CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state Board of Education voted Wednesday to take what was once described as one of the worst-behaving schools in the state off of emergency status and back to local control because of the improvements that have been made.
State Department of Education officials told the board there’s been an amazing turnaround at Martinsburg North Middle School in just one year after a state-approved improvement plan.
The state BOE put the school on emergency status last May after a review showed there had been 160 physical fights between students in one school year, 23 Title IX violations and low academic scores including only 24% of students proficient in English and 6% proficient in math.
Department officials told the state board Wednesday the improvement in behavior is most evident.
School Principal Kevin Pittsnoggle, the former WVU basketball standout who was appointed principal a few months after the emergency status, said the key has been holding the students and staff accountable.
“Setting those expectations early has been good for our kids and just following through with those expectations,” Pittsnoggle said.
Berkeley County Board of Education President Jacqueline Long said the state board’s decision wasn’t initially popular but there’s no arguing with the results.
“A bad thing turned out to be a good thing and it was much-needed and our kids deserve it,” Long said Wednesday. “I think we can replicate a lot of these changes elsewhere in our school system. I never thought I’d be thanking you for placing us on that improvement plan but it’s been a good thing.”
State Board of Education member Paul Hardesty said other struggling schools and school districts could learn from how Berkeley County handled the situation.
“Do the right thing. We do not want to sit here as a board of judgement and render punitive action after punitive action, there can be another side of the coin,” Hardesty said. “This is what positive action, positive reinforcement does for children.”
Pittsnoggle said next up is improving the academic performance of the students.
“We’ve been able to establish a good culture and we’ve started to focus on instruction and start having those conversations for next year,” Pittsnoggle said.
The state Board of Education’s emergency status release includes a provision that “the school district agrees to maintain the protocols and practices necessary to support continued improvement at Martinsburg North Middle School.”
Berkeley County School Superintendent Ryan Saxe said they aren’t finished yet.
“What I can tell you is that we’re not where we want to be, we’re not where we need to be. but we’re moving in a very rapid pace in the right direction,” Saxe said.