Signing ceremony takes place for inaugural master’s degree program

As the signing ceremony began, Board of Education President Jim Frazier said, “I wish I had this opportunity when I was teaching. This investment we’re making in you is also an investment in our students.”

Superintendent Will Hosaflook reinforced the message of the board’s commitment to the master’s candidates.

“This board believes in you and wants to help you achieve your goals,” he said.

For one teacher this will offer a chance to refresh and reinvigorate while for another it fulfills a promise.

“I’ve been teaching for several years,” Neil LoPrinzi, elementary art teacher said. “This will allow me to learn new technology and techniques and that’s really exciting.”

For Ripley Elementary teacher Heidi Swisher, obtaining her master’s degree is both a goal and a promise.

“I earned my teaching degree in my 40s so my story is a little different,” she said. “And I promised my mom, who passed away this year, that I would get my master’s degree. And I’m going to be able to keep that promise thanks to this chance given by our board.”

Joining Loprinzi and Swisher at the signing ceremony were Samara Woods, Michelle Fields, Miranda Parsons, Heidi Mosser, Tonya Gorrell, Charmin McCarty, Alicia Fisher, Rachel Thacker, April Smithson, Wiliam Smithson, Jason Knopp, Hanna Tignor, Kristen Cunningham, Kristina Hildreth, Emily Wise, Chelsea Miller, Dalton Gandee, Kayla Richardson, Janie Sinnett, Amanda Shaffer and Sarah Kiser.

Any teacher who obtains a master’s degree through this program must stay in the Jackson County school system for five years. Any who choose to leave before that time is up must repay the tuition.

Not only teachers but also students were recognized at the meeting. Ripley and Ravenswood Future Farmers of America (FFA) teams that competed and won or placed in state competition or national level were honored. These included the Ravenswood FFA Forestry team, the Ripley Nursery and Landscape team and individual state competitors.

In the business portion of the meeting, Superintendent Hosaflook reported that he gave a 10-minute presentation to the West Virginia School Board Authority regarding the proposed renovation of Ripley Middle School.

“Now, we just wait and see,” he said. “There were 27 proposals from across the state. We do bring a substantial sum to the project, around $6 million. But my last comment to the SBA was that this would be a perfect three-phase project if they would opt to go that direction. The amount of money available for them to allocate will depend on what is received from the governor’s office.”

Another update was given by Assistant Superintendent of Non-Instructional Services, Michael Irwin, regarding heating and air conditioning projects.

“Ripley Elementary and Cottageville are almost complete,” he said. “Kenna Elementary’s chillers are 100 percent rebuilt but still revising controls and boilers. And we’re still waiting on some heat packages at Ravenswood Grade, Ripley High and Ripley Middle.”

Extensive discussion was given to the need for maintenance contracts with a decision to be made after further research and talks with possible vendors.

“Our maintenance can handle much of the mechanical work but not the areas of controls and computers,” Irwin said.

In personnel:

Employment: Reba Marsh, cook III half-time, Cottageville Elementary; Lexis Shamp, aide/ECCAT, Kenna Elementary, both effective November 27, 2023.

Additional personnel items can be found at www.boe.jack.k12.wv.us.

The next meeting of the board will be December 14 at 7 p.m. at the central office.