Cabell County Schools Superintendent Ryan Saxe was named West Virginia Superintendent of the Year for 2024 on Tuesday, according to a news release.
He was presented the award by Adam Cheeseman, 2023 West Virginia Superintendent of the Year from Doddridge County Schools, and Eugenia Lambert of Marshall UniversityƵs Chair of Leadership Studies.
ƵIƵm honored to be selected by my colleagues who work tirelessly every single day in districts across West Virginia to ensure students receive a world class education. I am humbled and so appreciative to have received this award and look forward to representing West Virginia for the National Superintendent of the Year,Ƶ Saxe said in the release.
Monday night, Saxe was appointed as superintendent for Berkeley County Schools after serving in Cabell County since July 1, 2017. SaxeƵs contract with Cabell County ends June 30, 2025, but the Cabell Board of Education will consider releasing him from his contract during a special meeting at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 19.
SaxeƵs new contract with Berkeley County would be from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2027, with a salary of $198,000 for the first year, $203,940 the second year and $210,058 the third year, as said during a of the board of educationƵs meeting Monday night and confirmed in a press release .
The contract would be a $39,000 increase from SaxeƵs salary in 2021, the start of his most recent contract with Cabell County Schools, and increase by 3% each year.
ƵBerkeley County is a large schools district of about 20,000 students. It has some unique opportunities that I felt like was something that I would be able to go up and help with. So when the opportunity presented itself, and that offer was made, I wanted to explore that opportunity. Ultimately, we made the decision to take the position in Berkeley County and move our family there,Ƶ Saxe told The Herald-Dispatch Tuesday.
ƵItƵs a beautiful part of the state, and IƵm looking forward to providing leadership for that community and that school district.Ƶ
The West Virginia Board of Education approved a last week for Martinsburg North Middle School in Berkeley County after a state of emergency was declared there in May. An assessment of the school found that students were off task, the environment was Ƶchaotic,Ƶ ƵdisruptiveƵ and sometimes Ƶhostile,Ƶ among other problems.
Saxe said, although the timing is not ƵidealƵ with him still having a year left in his contract in Cabell County, Berkeley County was looking for a new superintendent now, and it provides enough time to find a new superintendent for Cabell schools.
When asked if the job change had anything to do with the current debate and public criticism the Cabell County board has received over the districtƵs excess levy funds, Saxe said, ƵNo, this is just a unique opportunity for my family, and itƵs something that weƵve been exploring for awhile now.
ƵServing as Cabell County Schools superintendent over the last seven years has been one of the greatest honors of my career,Ƶ he said. ƵIt is my home county where I graduated high school. IƵm a product of Cabell County Schools, and I think weƵve been able to accomplish a lot together.Ƶ
Saxe referenced the school renovations and bond projects the board has taken up in the past several years, as well as the increase in graduation rates and student performance the district has seen since the beginning of his term.
Saxe said he is not involved with choosing of the new superintendent.
According to the release, Saxe will represent West Virginia as a candidate for the 2025 School Superintendents Ƶsociation (AASA) National Superintendent of the Year, which will be announced in March 2025 at the National Education Conference.
Katelyn Aluise is an education and courts reporter for The Herald-Dispatch.
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