Roane County Schools: http://www.roanecountyschools.com/
Horace Mann Middle Schoo: http://kcs.kana.k12.wv.us/horacemann/
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Mickey Blackwell, the principal at Horace Mann Middle School since 2002, has accepted a new position as superintendent of Roane County Schools.
"I'm thrilled. I mean, it's a great opportunity to work with a lot of great people who want to get better," Blackwell said. "There's a lot of positive energy up there right now."
Blackwell begins the new job July 1 and plans to finish out the school year at Horace Mann, a sixth- through eighth-grade school in Kanawha City.
The Roane school board includes a former educator as board president and three energetic young members who have "been open and supportive about their strengths and their challenges," Blackwell said.
"We're going to focus on literacy, literacy, literacy. If you can't read you can't be successful in this world," he said.
Roane County Schools: http://www.roanecountyschools.com/
Horace Mann Middle Schoo: http://kcs.kana.k12.wv.us/horacemann/
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Mickey Blackwell, the principal at Horace Mann Middle School since 2002, has accepted a new position as superintendent of Roane County Schools.
"I'm thrilled. I mean, it's a great opportunity to work with a lot of great people who want to get better," Blackwell said. "There's a lot of positive energy up there right now."
Blackwell begins the new job July 1 and plans to finish out the school year at Horace Mann, a sixth- through eighth-grade school in Kanawha City.
The Roane school board includes a former educator as board president and three energetic young members who have "been open and supportive about their strengths and their challenges," Blackwell said.
"We're going to focus on literacy, literacy, literacy. If you can't read you can't be successful in this world," he said.
He also wants to make sure students in Roane County's six schools receive the same opportunities to use technology as they do across the state and nation.
"Kids have a lot of access to a lot of technology in their homes and we need to make sure we're incorporating that in our classrooms," he said.
Blackwell finalized his new contract with the Roane County school board Tuesday night. Current Roane County Superintendent Steve Goffreda plans to stay on at the central office in Spencer and work as an administrator in the Student Services and Attendance office, Blackwell said.
Blackwell's proud of the accomplishments he's overseen as principal at Horace Mann, he said. The Kanawha City school was named a West Virginia School of Excellence in 2006, a state exemplary school this year and has an award-winning strings orchestra and band program. He's also proud of and will miss the students and staff, he said.
"I spent almost 10 years there and it was a hard decision to leave," he said. "But the parents and the staff are sad for me to leave but they're happy for me to have a new opportunity.
"People know that I've given everything every night and every day to making Horace Mann a successful place," he said. "It'll be 31 days of saying goodbye and enjoying the positive things that have occurred while we've been there."
Reach Davin White at davinwh...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1254.
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