Wetzel County Teacher of the Year Sherry Stanley

Paden City Elementary School teacher Sherry Stanley was named Wetzel County Teacher of the Year Oct. 4 and introduced at the board of education meeting at Paden City High School.

In making the award, PCES Principal Tammy Chambers said Stanley “continually uses data to determine the needs of students and has an excellent rapport with the students, their families, and co-workers.” The parent of one of her pupils remarked that Stanley “runs a tight ship, but makes learning fun and causes students to focus and learn.”

The third grade teacher responded, “Teachers should be accountable for learning and staying up-to-date with new techniques that will be essential for the students to learn.”

A graduate of the former Fairmont State College with a Bachelor Degree in Elementary Education, Stanley has been with the county school system since 1987. She is active in her community as a member of the First Baptist Church of Paden City, has also volunteered with the PCHS Band and sports programs, as well as her church’s Relay For Life Team.

The board heard reports from the PCES and Paden City High School principals and from each school’s Local School Improvement Council. Elliot Kendle reported for his LSIC, outlining his council’s goals for the year: support of the PCES strategic plan and to assist in meeting Adequate Yearly Progress; completing playground upgrades; developing a viable parking solution for staff and visitors; and increasing parent communication through the use of technology.

Pictured are representatives of Paden City High School and Paden City Elementary School who reported to the Wetzel County Board of Education Oct. 4 on the accomplishments and 2010-11 objectives of their Local School Improvement Councils. In the front row, from left, are Cork Bowen, president of the PCHS LSIC; PCHS Principal Jay Salva; Elliott Kendle, president of the PCES LSIC; and PCES Principal Tammy Chambers. In the back row are Board President Mike Blair and County Superintendent of Schools Bill Jones. (Photos by Bill Abraham)

He also said that staff, parents, the community, and Wildcat Boosters have been supported and were involved in academic achievement at all grade levels.

Chambers announced a new Partner in Education for her school and presented a commemorative plaque to Business Machines Services of New Martinsville, owned and operated by Jon and Penny Baker. She also reported that the school had met AYP, measured this year by the WesTest2 that raised the bar for mastery levels.

In addition to a number of other academic and extracurricular accomplishments at the school, Chambers noted that office referrals had dropped from 90 in the year 2004 to only 16 in the 2009-10 school year. She also noted that positive discipline “Paws” rose from 61 percent in 2004 to 84 percent last year and that the school had the highest county attendance overall attendance rate, 94.86 percent, for the entire last school year.

The attendance rate and meeting AYP also were on the minds of PCHS Principal Jay Salva and LSIC President Cork Bowen. Salva pledged efforts to reduce the PCHS dropout rate to zero in the coming year and Bowen said efforts would be strengthened in increase school enrollments. He noted that a multi-media advertising campaign already was underway, backed by the Paden City Cornerstone Project.

In March, the board turned back a recommendation in its proposed 10-year Comprehensive Facilities Plan to close PCHS in the 2012 school year. Pressure to do so was mounted by a swarming community campaign and a 1,000-resident turnout at a special board meeting called to introduce the plan.

Salva also said his school would continue last year’s goal to increase appreciation of the arts by establishing a drama club and strengthening last year’s efforts to raise the level of music appreciation. He also said the core curriculum would be enriched by sponsoring outside speakers, science and math camps, as well as other academic competitions.

Salva preceded his report by inviting the school’s exchange students to introduce themselves for brief remarks. They spoke with authentic fondness for the school, classmates, and community they have come to know.

Perhaps Sweden’s Malin “Molly” Ed spoke most poignantly about a difference between the much larger schools in her mother country and PCHS. “Here,” she said, “everybody knows your name,” capturing a grace of small town America.

Before adjourning, the board approved a number of other recommendations of County Superintendent of Schools Bill Jones, including one to join 50 other counties in appealing a lawsuit against OPEB. That action was dismissed recently by a Kanawha County Circuit judge, who said the suit should have been against the legislature.

The board set its next regular meeting for 7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 18, at Valley High School.