Fayette County, WV (WOAY) – The Fayette County Board of Education is accepting applications for a vacant seat on the school board left by the passing of long-time educator, school administrator, and mentor “Coach” Gary Ray.
“Nobody expects the person coming in to do what he did,” Fayette County Superintendent David Warvel said. “They need to form their own path. That’s what you do as a board member, you come in and represent the people around you. That’s what Coach Ray did.”
Interested applicants should live in the Plateau District, which encompasses Oak Hill, Mount Hope, and Scarbro. To apply, send the Board of Education a cover letter and resume to the board of education. They should be addressed to board president Pat Gray.
Mailing address: 111 Fayette Ave., Fayetteville, WV 25840
Email address: dlhedrick@k12.wv.us.
All application materials must be in by April 6.
The Board of Education meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. The board will also convene for special or emergency meetings when the need arises.
“It’s a time commitment, but it’s doable for people. You have all walks of life, with board members who are retired to people who are working a full time job,” Warvel said. “I try to keep them abreast of situations, either with a call or text or email.”
Warvel said that serving on the board is a great way for people to give back. He said most people have experience with public education already.
“Most people understand public schools because they went through it like everybody else, but they also have either a relative or someone they love or care about in the school system, whether they are teaching or driving a bus or fixing meals,” he said. “We’re looking for people to apply. Don’t feel like you need to feel a certain way about it,” he said. “If you feel a conviction that you want to serve the greater good, then please submit an application to the board office.”
Although the vacancy on the board will soon be filled, Fayette County schools will still remember Coach Ray for his decades of service.
“Coach Ray was a gentleman and a good person. He had a wealth of information about serving the greater good through coaching, teaching and working with the young folks,” Warvel said. “He took the job seriously, but he knew how to provide some levity. I appreciate that because it is stressful sometimes… he was like a grandfather to me. He always checked on me and I would do the same to him.”
