Partly cloudy. Low 58F. Winds light and variable..
Partly cloudy. Low 58F. Winds light and variable.
Updated: August 25, 2026 @ 9:00 pm
(left to right) Board President Daris Harper, members Terry Miller, and John Gray.

(left to right) Board President Daris Harper, members Terry Miller, and John Gray.
SPENCER, W.Va. — The Roane County Board of Education confronted realities regarding state accountability assessments during its regular meeting, prompting district leaders to implement a 5% academic growth goal for the upcoming year.
Superintendent Michelle Stellato presented the 2026 assessment data, noting that while the district felt it was holding steady in some areas, the rest of the state had passed them. Reading proficiency levels held relatively steady across the district, but math scores saw a slight dip, and science remains a significant area of concern across multiple grade levels.
Stellato pointed to a concern at the high school level, citing a drop from 37% proficiency in eighth-grade math to just 15% proficiency by the 11th-grade SAT readiness exam. She emphasized that despite navigating a chaotic previous school year, the district must use these scores as a wake-up call.
“When your proverbial house is on fire, children are going to be affected by it,” Stellato told the board. “It’s up to the adults to be the adults in the situation and to lead through whatever crisis or whatever event is happening in that child’s life at home that might be affecting them in the classroom.”
To address these gaps, the board approved a streamlined superintendent evaluation that includes a targeted 5% increase in English language arts and math proficiency on the spring 2027 assessments.
“The danger in education is not that you set the bar too high and you miss it, it’s that you set it too low and you make it,” Stellato said, about the 5% target.
Despite the academic challenges, the meeting highlighted several district initiatives. Summer SOAR coordinator Fred Hammack reported that the 12-day summer program achieved record-breaking attendance, averaging 65 students daily and peaking at 75 attendees.
The program successfully merged morning academics with afternoon community activities, including smoothie-making on a pedal-powered bike with PATCH, water aerobics hosted by Roane General Hospital, local history hikes, visits to the historic Robey Theater, and team-building and mindfulness exercises with Westbrook Health Services.
Additionally, the district formally recognized its first cohort of educators to complete the intensive LETRS reading certification, a comprehensive professional development program focused on the science of reading. The board also reviewed the districtwide implementation of “Capturing Kids’ Hearts,” a two-day staff training initiative aimed at building positive campus cultures and stronger student relationships.
With the 2026-27 school year officially underway, district enrollment currently sits at 1,355 students. In other business, the board addressed several financial and operational matters.
To bolster classroom technology, members approved redirecting $30,000 from an unused software subscription to purchase 100 additional iPads for students, which will supplement the 580 devices already ordered. The board also approved a $13,000 funding match for the WVU Extension Service to cover an office secretary, an AmeriCorps VISTA position and travel expenses, while tabling funds for a currently vacant second agent position.
In property matters, the board authorized the superintendent to work with the Roane County Commission to transfer ownership of the Geary Elementary Middle School sewer treatment plant, a move intended to maintain the facility for community infrastructure.
Finally, looking ahead to future district funding, the board acknowledged that the district missed the 77-day deadline to place an excess levy on the November ballot. Consequently, the district will instead prepare for a 2028 levy call.
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