ELKINS — The Randolph County Board of Education voted to terminate 31 professional staff positions and 26 service personnel jobs during this week’s third and final special RIF (reduction in force) hearings.

The hearings meeting was kicked off by Interim Superintendent Terry George, who was appointed to his position on March 21 after Dr. Shawn Dilly resigned from the superintendent’s post the night before.

George began his comments on Wednesday evening by introducing a special guest, Assistant Superintendent of West Virginia Schools Jeff Kelley.

George then talked about the public hearings that had taken place with professional and service personnel this week.

“We’ve heard from several dedicated, successful and passionate teachers the last couple of nights,” George said. “They’re all wonderful people and they all do a good job. They love our kids and they love teaching in Randolph County Schools. It’s difficult to come in and tell them that they may or may not have a position with us, or you may have to be transferred to a different position. But sometimes circumstances dictate what takes place when you’re in the process of closing schools, re-aligning schools and also losing students.”

“I know I’ve only been here three days, but I’ve been here before and I’m very familiar with the state aid situation,” George said. “Right now Randolph County is 34.62 positions over the state funding formula, that’s a lot of positions. You’re also 26.83 over in service positions. The total cost for those positions that you’re living on outside of what you’re reimbursed for by the state, is $3.926 million and some change. That’s money you are spending above what the state bases your student needs for. So you have to think about that as you deliberate on these issues tonight.”

George pointed out that with the elimination of 32 professional positions, the county would save around $2.4 million. He added that 27 service personnel reductions would equal $1.2 million in savings.

“Roughly you have about $3.7 million that you’re going to be able to recoup if you accept the transfer and termination reductions tonight,” George said. “It’s difficult to look at people and say those numbers, but you’re living outside of what the state says you should have for personnel and they are not reimbursing you for that.

“You are using local state funds that you get in from tax revenue and situations here in the county. You are living off of that rather than putting your money into refurbishing your schools, perhaps doing something at different schools that you want to do, and maybe even having enough money to build a new school if that would be your choice. So you have to think about that as you go through this tonight.”

“Most everybody that’s on a termination, a recommendation tonight, they’re going to be capable of finding a position here in Randolph County,” George said. “It may not be the one that they are currently in, it may not be the one that they want, but they are teachers and they love kids and this is what they went to school for and what they want to do with their life. They are going to find a place to work with kids in our county and we need them, quite honestly. We have 25 positions right now that are filled with substitutes.”

The BOE first voted on professional personnel on the RIF termination list. With the exception of one name, Lindsay Blake, a fourth-grade teacher at Jennings Randolph Elementary, the remainder of the recommendations for termination were approved by the Board by a 5-0 vote.

The Board removed Blake’s name Wednesday night to correct a mistake that was made when the list was being compiled, officials said.

Professional personnel whose jobs were terminated include: Nicholas Casey, a math teacher at Elkins Middle; Emily Barker, a fifth-grade teacher at Beverly Elementary; Hali Newlon, a social studies teacher at Elkins Middle; Glen Auvil, a math teacher at Randolph Technical Center; Crystal Grimmett, a business education teacher at Randolph Technical Center; Edward Burda, a business education teacher at Elkins High; Brandon Combs, a physical education teacher at Elkins Middle; Logan Vliet, a physical education teacher at North Elementary; Christian Moats, a physical education teacher at Harman; Tommy Cogar, a social studies teacher at Harman; Jodie Akers, a school counselor itinerant at Randolph Technical Center; Jennifer Nottingham, a school counselor itinerant at George Ward; Kylie Isenhart, a special education teacher at Tygarts Valley Middle/High; Rebecca Webley, a special education teacher at Elkins High; Ava Holt, a special education teacher at George Ward; John Taylor, a special education teacher at Elkins Middle; Carmen Boggess, a fourth-grade teacher at Beverly Elementary; Tiffany Carr, a third-grade teacher at Beverly Elementary; Elizabeth Lowe, a kindergarten teacher at Coalton; Erica Roth, a kindergarten teacher at Third Ward; Samantha Golden, an art/physical education/music teacher at Jennings Randolph; Angela Vandevender, a Title 1 teacher at George Ward; Kelsey Mahanes, a kindergarten teacher at Midland Elementary; Emily Barker, a first-grade teacher at Beverly Elementary; Cynthia Dilly, a pre-k teacher at Jennings Randolph; Kendyl Taylor, a fifth-grade teacher at Elkins Middle; Fisher Goodwin, a music teacher at North Elementary; Jennifer Mendelson, a science teacher at Elkins Middle; Natasha See, a fifth-grade teacher at George Ward; Amanda Bennett, a fifth-grade teacher at Jennings Randolph; Donya White, a special education teacher at Midland; and Amanda Simmons, a first-grade teacher at Beverly Elementary.

The Board of Education then voted 5-0 to approve the professional transfer recommendations. That list included: Samuel Everson, a math teacher at Tygarts Valley Middle/High; Debra Berdine, a business education teacher at Elkins Middle; Declan McGill, a physical education teacher at Elkins High; Kelley Shaffer, a principal at Harman; Rebecca Vance, a school counselor itinerant at Harman; Samuel Hawkins, a school counselor itinerant at North Elementary; Ronnie Armentrout, a special education/business teacher at Harman; Lacey Mullennex, a special education teacher at Harman; Anna Elmore, a 1/2 special education teacher itinerant at Coalton; Taylor Thomas, a Title 1 teacher at Beverly Elementary; Twila Zirkle, a fifth-grade teacher at Coalton; Jeanne Shipman-Binns, a fifth-grade teacher at Third Ward; Patrick Binns, a fifth-grade teacher at Third Ward; Tina Wulin Gomez, a first-grade teacher at Third Ward; Kelly Malcomb, a fifth-grade teacher at George Ward; Jennifer Vandevender, a fifth-grade teacher at Midland Elementary; Hannah Shiflett, a music teacher at Midland Elementary; Cassie Atkins, a kindergarten/first-grade teacher at Harman; and Wendt Thurston, a vocational education teacher at Harman/Elkins High.

The Board voted 3-2 to pull Amanda Belan, a physical education teacher at Midland Elementary, from the professional transfer list. BOE President Rachel Burns made the original motion, which did not include a reason for the move.

Justin Fincham, a custodian at Elkins High School, was pulled from the recommended list of service personnel for termination. Officials said the BOE had talked about Fincham during an executive session on Tuesday night.

The BOE then voted 5-0 to approve the remainder of the list that included: Nathan Scott, a custodian III at Elkins High; Kyle Cobb, a custodian III at Third Ward Elementary; Jamie Lanham, a custodian III at George Ward; Charlotte Warder, a cook at Elkins Middle; Kelly Crawford, a cook at Elkins High; Kimberly Arbogast, a cook at George Ward/Tygarts Valley Middle/High; Melissa Mahanes, a cook at Elkins High; Tonya Irwin, secretary III/accountant II; Tina Edwards-White, an aide VI and behavioral support assistant teacher at Elkins High; Sommer McAtee, an ECCAT/Aide at George Ward; Elisha Shreve, a bus/classroom aide itinerant at Beverly Elementary; Shawn Higgins, autism mentor/aide at Elkins Middle; Teresa McCloud, ECCAT/Aide at Elkins Middle; Chloe Sycafoose, an aide VI/behavioral support assistant teacher at Elkins Middle School, Autumn Delauder-Kisner, a classroom aide itinerant at Elkins Middle; Patricia Casto, a classroom aide itinerant at Elkins Middle; Johnnie Meadows, a custodian III at North Elementary; Rachella Hedrick, a custodian III at Harman; Danielle McDonald, a custodian III at Harman; Nicole Crites, a cook at North Elementary; Kelly Crawford, a cook at Jennings Randolph; Angela Isenhart, an ECCAT/aide at North Elementary; Shawnee Morgan, an ECCAT/aide at North Elementary; Maya Engstrom, an ECCAT/aide at Beverly Elementary; Tammy Anderson, an ECCAT/aide at George Ward; and Tammy Higgins, ECCAT/aide at Midland Elementary.

The BOE voted 5-0 to approve the service personnel transfer recommendations that included: Mark Cain, a custodian II at Midland; Glenda Balint, a custodian III at North Elementary; Drema Bender, a cafeteria manager at Harman; Evelyn Floyd, a cafeteria manager at North Elementary; Joni Mullennex, a cook at Harman; Flisha Dean, a cook at Beverly Elementary; Dana Bennett, a secretary II/accountant II at Harman; Melinda White, ECCAT/aide, Harman; Heather Pritt, ECCAT/Aide at Midland Elementary; Jennifer Markely, ECCAT/aide at North School; Melanie Paugh, a ECCAT/aide at Harman; Nuttakul Yirmiyahu, ECCAT/aide at Third Ward; Dana Arbogast, an ECCAT/Aide at North Elementary; Rachel Ball, an ECCAT/Aide at George Ward; Barbara Hedrick, an ECCAT/aide at North Elementary; Samantha Vandevender, an ECCAT/Aide at North Elementary; Melody Jones, an ECCAT/aide at Third Ward; Lydia Woodford, an ECCAT/Aide at North Elementary; Candy Proudfoot, an ECCAT/aide at George Ward; and Suzanne Wymer, a bus/classroom aide at Harman.

A discussion on Wednesday night between the BOE and George led to Denver Chewning, a custodian at the Central Office, and Mary English, a custodian at the Alternative Learning Center, being removed from the service personnel transfer list.

In 2025, the Randolph County Board of Education voted to terminate 29 professional positions and four service personnel. Last year the BOE also voted to save 13 professional positions on the RIF list.