Mercer County Schools

Policy D-09, Education Service Provider (ESP) Under the Hope Scholarship Program, is out for comment until August 18, 2025. Please send all comments to Dr. Kristal Filipek at kfilipek@k12.wv.us and to Dr. Amber Bowling at amber.n.bowling@k12.wv.us.
https://5il.co/3mt7v

📚✏️ Big plans and big energy from our Mercer County Literacy Leaders (MCL²)!

This powerhouse group met today to finalize engaging PD sessions for our teachers and ECCATs, brainstorm Title I training themes, and dive into Science of Reading and LETRS!

We’re mapping out a year of meaningful learning—and having a blast doing it!

In the room: Dr. Ernie Adkins, Shannon Noble, Rhonda Rogers, Pamela Clark, Amber Riffe, Kelli Stanley, Amy Rickman, and LaCosta Hodges. #MCL2 #MercerReads #PDwithPurpose #TeamMercer 💡📖

This week, our Assistant Superintendent Rosemary Mitchell along with our secondary instructional supervisor, Principals, and instructional leaders are attending the SAIL Into a New School Year Conference (July 29–30, 2025) at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center.
They’re participating in WVDE’s exclusive Instructional Rounds sessions, designed to build educator networks focused on continuous improvement through classroom observations and evidence‑based practice. Building on strategies like WVTSS, formative assessment, and Mastery‑based learning, our team is engaging with statewide colleagues to bring best practices back to Mercer County.
We can’t wait to see the positive impact of their learning journey in our schools!

The office of special education hosted a Strive special education edition training for principles and counselors. Participants left with an understanding of special education pre-referral process, evaluation of students with disabilities, specially designed instruction, discipline and collaboration and communication with parents. We would like to thank Rebecca Boggs from WVDE for attending our session.

What a fantastic day sharing all that Mercer County Schools has to offer! ☀️ We loved seeing so many smiling faces and enjoying the sunshine with students and families. From innovative programs to dedicated educators, there's so much to discover here. Thanks to everyone who stopped by! Special thanks to Starting Points Family Support Center #MercerCountyPublicSchools #Community #PoolParty

🎓 Applying to college just got easier! Beginning August 1st, the Common App lets students apply to up to 20 colleges—all in one place. One application, endless possibilities! 🌟 #CollegeBound #CommonApp #FutureReady
https://www.commonapp.org/apply

Colleen Nunnery, Leigh Ann Owens, and Aaron Owens are proudly representing PikeView and Princeton Senior High Schools this week at Finance University, hosted by the WVU John Chambers College of Business and Economics. They’ve joined over 40 educators from across West Virginia to deepen their knowledge of the new Personal Finance standards.

Throughout the week, participants are attending sessions led by experts from the Federal Reserve, WVU faculty (with a focus on cybersecurity, finance, and student aid), WesBanco, Burke & Herbert Bank, and Binghamton University. The event is made possible through the generous support of sponsors Equitable Advisors and Truist.

Mercer County Schools is proud to support professional learning opportunities that prepare our educators to equip students with essential life skills in financial literacy!

Meet the Teacher/Orientation Schedules for the 2025-2026 School Year!

🎓📚 Shoutout to our dedicated high school teachers who are spending today and tomorrow in training to bring high-dosage tutoring to Algebra I and 9th Grade ELA classrooms! This powerful support, made possible through GEAR UP SWV, will help ensure students start strong and stay on track for success! 💪✏️ #MercerProud #GEARUPSWV #StudentSuccess #HighDosageTutoring

📖 Mercer County elementary principals are diving into the Science of Reading during a professional development session today—building strong foundations for literacy across our schools! #ScienceOfReading #LiteracyLeadership #MercerCountySchools

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Ernie Adkins and Title I Supervisors Rhonda Rogers and Pamela Clark are representing Mercer County Schools at the WVDE Federal Programs Professional Development today and tomorrow. Always learning, always leading! #WVEd #TitleI #ProfessionalGrowth

🌞 Summer Learning Spotlight 🌞
Erin Stump (upcoming 5th grader at BIS) and Audrey Stump (upcoming 2nd grader at BPS) had an unforgettable adventure in Destin, Florida! 🐐🐦 They interacted with goats, budgies, and many other animals while learning fascinating facts—like what giraffes need in their diets and the importance of rhino conservation. 🦒🦏 They even witnessed dolphins splashing and playing in their natural habitat! 🐬 What an exciting way to mix fun and learning this summer! 🌊📚

This morning, Mercer County Schools’ Elementary and Secondary leadership teams convened to engage in strategic planning focused on student achievement. The agenda included critical discussions on assessment, instructional priorities, and academic outcomes for the 2025-2026 school year. Our commitment to data-driven decision making ensures every student has the opportunity to succeed.

Emma Weiss and Ethan Thompson proudly represented Mercer County Schools at the National GEAR UP Conference this week! They explored leadership strategies, learned how to overcome physical and mental challenges, and discovered the power of teamwork in achieving success. Pictured with principals Mike Collins and Anna Lilly, they are bringing back valuable skills to share with their peers! #GEARUP #StudentLeaders #MercerProud #TeamworkMatters

🌞 Summer Learning Spotlight 🌾
Emmett (rising 5th grader), Eli (rising 3rd grader), and their youngest brother Easton—a future Mercer County Schools student—spent part of their summer learning about farm life at their great-grandmother’s house! From exploring the outdoors to meeting a friendly donkey, these brothers got hands-on lessons in responsibility, nature, and where our food comes from. 💚

Even more valuable was the time spent with family—proving that some of the best learning happens outside the classroom and with those who love us most. 🐴👵🌻

#SummerLearning #FamilyTime #MercerCountySchools #FarmLifeLessons

Some of our Mercer County Schools employees, along with Board Member Jim Bailey, attended the grand opening of the Ridge Runner Fund Zone Splash Pad today! 💦 A fun and refreshing way to celebrate community partnerships and summer fun!

📚 We’re still accepting applications for Pre-K for the 2025–2026 school year!

Did you know? Children who attend high-quality Pre-K programs are more likely to be reading on grade level by 3rd grade and graduate high school on time. Give your child a strong start! 🌟

#PreKMatters #EarlyLearning #MercerCountySchools #EnrollNow

Link to application: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=S7AZ4AwzekaLrgn7FzdNakNPkGzaCuhCiiCqIWHw9QhUMURLVUlDR1oyQ0VRWEVaRzgyM0xLQkYzTy4u

Get ready, Mercer County! ⚾️ We're absolutely thrilled to announce that Mercer County Schools has put together a team to play the incredible Bluefield Railbirds Alternative Baseball Organization in an upcoming game!
Mark your calendars! Join us on August 2nd at 11 AM at Hunnicutt Field for a fantastic time. Come show your support for these special athletes and celebrate inclusion in our community! We can't wait to see you there!
#MercerCountySchools #BluefieldRailbirdsABO #CommunitySupport #InclusiveBaseball #SaveTheDate

📚 Elementary and Pre-K Supervisor Amber Riffe, along with several dedicated Mercer County teachers, attended the Pre-K and Elementary Social Studies Standards Roll-Out Sessions! They’re bringing back valuable insights to help shape engaging, standards-aligned instruction for our youngest learners. 🌟 #MercerCountySchools #SocialStudies #EarlyLearning #TeacherLeaders

Mercer County Schools remains committed to fiscal responsibility and transparency. Treasurer Leslie Wellman, along with accountants Lauren Crook and Jordan Angell, recently met with Lacey Pettry from the WVDE Office of School Finance and David McClure of Education Consulting Team, LLC. Mr. McClure, a former Greenbrier County treasurer, continues to support our district as a mentor. Together, this team is ensuring our financial practices are sound and aligned with state standards. #FiscalResponsibility #TeamMercer