Earlier this summer, West Virginia State Board of Education President Paul Hardesty told Harrison County Schools to “get your house in order.” A report by the West Virginia Department of Education laid out overemployment of personnel beyond the ability of Harrison County Schools to maintain, even with an excess levy. It also alleged that the Board of Education went beyond its legal purview in interfering in school administration.
Current Superintendent Dora Stutler announced her resignation on August 18 in the middle of the Board of Education’s regular meeting. She cited her husband’s deteriorating health as a prime reason.
Dr. Sheena Van Meter, Hardy County Schools Superintendent since 2017, was selected to assume the Superintendent’s job by West Virginia State Superintendent of Schools Michelle Blatt.
She made the announcement to the public on her Facebook page, explaining that “for nearly 10 years, I have had the privilege of serving as superintendent of the school system that raised me, educated me, and gave me the opportunity to raise my own family here.”
“I’m excited about it, but I’m sad. I love the people here,” said Dr. Van Meter of leaving her post in Hardy County. She started her teaching career at the Burlington United Methodist Church Children’s Home in Mineral County, serving there for three years. This facility works with children presenting significant behavior challenges, mental health conditions, and special education needs.
After she had children of her own, her career took her to schools in Grant, then Hardy County in 2010. There, she entered school administration as assistant principal of Moorefield Elementary, then principal of Moorefield Intermediate School. In 2017, Dr. Van Meter was named assistant superintendent. She rose to the Interim Superintendent’s position following the tragic passing of then-Hardy County Superintendent Dr. Matthew Dotson. “They asked me to stay on the next year,” she said.
Over the next nine years, Dr. Van Meter navigated Hardy County Schools through the years of the pandemic and related lockdowns, as well as teacher work stoppages. “Going through two teacher strikes and a pandemic, that really tests your leadership skills.” She described working together with the Hardy County Board of Education as they sought to tackle challenges that “We were all working through it together. We all had to figure it out together.”
Dr. Van Meter went on to add that “problem solving challenges make you better collectively. You learn to bond and trust each other.” Another difficult part of the job comes when “we had tragic losses of teachers and students.”
She also worked to tackle problems unique to Hardy County, specifically a much larger than state average population of foreign-born children.
“We have that really high English Learner population, that is a unique challenge here,” stated Dr. Van Meter. Mostly children of Pilgrims employees holding work visas in the United States and abiding by the law, they speak one of 15 different languages. That number includes multiple Central American tribal languages with no written form, but not vastly different dialects of Spanish. These children also present a higher than average number of special education related issues.
Dr. Van Meter has advocated strongly with the West Virginia State Legislature for more assistance on both fronts.
Her vision for Harrison County Schools lies in collaboration and teamwork and keeping focus on priorities. “I’m here for the kids. Everything in the school system should be about what’s best for the kids. It’s not about politics.”
Despite criticism from the West Virginia Department of Education report, Dr. Van Meter offered praise, sharing that “I’ve heard nothing but good things about their system.” She stated that it “needs to make adjustments for long-term success” and “I’m excited about working with the Board.”
Dr. Van Meter also as a member of the West Virginia Association of School Administrators has also helped to spearhead the “I Love West Virginia Public Schools” information and education campaign to tell the stories of teacher and student success in the traditional school system.
She shared on a Facebook post announcing her retirement that “leaving is incredibly difficult, but my faith has always taught me to be willing to go where God sends me, even when the next step is hard. I trust His direction for my life and I know Hardy County will always be home.”
Caption:
State Superintendent Michelle Blatt asked Superintendent of Hardy County Schools Dr. Sheena Van Meter to lead Harrison County Schools, currently under partial state intervention.
