BUCKHANNON – The Upshur County Board of Education on Tuesday graded Upshur County Schools Superintendent Dr. Sara Stankus on her job performance, giving her a ‘satisfactory’ review for her annual evaluation.

Upshur County Board of Education Vice-President Katie Loudin read a public statement regarding the evaluation of Upshur County Schools Superintendent Dr. Sara Lewis Stankus near the conclusion of Tuesday’s regular BOE meeting.

“Dr. Sara Stankus, Upshur County School Superintendent, received a satisfactory evaluation, measuring areas such as college and career readiness, school community wellness, student achievement progress, county fiscal responsibility and communications,” Loudin read following an hour-long executive session during the BOE meeting Tuesday. “While we have areas that need our collective attention for continual improvement, especially as we deal with the effects of Covid-19 on our school environment, we are committed to working together for the benefit of all Upshur County students.”

Stankus began her journey as superintendent of Upshur County Schools July 1, 2018, bringing more than 30 years of education experience to the position. She served as the principal at Union and Rock Cave Elementary Schools as well as a counselor at Buckhannon-Upshur High and Hodgesville Elementary Schools.

Following her first year as superintendent in 2019, BOE members touted Stankus for her role in helping facilitate the passage of the five-year excess levy – which passed at a two-to-one margin. They also recognized Stankus’ part in partnering with entities such as Community Care of West Virginia and the Child Advocacy Center to provide much-needed mental health services for students.

BOE members completed Stankus’ evaluation in accordance with West Virginia Code 6-9A-4(2)(A). In the next few months, BOE members will discuss and vote on the superintendent’s contract renewal, which was approved in 2019 and runs through June 30, 2021.

In 2019, the Upshur County BOE extended Stankus’ contract two years and during that meeting, Loudin announced that the superintendent’s salary would be $105,000 for year one and $108,000 for year two. According to the West Virginia Department of Education website, the Upshur County Superintendent’s 2020-2021 salary ranks 41 out of 55 counties.

Stankus’ evaluation was completed during executive session during the Feb. 9, 2021 regular meeting, during a special session Feb. 16, 2021 and during the Feb. 23, 2021 meeting.

During the Feb. 9 BOE meeting, Stankus pointed to some of her accomplishments including the fact that Upshur County is one of only two counties in the state that have had increased school enrollment. Stankus said that 67 students had come back to school in Upshur County, which accounts for a $300,000 increase in finances that is spent on the students.

During that meeting, Stankus said ‘people are watching what we are doing here in Upshur County’ and said ‘we are being recognized across the state for what we have done here to address food insecurities during the pandemic.’