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Former Brooke school staff gains recognition

HONORED FOR SERVICE — The Brooke County Board of Education held its annual wall of fame event Wednesday, inducting six who made an impact as principals, teachers or service personnel. Among those participating were, from left, Rick Taylor, former Brooke High School choir director; Janet Leary, former secretary for two schools; Peggy Erlewine, former special education teacher; Harry Moore Jr., who accepted for his late father, Harry Sr., a bus driver and food service truck driver; Helen Cheripko, a former aide and cook; and Superintendent Toni Paesano Shute, who spoke about the late Ruby McQuillan, a teacher and principal. Contributed

WELLSBURG — Anyone who doubts the impact a teacher, principal, school secretary or bus driver can have on the students they encounter need only attend the Brooke County Schools Wall of Fame induction held by the county’s school board each year.

Each year a volunteer committee appointed by the board and headed by retired teacher Betty Lou Harris accepts nominations from community members for past employees, with at least 20 years of service, who have had a positive effect.

Inducted this year and honored Wednesday were Helen Cheripko, a former special education and kindergarten aide at the former Carver School and Wellsburg Middle and Jefferson Primary schools; Janet Leary, who was secretary at Follansbee Middle and Brooke High schools; Peggy Erlewine, a special education teacher at four schools; the late Ruby McQuillan, a teacher at Follansbee High School and assistant principal there and at Brooke High School; the late Harry Moore Sr., a school bus driver who also drove the school system’s food service truck; and Rick Taylor, former choir director at Brooke High.

Employed by the school district for 37 years, Cheripko was nominated by her daughter, Elaine Markum, who said her mother started as a part-time cafeteria server before becoming an aide for students with autism, mental impairment and behavioral disorders and later, kindergarteners.

“She loved the kids and treated all of them equally,” said Markum, who recalled past students greeting Cheripko whenever they saw her in public.

Cheripko also was nominated by Edward Morgan, who was vice president when she led the Brooke County Schools Service Personnel Association, and was known for her diplomacy in dealing with fellow staff and administrators.

She said she enjoyed working with the children, whom she called “loveable,” and many outstanding teachers.

Leary’s 34 years in Brooke County Schools included serving as secretary at Follansbee Middle School and secretary for principals and the guidance department at the high school.

Former co-worker Teresa Fithyan said it was the guidance Leary provided when Fithyan was working under her, as well as her outstanding dedication and character, that led her to nominate her former supervisor and current friend for the wall of fame.

“I was blessed with so many good people to work with,” Leary said of her tenure with Brooke County Schools.

Erlewine’s 32 years with the school district included teaching children with special needs at Bethany, Franklin and Beech Bottom primary schools and Wellsburg Middle.

School board member and former colleague Pamela Dudley said Erlewine “was so organized, but above that, she was so caring. She would go that extra mile for any student.”

Erlewine said she wasn’t sure she deserved the recognition but was honored, adding she enjoyed working with her many students through the years.

McQuillan taught English and French at Follansbee High School and oversaw the school’s newspaper and yearbook before becoming dean of girls and assistant principal and was assistant principal at Brooke High School when it opened.

Shute recalled being required, with other female students at Brooke, to have her mini-skirt measured by McQuillan to ensure it met the dress code. But she also remembered advice she received from McQuillan, the county’s first woman secondary school administrator.

Shute, who worked as a student office aide to McQuillan, said, “She said girls will always have to prove themselves in the work force. Do it with grace, strength and conviction. Be true to yourself. Miss McQuillan accomplished her goals. She was a person you could trust, believe and count on to give you the right guidance. She was a professional in every sense of the word. A lady.”

Moore’s 30 years of service included driving school buses and later, delivering school lunches and breakfasts from the high school kitchen to the county’s other schools.

Mark Ross, who worked with Moore and nominated him, said, “He was just a faithful person in everything he did, faithful to his job, his family and God. He was there every day and did his job. That’s what makes a good service person.”

Taylor worked for 32 years in the high school’s music department, serving as assistant director for the band for more than 10 years and as choir director throughout his tenure, at times leading as many as five ensembles that performed 20 concerts in a year. He directed 28 school musicals and established the school’s Madrigal Choir, whose reputation for singing a capella earned it an invitation to a 50th anniversary observance of D-Day in Europe.

When Taylor retired, many current and former students organized a farewell concert for him.

Shari Buffington, a special education teacher at the school, said she nominated him also for helping her special needs students to feel a valued part of his choirs.

Also nominated by Gracie Arbogast, the mother of a former student, Taylor said he enjoyed teaching and getting to know students through the years.

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

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