Marshall County Schools Honors Top Employees
Emma Delk Trending
By EMMA DELK
Staff Writer
Two John Marshall High School staff members were recognized as the county's top service worker and top teacher during Tuesday's board of education meeting.
Keith "Panger" Wright, a custodian at JMHS, was named Marshall County Schools Service Personnel of the Year. Megan Pintus, a JMHS Business and Marketing teacher, was named Marshall County Schools Teacher of the Year.
Tuesday's board of education meeting was held at the Grave Creek Archaeological Complex in Moundsville to accommodate the number of faculty and staff nominated for the awards.
Wright and Pintus were selected from among the service personnel and teacher winners at each school in the county to win the recognition. They will now submit their applications to be in the running for the State's Service Personnel and Teacher of the Year awards.
Wright, a retired Comcast employee, has worked as a custodian at JMHS for the past four years. He has been recognized as JMHS Service Personnel of the Year every year he has worked at the school, but Tuesday's recognition was the first time he has won the county award.
While announcing Wright as the award winner, Superintendent Shelby Haines noted she and BOE members often received feedback from visitors regarding the cleanliness of JMHS. She commended Wright's dedication to taking care of both the school's facilities and its students.
"I work seven days a week just to make sure everything's clean, and we all as staff take a joy in taking care of the high school," Wright said. "I take the advice of my mentor [JMHS custodian] Jeff Coleman, who taught me not to wait around and to get done what you can as soon as possible. I think that earned me the award this year. I don't hesitate to get the job done."
Pintus has been a business and marketing teacher at JMHS for the past 13 years and has been named the JMHS Teacher of the Year three times. She said she strives to help her students achieve goals outside the typical classroom setting by allowing them to run in-school businesses, collaborate with community organizations and participate in Career Technical Student Organizations such as the Technology Student Association.
While announcing Pintus as the Teacher of the Year, Assistant Superintendent Karen Klamut said Pintus' application stood out because she " encouraged all students to get involved in organizations where they can challenge themselves "and motivated her pupils to become "well-rounded individuals in the future."
"I love that my students get to work in a non-standard environment and aren't just sitting in my classroom doing book work," Pintus said. "I love to see the kids grow from being shy and not wanting to take charge of things to them telling me what to do by the end of the year. It's a wonderful opportunity to give them that opportunity to grow."
Both Wright and Pintus noted it was an honor to receive enough votes from fellow employees to win their school's respective awards.
A committee of previous state winners for both awards and county office officials interview the nominees to choose the county's top teacher and top service worker.
Service Personnel of the Year nominees included: Wretha Simms, Cameron Elementary School; Reagan Walters, Cameron High School; Leslie Tennant, Center McMechen Elementary; Teresa Colby, Central Elementary School; Tammy Whitlatch, County Office; Erica McDonald, Gateway Achievement Center; Ben Morris, Glen Dale Elementary School; Crystal McWhorter, Hilltop Elementary School; Mike Anderson, Maintenance; Nicole Dobkin, McNinch Primary School; Leanne Dobbs, Moundsville Middle School; Gregory Hayes, Sand Hill Elementary School; Randi Jo Chavanak, Sherrard Middle School; Gail Artimez, Transportation; and Anita Ebbert, Washington Lands Elementary School.
Teacher of the Year nominees included: Sarah Minor, Cameron Elementary School; Cheyanne Fletcher-Berger, Cameron High School; Laura Oswalt, Center McMechen Elementary School; Melissa Pompeo, Central Elementary School; Rebecca Ryder, Glen Dale Elementary School; Chelsea Madden, Hilltop Elementary School; Carly McElhaney, John Marshall High School; Samantha Myles, McNinch Primary School; Bob Triveri, Moundsville Middle School; Audrey Allender, Sand Hill Elementary School; Kelly Hamrick, Sherrard Middle School; and Amber Bundock, Washington Lands Elementary School.