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By Liz Beavers
lbeavers@newstribune.info
Tribune Managing Editor
KEYSER – Trust and the personal touch.
These are two tenets which Rob Woy hopes will define his performance as the new superintendent of Mineral County Schools.
Tapped last week by the Mineral County Board of Education as their choice for the new leader of the county's school system, Woy was given unanimous approval Monday evening for a two-year contract beginning July 1, 2011.
A quiet man with a self-deprecating sense of humor, Woy took time out of his busy schedule Tuesday to sit down with the Mineral Daily News Tribune to talk about his hopes for the future of the Mineral County School System.
Much of what he said not only harks back to the days of a more personal style of educating children, but it also parallels the philosophy of the state's new superintendent of schools, Jorea Marple, whom Woy had the opportunity to hear when she spoke recently in Charleston.
“Dr. Marple was talking about personalizing education. She's saying we need to meet the needs of kids both emotionally and physically, as well as educationally,” he explained.
Noting that more and more children come to school today with so many disadvantages, including being hungry or perhaps not having slept the night before, Woy said today's educators must strive to do what they can to get each of those children ready to learn.
With so many single-parent families and families where both parents have more than one job to try to make ends meet, Woy said “the public has sort of placed all the responsibility for kids on the schools.
“We have an awful lot to do in order to be able to educate these kids,” he says.
Quoting his predecessor, retired superintendent Pat Mason, Woy added, “Mr. Mason said several years ago, 'School systems are the last social institution.'
“I believe that's so true.”
Another part of the problem, Woy points out, is that the state and federal education systems have become so “results driven,” that the personalization of education takes a back seat.
In fact, in his interview with the citizens' committee prior to being chosen for the job, Woy pointed out that teachers today have more pressure on them than ever before to reach certain state- and federal-mandated goals.
And it's taking a toll on the education process.
Woy feels, however, that Mineral County has done well in trying to meet students' needs.
“I'm proud of Mineral County. I think we do well by our students. We make mistakes, but we try to move forward and correct those mistakes.”
Woy also agrees with Marple, however, that the status of the teacher has deteriorated over the years and needs to be brought back into a position of respect and trust.
“We have to earn that respect back by doing the right things and being roll models for our students,” he said.
As for his status in the county, Woy hopes that those who work with him will come to know him as a man of his word.
“I try to tell people the truth and be honest with them,” he said. “I'd like for the employees to be able to say, 'We didn't always agree, but I always got a straight answer from him.'
“In fact,” he added, laughing quietly, “that will probably be my undoing.”
Woy's contract is expected to be signed when the board of education meets again on Thursday, May 26, and he will spend the next month working with superintendent Skip Hackworth before taking over on July 1.
By Liz Beavers
lbeavers@newstribune.info
Tribune Managing Editor
KEYSER – Trust and the personal touch.
These are two tenets which Rob Woy hopes will define his performance as the new superintendent of Mineral County Schools.
Tapped last week by the Mineral County Board of Education as their choice for the new leader of the county's school system, Woy was given unanimous approval Monday evening for a two-year contract beginning July 1, 2011.
A quiet man with a self-deprecating sense of humor, Woy took time out of his busy schedule Tuesday to sit down with the Mineral Daily News Tribune to talk about his hopes for the future of the Mineral County School System.
Much of what he said not only harks back to the days of a more personal style of educating children, but it also parallels the philosophy of the state's new superintendent of schools, Jorea Marple, whom Woy had the opportunity to hear when she spoke recently in Charleston.
“Dr. Marple was talking about personalizing education. She's saying we need to meet the needs of kids both emotionally and physically, as well as educationally,” he explained.
Noting that more and more children come to school today with so many disadvantages, including being hungry or perhaps not having slept the night before, Woy said today's educators must strive to do what they can to get each of those children ready to learn.
With so many single-parent families and families where both parents have more than one job to try to make ends meet, Woy said “the public has sort of placed all the responsibility for kids on the schools.
“We have an awful lot to do in order to be able to educate these kids,” he says.
Quoting his predecessor, retired superintendent Pat Mason, Woy added, “Mr. Mason said several years ago, 'School systems are the last social institution.'
“I believe that's so true.”
Another part of the problem, Woy points out, is that the state and federal education systems have become so “results driven,” that the personalization of education takes a back seat.
In fact, in his interview with the citizens' committee prior to being chosen for the job, Woy pointed out that teachers today have more pressure on them than ever before to reach certain state- and federal-mandated goals.
And it's taking a toll on the education process.
Woy feels, however, that Mineral County has done well in trying to meet students' needs.
“I'm proud of Mineral County. I think we do well by our students. We make mistakes, but we try to move forward and correct those mistakes.”
Woy also agrees with Marple, however, that the status of the teacher has deteriorated over the years and needs to be brought back into a position of respect and trust.
“We have to earn that respect back by doing the right things and being roll models for our students,” he said.
As for his status in the county, Woy hopes that those who work with him will come to know him as a man of his word.
“I try to tell people the truth and be honest with them,” he said. “I'd like for the employees to be able to say, 'We didn't always agree, but I always got a straight answer from him.'
“In fact,” he added, laughing quietly, “that will probably be my undoing.”
Woy's contract is expected to be signed when the board of education meets again on Thursday, May 26, and he will spend the next month working with superintendent Skip Hackworth before taking over on July 1.
