Hampton University. She earned a certificate of advanced studies in K-12 administration and supervision from Cambridge College.

She will start work in Suffolk on Jan. 3.