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Brooke Teacher of the Year announced

TEACHER OF THE YEAR — Alyssa Roadman, right, Brooke County’s Teacher of the Year, shares a moment with Nicole Ennis, assistant superintendent of schools and former principal of Hooverson Heights Primary School, where Roadman teaches. - Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — When one of Alyssa Roadman’s pupils was asked to describe her, she said her teacher was “sneaky.”

Why? “Because she and her classmates “are having fun and don’t even realize they are learning,” said Nicole Ennis, Brooke County Schools assistant superintendent and former principal of Hooverson Heights Primary School, where Roadman teaches second grade.

It seems Roadman, Brooke County’s Teacher of the Year, is having fun, too.

Ennis said it’s not unusual to see Roadman leading her pupils in hands-on activities, such as observing and recording the development of a butterfly from a chrysalis or creating their own replicas of the solar system.

On the 100th day of the school year, she challenged them to write about what they would be like at 100 years of age and used a photo app to give them a look at how they may appear then.

“She really understands what kids need and how to engage them,” said Ennis, whose son was among Roadman’s pupils.

Roadman said she once considered entering business or accounting but was attracted by the opportunity to work with children.

In a sense, it was a chance to be her own boss, she noted.

Fellow teacher Tracey Welch and others said Roadman is “a wonderful role model’ for other teachers, a leader who leads by example.

Ennis said Roadman’s peers have visited her classroom to observe her using learning centers, stations where pupils can complete tasks independently while she works with other pupils.

Superintendent Toni Shute said because of her leadership, knowledge, compassion and enthusiasm, she is well liked by pupils and colleagues.

A 2004 graduate of Brooke High School, Roadman earned her bachelor’s degree at Bethany College and taught in Morgantown for seven years before returning to her home county. She is in her second year at Hooverson Heights.

In accepting the honor at Monday’s board of education meeting, Roadman said she feels fortunate to teach in Brooke County and owes much to the support of her family and colleagues.

She counts among her influences Marty Bartz, her fourth-grade teacher, and Joyce McGeehan, her high school French teacher, because they challenged her to step outside of her comfort zone.

Bartz encouraged her to write about a visit to her classroom by a snake handler for a local newspaper, while under McGeehan, she wrote a play in French, baked French food and was involved in planning an event inspired by the Tour de France.

Also recognized Monday was Beech Bottom Primary School, the second recipient of Youth Services System’s Partnerships for Positive Change award. The award is given to various individuals and groups for their efforts to create a healthier, more positive environment.

During the last year, Principal Michalene Mills and her staff have worked with the Brooke County West Virginia University Extension Service, Beech Bottom officials and others to create a community garden, hold a science, technology, engineering and math camp; and form a 4-H club.

Mills said the school has benefited from the support of Debbie Truex and other members of Beech Bottom Community Christian Church, who have supported the school’s backpack food program; the Brooke High School building construction class of Ralph Smith, which has built a shelter that will serve as an outdoor classroom for further STEM studies; and the community, which has contributed to the clothes closet maintained by Kim Anderson, the school’s secretary.

In other business, the board:

¯ Accepted a bid of $28,662 from Pittsburgh Stage Inc. for new lighting and controls for Brooke High School’s stage and a bid of $24,000 for roofs for two wings of Brooke Memorial Stadium that are being converted for storage space for the Follansbee and Wellsburg city football leagues, which now play there.

¯ Entered into an agreement with Akme Drug Testing of Huntington to provide drug testing for random samples collected from career technical students at Brooke High School involved in the simulated workplace program. The board earlier authorized the collection of the random samples.

¯ Approved the hirings of Wendy Willis as a kindergarten aide at Jefferson Primary School; Cameron Koehler as a teacher at the alternative learning center; Thomas Faessel as seventh- and eighth-grade volleyball coach for Follansbee Middle School; Dave Secrist as assistant football coach for the new middle school; and several substitute teachers.

Secrist will work under Scott and William Donohew, who have been hired as co-head football coaches for the school. On Monday, the board approved a policy allowing the two to function as assistant coaches to the high school’s football coaches, assisting in recruitment and other matters.

In related business, Ennis said a choir director position at Wellsburg Middle School still needs to be filled. She said she’s consulting the Regional Educational Service Agency about how a professional musician may obtain an alternative certification, as is done often for career technical instructors, if needed.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)

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