Logan County Schools reports progress since state takeover

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Logan County Schools Interim Superintendent Jeff Huffman says his staff and faculty are learning “how to be leaders” since the state Department of Education took over the school system in October.

“Our county staff, our principals, our teachers for far too long were not leaders. They were followers,” Huffman told the state Board of Education Wednesday. “We’re working on leadership development.”

Huffman was appointed to the job last fall following an investigation that revealed a number of problems within the district. Former superintendent Patricia Lucas was named the assistant superintendent.

The problems with the school system generally related to lack of transparency with county board actions, lack of oversight with spending, concerns about whether a virtual education program was achieving any results, various descriptions of a toxic work culture that was affecting communication between the board office and staff and more.

Huffman told the BOE he’s been working to establish trust within the school community.

“There has to be a change in the culture so people feel like they are needed, they are valued and they are respected, so we’ve spent a tremendous amount of time working with our staff members both in the schools and in our district office to improve that culture,” he said.

Huffman said the focus for Logan County Schools has been safety, learning, facility improvements and leadership development.

“I think you’ll see, everything that we’re doing on a day-to-day basis, is to support that focus and those efforts,” Huffman told the board.

Some of those improvements include HVAC upgrades at Man and Logan High Schools. There will also by entryway improvements and upgrades at other schools.

“Man Middle School this summer will have a secure entryway in place for the middle school students, staff and parents. Holden Elementary School this summer will have their interior classroom doors replaced to provide a more safe learning environment,” Huffman explained.

State BOE President Paul Hardesty, a former three-term member of the Logan school board, applauded Huffman for the district’s progress.

“I’ve told the teachers, service personnel and the students of Logan County that I was sorry for what they had to endure and I told them that change started today. Ladies and gentleman, this is change. You’re looking at him right here. He is change,” Hardesty said of Huffman.

Hardesty went on to say that it has been vital to the school system’s growth to appoint Huffman to the position.

“I’ve had parents call me and I’ve had teachers call me, service personnel saying ‘thank you for sending Jeff Huffman to Logan County,'” he said.

The state BOE will continue to monitor Logan County Schools.

The state superintendent will have the authority to hire another county schools leader over the longer term.





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