The Inter-Mountain photo by Brad Johnson Newly appointed interim superintendent of Randolph County Schools Terry George, left, speaks after an emergency Board of Education meeting Saturday night with BOE President Rachel Burns and BOE member Ed Daniels.

ELKINS – Terry George was appointed interim superintendent of Randolph County Schools at a special Board of Education meeting Saturday night.

The BOE approved George’s appointment unanimously during the meeting.

George was hired through June 30 “at the same salary and benefits and other terms and conditions as provided to the former superintendent,” the agenda stated.

The BOE had voted unanimously at a special meeting Friday night to accept Dr. Shawn Dilly’s resignation.

After the Saturday night meeting’s conclusion, George told The Inter-Mountain, “I’m excited to work with the Board, and to help them provide a transition period between now and the end of June, so they have adequate time to develop a search and select a new superintendent, who can come in and begin working on a plan for long-term procedures.”

George said he is currently residing in Randolph County.

In the past, George served as the superintendent of Randolph County Schools, and twice before as the school system’s interim superintendent. He also served as the superintendent of schools in Fayette County, and as the interim superintendent in Nicholas County.

During Saturday night’s emergency meeting, BOE member Dr. Sherri Collett made the following motion: “I move the appointment of Terry George as interim superintendent of Randolph County Schools to begin March 21, 2026, and end on June 30, 2026, at a total annual salary of $125,000, pro-rated for the term of appointment, to be paid bi-monthly, and upon all the terms and conditions of this contract, which has been distributed to the board members, and is available for inspection by the public attending this meeting, prior to action by the board. It will be made a part of the minutes of this meeting, and will be signed by the president on behalf of the board.”

The motion was seconded by BOE member Janie Newlon, who was participating in the meeting via phone.

BOE President Rachel Burns said the school system’s previously scheduled RIF hearings on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. each evening will still take place.

Saturday’s emergency meeting lasted just three minutes before being adjourned.

After the Saturday night meeting, George was sworn in by Burns, and signed paperwork related to the appointment.

At a special meeting on Friday evening, after an executive session lasting more than 90 minutes, all five Randolph County Board of Education members voted in favor of approving Dilly’s resignation “effective immediately.”

Dilly was in attendance at the meeting, but did not join the board members in the executive session, instead returning to his office.

He did not rejoin the board, or the meeting, when they returned from executive session and voted.

After Friday night’s vote, Collett made a motion for the BOE to direct the board’s counsel to “provide the information discussed in executive session to the appropriate authorities.” The motion was approved by the board in a 5-0 vote.

After Friday night’s meeting, BOE members declined to discuss Dilly’s resignation.

Dilly was hired as the superintendent for Randolph County Schools in March 2024. 

The West Virginia Board of Education placed the Randolph County school system in a state of emergency last June. The state BOE voted in January to extend the school system’s State of Emergency status for another six months.