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Grant County BOE appoints new superintendent

PETERSBURG -The Grant County Board of Education has appointed Doug Lambert to serve as the new superintendent of schools beginning in July.

Lambert currently serves as the superintendent in Pendleton County but has ties to the Grant County education system.

In 2009, the West Virginia Department of Education intervened in Grant County and appointed DeEdra Bolton to the position of superintendent. Since the state stepped in, the county has made great strides, Bolton, who is retiring, said.

In October 2014, the state Board of Education stepped out and Grant County regained control of the county school system.

Between 2009 and now, Grant County has seen a rise in test scores on state testing, Bolton said. The county also implemented a reading initiative that helped to improve students’ reading abilities.

“Our students are reading better than they’ve ever read before,” Bolton said.

The county has also made improvements including the addition of advanced placement, honors and dual credit courses. Students who participate in dual credit courses either receive college level credit from Eastern West Virginia Community College or Potomac State College of West Virginia University.

“We’ve really increased a lot of what’s going on. We do a lot of things with our employees like school leadership teams,” Bolton said. “Our teachers have really learned a lot through some really deep professional development.”

Bolton said after the intervention in 2009, the county worked well with the state department and that the process was very positive.

School policies and procedures in Grant County has also been revised, and Lambert said there is plenty to build on for the future.

“You have to look at what is currently occurring and build on that,” Lambert said.

“There are really good things going on.”

Lambert received a bachelor of arts in secondary education from Fairmont State University and a master’s degree in educational administration from West Virginia University.

Since 2005, Lambert has served as the superintendent of Pendleton County schools. Before becoming superintendent, Lambert also served Pendleton County as the principal of Pendleton County Middle/High School from 2003-2005. Lambert served as the cooperative education instructor at South Branch Career and Technical Center between 1999 and 2003.

Lambert served Grant County from 1997-1999 as principal of Petersburg High School. Lambert was both the assistant principal and athletic director at Petersburg High School from 1991-1997.

“I spent the first 24 years of my career in Grant County, and here I am, 14 years later, returning,” Lambert said.

From 2011-2014 Lambert served in various positions on the West Virginia Association of School Administrators (WVASA). These positions include president, vice president and secretary/treasurer. Since 2007, Lambert has also been a member of the executive committee.

Lambert has served as a RESA VIII WVASA Representative since 2007, as a member of the South Branch Administrative Council since 2005, and has also presented to various legislative committees related to education and finances since 2006. Additionally, Lambert has been the legislative chair for the West Virginia Association of School Administrators from 2009-2013 and 2015.

Lambert has been recognized with several awards, including being named West Virginia Superintendent of the Year, and received the American Legion Education Award in 2015. Lambert was also chosen by the Pendleton County Chamber of Commerce to be awarded with the Pendleton County Leadership Award in 2015.

In 2014, Lambert received the FFA National Honorary American Farmer Award. Additionally, in 2006, Lambert received the Wayne H. White Award of Outstanding Superintendent by the West Virginia Access Center for Higher Education.

“Grant County has excellent teachers, excellent employees, excellent students and they’ve really come a long way,” Bolton said.

“I would put them up against any school system in the state, and I really do believe that they are on the right track and moving in the right direction.

“Our mission statement, ‘Moving Forward Together,’ that is what they do. They have done a really excellent job moving forward together,” Bolton said.

“I’m very excited,” Lambert said. “I’m sure there will be challenges, but that’s part of what we are and we’ll certainly meet them head on and do the best that we can.”

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