FOND FAREWELL — As part of Monday’s meeting of the Hanco*ck County Board of Education, members recognized the service of Larry Shaw, who was participating in his final meeting as a board member. -- Craig Howell
NEW CUMBERLAND — Monday’s meeting of the Hanco*ck County Board of Education was full of personnel adjustments and goodbyes as the final regular meeting of the board’s fiscal year.
Among the departures was Larry Shaw, who has served on the board for the last several years.
Shaw first joined the school board through an appointment from November 2017 to June 2018, and again in August 2019. He was elected to a full four years in 2020, but opted not to seek re-election this year.
“It’s been a pleasure serving with him the last four years,” said board President Chris Gillette.
In addition to his time on the board of education, Shaw spent more than 30 years as an educator and coach at Oak Glen High School, with stints as a physical education teacher and librarian, as well as physical fitness coordinator and head wrestling coach.
According to Superintendent Dan Enich, it was in the latter role where Shaw attained much of his renown, leading Oak Glen’s wrestling team to 13 consecutive state championships and five runners-up, as well as coaching 51 individual state champions.
He was named OVAC Wrestling Coach of the Year 12 times and West Virginia AA/A Coach of the Year seven times, also being inducted into the OVAC Hall of Fame and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
The board also approved and celebrated the retirement of Cynthia Nelson, effective June 13, as an English teacher at Oak Glen.
Nelson, who was in attendance Monday, noted she has had a career of approximately 38 years.
Enich invited both Shaw and Nelson to attend a ceremony at Oak Glen Aug. 21, where he plans to recognize both with the school system’s Game Changer award.
Another retirement approved was for Cheryl Thornburg who has worked as supervisory aide/ECCAT at New Manchester Elementary.
In personnel moves Monday, the board approved a proposal to abolish the position of special education teacher at the John D. Rockefeller IV Career Center and create the position of coordinator of vocational services/special education teacher.
In addition, the board approved the hiring of Chris Enochs as the new director of secondary, adult and career education at the career center, moving him from the post of assistant principal at Weir Middle School to which he had been approved in April. Enochs previously had been director of supplemental services/transportation.
The board also approved a mutual agreement with Attendance Director Ruth Ann Douglass to add 10 days to her employment contract during the summer months to assist with court hearings.
“She has gone to court in the summer in recent years without any compensation,” Enich said.
The amendment was made effective June 17.
In other personnel matters, Monday, the board approved:
The resignation of Jamie Fair as first-grade teacher at Weirton Elementary and Keenan Seditz as countywide substitute teacher;
The assignment of certified positions for Brooke Provenzano as fourth-grade teacher at Allison Elementary, Teresa Bendel as fourth-grade teacher at Weirton Elementary, Ashley Hissam as multi-categorical/autism at New Manchester Elementary, and Kolby Mitchell as general science teacher at Weir High;
The transfer of certified positions for Nicole Seckman from multi-categorical/autism at Weir Middle to multi-subjects sixth grade at Weir Middle, Kaitlyn Crow from countywide substitute teacher to music/chorus at Weir Middle, Gavin Shaffer from countywide substitute to band director at Weir High, Tyler Warrick from physical education at Weir Middle to physical education at Weir High, Laci Growe from substitute teacher to career skills and awareness at Oak Glen Middle, and Mikaela Lenhart from substitute to multi-categorical/autism at Weirton Elementary;
The transfer of classified positions for Bonnie Willey from secretary at Allison Elementary to secretary at Oak Glen High, Kathi M. Eastham from supervisory aide/ECCAT at New Manchester to secretary at New Manchester, Nicole Hurst from Bus 207 to Bus 207, and Misty Steel from Bus 232 to Bus 141;
The assignment of Donna Ferguson and John Leary as substitutes;
The administrative release of Cynthia Parrish as custodian for the Transportation Department and New Manchester Elementary;
A slate of coaches on the middle and high school levels and classified substitute service personnel.
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