Renee Griffin, child nutrition for Ohio County Schools, speaks after being recognized by the Ohio County Board of Education for her recent honor as West Virginia School Nutrition Director of the Year. (Photo by Joselyn King)

Ohio County Board of Education members learned Monday night they employ both the best principal and the best school nutritionist in West Virginia, as selected by their peers.

Wheeling Park High School Principal Meredith Dailer has been selected as “Principal of the Year” by the West Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals.

Also, Renee Griffin, director of school nutrition for Ohio County Schools, was recently announced as “Director of the Year” by the West Virginia School Nutrition Association.

Board members recognized both Griffin and Dailer during Monday’s meeting.

Superintendent Kim Miller said Dailer had been instrumental “in shaping a culture of well-being” at Wheeling Park, and she called her a “hands-on principal who regularly interacts with students and staff.”

Dailer also was recently named to the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission board of directors.

Dailer said it was humbling to have been nominated by her peers, and she added she has an “incredible staff and students at Wheeling Park High School” who help her to succeed in her job.

She thanked the board, Miller and Assistant Superintendent Rick Jones for supporting educational efforts in the county.

“Their unwavering support makes this a coveted position throughout the state,” Dailer said. “They are incredibly supportive – not only of our buildings, but our initiatives.”

She joked that next Halloween she planned to dress as an airplane pilot because the school is assigned so many pilot programs by the State Department of Education.

“I take that as a compliment because people come to us to test and try things, and we get to model that for a lot of other counties throughout the state,” she said.

Miller said Griffin feeds students in the school district each school year on a $4 million budget.

She added the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be coming into Ohio County Schools next school year to collect data “because of the great work Mrs. Griffin and her cooks do, every day.”

In July, Griffin will represent West Virginia at the National Schools Nutritionists meeting in Denver.

“I just want to thank those who nominated me, and the executive board of the West Virginia School Nutrition Association for voting for me,” she said.

Griffin thanked her staff for providing for students each day.

“Our staff, our cooks, our drivers, our managers – they are behind the scenes as well, but they make a huge difference in the day in the lives of children,” she said. “Just giving a smile while they are serving breakfast or lunch goes a long way.”

In other matters, a second public hearing to discuss the calendar for the 2023-24 school year took place prior to Monday’s board meeting, with no one attending to speak.

The first day for students is set for Aug. 22, with winter break set for Dec. 21 through Jan. 2, 2024. Spring break will take place March 25, 2024 through April 1.

Next year’s graduation will be on May 19, 2024, with the last day for students on May 24.

The board will convene for a special meeting at 8 a.m. April 18 to officially approve their levy rate for the coming tax year. They have discussed letting the levy rate remain at 95.5 percent.

The next regular board meeting is set for 6 p.m. on April 24 at the Warwood School.