Brooke County BoE welcomes Fatima Smuck
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WELLSBURG -- The newest member of the Brooke County Board of Education said she is looking forward to making education a good experience for district students.
“I’m really excited about this opportunity,” Fatima Smuck said after Monday’s board meeting. “I’ve been in education for most of my life, and I’m hoping to make a positive impact on the students. I’m looking to do something really great for the students of Brooke County.”
Smuck was named to the board during a special meeting on Oct. 13. She fills the position that had been held by Antoinette Perkins.
A longtime educator, Perkins died on Sept. 14 at the age of 75. She had just started her 10th year on the board in July, and had been named board president. Dr. Robert Marks succeeded her as president.
Smuck, a Follansbee resident and Brooke High School graduate, served in various roles in the Edison Local School District for 28 years before retiring in 2021. During that time, she was a special education teacher and principal at John Gregg Elementary School. She also served as a district administrative assistant, food service director and director of early childhood and special education in the district, and as an adjunct professor at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
“I’ve done a little bit of everything in education,” she added. “I’m all about education, and this opportunity came up. I just felt that I needed to be doing more in the community, and I’m looking to doing something positive.”
In total, 18 county residents applied for the position and the board cut that list down to five finalists during its Oct. 6 meeting. They interviewed those five -- Smuck, Peter Bolock, Emily Hosler, Alexandra Martin and Kimberly Stewart -- Oct. 13 during an executive session that lasted two hours and 15 minutes.
A ceremonial swearing-in was held prior to the start of the meeting.
Board members, meanwhile, also approved a request from Superintendent Jeffrey Crook to enter into a memorandum of understanding with West Liberty University on the Hilltopper Pathways Program, which will help tutor middle school students.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, Trevor Barnhart, the father of a HOPE Scholarship recipient, questioned the board about why he was not getting answers about the program concerning his daughter’s request to participate with the middle school band. Crook later explained the delay had been brought about because the Brooke board had not received needed details from state education officials regarding to the tuition enrollment and extracurricular participation fee schedule for eligible students not enrolled full time in the county school system.
He was able to offer information to Barnhart after the meeting.
Also during the meeting, the board:
• Held a moment of silence for Geraldine Rahr, Frank Lucero and Gene Cipoletti, longtime supporters of education in Brooke County who have recently died;
• Approved several overnight and day trips for student activities or employee training;
• Approved numerous personnel items;
• Approved $14,679.09 for the district’s portion of the E Rate Category 2 funding project at Wellsburg Primary School;
• Approved $42.679.09 to Advantage Technology for the district’s portion of the E Rate Category 2 funding project at Brooke Middle School;
• Approved $12,329.72 to Insight Public Sector of the E Rate Category 2 funding project for the county firewall. The funds will come from the county technology budget, with the county covering $69,956.53 and E Rate Funding paying $332,246.01; and
• Approved Crook’s request to seek bids for additional weight room equipment.
The board’s next regular session will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 16 at the board offices, 1201 Pleasant Ave.