The Inter-Mountain photo by Edgar Kelley Dr. Derek Lambert, right, is congratulated by Terry George after being named the new Randolph County Superintendent of Schools Tuesday evening.

ELKINS – Dr. Derek Lambert said his first priority as new the Randolph County superintendent of schools will be to build trust within the community and the schools.

The Randolph County Board of Education voted at a special meeting Tuesday night in favor of hiring Lambert.

“I’m just excited to listen and learn the first couple of months and move forward,” Lambert told The Inter-Mountain immediately after Tuesday’s meeting. “Statewide, there has been a lot of negative press about public education, school closures and the lack of funds to support schools and students the way that we have. So my first main goal is to build trust. I’m not from here, I’m new, so first and foremost, I need to work on building the community’s trust, the kids’ trust, and staff’s trust.”

Lambert was offered a two-year contract and will be paid $115,000 his first year and $118,000 in year two, officials said.

Lambert will take over from Terry George, who was appointed interim superintendent on March 21, one day after Dr. Shawn Dilly resigned unexpectedly from the superintendent position.

At the time of his hiring in March 2024, Dilly was to make $120,000 for year one of his contract, and was to receive incremental increases of $5,000 over the next four years of his employment.

Lambert is currently the principal at Pendleton County High/Middle School. Before that, he worked for the West Virginia Department of Education before taking the job in Pendleton County at the start of the current school year.

“I was with the West Virginia Department of Education in several different roles for seven years before becoming principal at Pendleton County,” Lambert said. “I worked on many different things with the Department of Education, so I think I come with a global perspective of how to move education forward.”

Randolph BOE members Sherri Collett, Rachel Burns, Phil Chua and Janie Newlon all voted in favor of hiring Lambert Tuesday night. The fifth school board member, Ed Daniels, was not present at the meeting.

With the Randolph County BOE closing two schools, Harman K-12 and North Elementary, at the end of this school year, Lambert said he would rather find solutions other than closing schools in the county.

“From what I’ve heard from Terry George and (Randolph County Schools Finance Director) Brad Smith, right now we are good,” Lambert said. “I think closing schools all depends on enrollment and how those numbers continue to look. But hopefully my goal would be to think of innovative solutions that we can do the same with less. Local schools are the hub of communities, so I can appreciate the fierce advocates for those schools.”

Lambert, who graduated from Pendleton County High School in 2002, received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine. He then earned a master’s degree at West Virginia University, and a doctorate from the University of Phoenix.

“I’m excited and humbled that the Board thought I was the best candidate,” Lambert said. “I’m looking forward to getting to know the staff, the community and the students, because that’s why I’m here.”