Principals chosen to lead new Brooke middle school

WELLSBURG -- When Brooke County's new middle school opens in fall 2018, it will be headed by principals with experience in the county.

At a special meeting Wednesday the Brooke County Board of Education approved the hiring of Jennifer Sisinni as head principal and Greg Rothwell and Richard Whitehead as assistant principals for the school, which will bring together students from Follansbee and Wellsburg middle schools.

Sisinni has served as head principal of Wellsburg Middle School since 2010. A 1992 graduate of Brooke High School, she earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education with a concentration in math from West Liberty University and a master's degree in education from West Virginia University.

Employed by Brooke County Schools since 2000, she also was a special education instructor at Franklin Primary School and fourth grade teacher at Jefferson Primary School.

Currently head principal of Follansbee Middle School, Rothwell has served also as the school's assistant principal and as a social studies teacher at Brooke High School for nine years.

A 2001 graduate of Brooke High School, he earned degrees in secondary education at West Liberty University and educational leadership from Wheeling Jesuit University.

Assistant principal at Wellsburg Middle School since 2014, Whitehead taught social studies at Follansbee Middle School for three years prior to that. A 2006 graduate of Brooke High School, he earned degrees in secondary education from West Liberty University and educational leadership from Salem International University.

Both he and Rothwell are working toward doctorates in education.

Of the new position, Sisinni said, "I'm very excited. We have two fantastic groups of people who will merge into one and create a fabulous new school."

She acknowledged coming to the new school will be an adjustment for those currently attending the existing middle schools, but noted the school will be more up-to-date and offer easy access to facilities at nearby Brooke High School.

Board President Brian Ferguson applauded a committee comprised of Assistant Superintendent Nicole Ennis and the school district's secondary education curriculum and special education directors for selecting the three.

Superintendent Toni Shute said the three, who were among many applicants for the positions, "are excellent, proven leaders."

Shute said as principal of Wellsburg Middle School, Sisinni has been a good communicator with students, staff and parents.

She added she and others were impressed by Sisinni's plans to bring the two schools' pupils together for activities before the school opens.

She said a step has been made successfully in that direction with the merging of the schools' football teams under coaches Scott Donohew and Dave Secrist.

The new middle school will bring together about 880 pupils from the two schools. While construction of the new school is expected to be completed by December, school officials have chosen to open it at the start of the 2018-2019 school year, feeling it will allow a smoother transition.

Earlier this week the board:

• Approved start dates of Aug. 17 for kindergarten and Aug. 21 for pre-kindergarten for the next school year, with the pre-K program to be expanded from four days to five, each from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Parent-teacher conferences for kindergarteners will be held Aug. 15 and 16.

• Approved the replacement of a rooftop heating unit at Hooverson Heights Primary School with a heating and cooling unit by Murphy Consolidated Industries for $27,600, the replacement of two exterior doors at the high school by AB Specialties for $17,860 and the purchase of a used 20 foot scissor lift and trailer to transport it for $9,000 from Ron Riggs Electric.

Rob Robinson, the school district's facilities supervisor, said the lift will be used while changing lights, replacing ceiling tile and changing filters for air conditioning systems. He said he frequently rented a scissor lift for such tasks in the past.

• Announced its next regular meeting will be held at 5 p.m. May 22 at the board's office at 1201 Pleasant Ave.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)