PARKERSBURG – Voters in Wood County will choose from among nine candidates in this year’s Wood County Board of Education election, with issues including financial oversight, student achievement, transparency and enrollment declines emerging as common themes throughout the race.

Candidates are running across three magisterial districts, though state law limits the board to no more than two members from the same district. According to the Wood County Clerk’s Office, the election could result in one candidate each being elected from Districts A, B and C, or two candidates from District C alongside one candidate from either District A or B.

The field includes retired educators, business owners, a banking executive, a retired military veteran and an incumbent board member seeking reelection. Several candidates pointed to concerns about communication within the district, fiscal responsibility and the need to improve academic outcomes and rebuild confidence in Wood County Schools.

Candidates include:

District A:

* John D. Merritt

* Simon Hargus

District B:

* Justin Raber

* Allen W. Shultz

* Haley Meredith

District C:

* Kevin Burkman

* Debbie Hendershot

* Jim Stout

* Jason McCrady

John Merritt

Retired educator and former Wood County Schools administrator Merritt, 58, said his decades of experience in education and administration make him uniquely qualified for the position.

Merritt retired about four months ago after serving as assistant superintendent for human resources for Wood County Schools. Over a 35-year career in education, he also worked as a teacher, grant writer, webmaster and director of federal programs for the district, in addition to spending several years with the West Virginia Department of Education.

“I love Wood County. I love the schools,” Merritt said. “I’ve been involved with it for most of my life.”

A graduate of Parkersburg High School, Merritt said all three of his children also graduated from Wood County Schools. He said his decision to run stems from both his connection to the district and concerns about how some recent decisions have been made.

“I’m a big proponent of, you have to have data to make decisions,” Merritt said. “I don’t always know that that’s the case in some of the decisions that are being made.”

Merritt said his background in personnel management, federal education programs and statewide education initiatives has prepared him to serve effectively on the board. He also noted his involvement with state-level committees and task forces related to education policy and personnel issues.

If elected, Merritt said one of his priorities would be ensuring district decisions are supported by clear data and collaboration with teachers, administrators, service personnel and families.

Kevin Burkman

Retired military veteran and small business owner Burkman, 56, is campaigning on a platform centered around academics, accountability and workforce readiness.

Burkman, who said he served 27 years in the military and now works for the federal government, said his experiences as a father, employer and mentor for people in addiction recovery motivated him to run for office. He said he works with individuals recovering from drug and alcohol addiction by teaching trade skills through his farm and metal fabrication shop.

Burkman said he became concerned about student achievement after struggling to hire workers with basic math and measurement skills for his business. He criticized what he described as a lack of focus on academics during school board meetings and called for greater accountability among school administrators.

“I’m not a politician,” Burkman said. “I’m just a straight shooter, and I see what the systemic problem is.”

Burkman also pointed to declining enrollment and population loss in Wood County as issues he believes are tied to the strength of local schools. He said improving academic performance could help attract families and businesses to the area.

If elected, Burkman said he would focus on understanding board operations while advocating for transparency and stronger academic standards.

Jim Stout

Business owner Stout, 45, said he wants to bring private sector problem-solving and greater transparency to the board.

Stout said he has not previously held public office, though he recently joined the West Virginia Interstate Fair Board and previously worked for about 11 years with troubled youth at the Laura Yeager Juvenile Detention Center in Parkersburg.

Stout serves as CEO of The Applied Group, a company that operates retail stores selling ATVs, motorcycles and construction equipment throughout West Virginia.

He said his interest in public service led him to pursue a master’s degree in public administration, which he completed about six months ago. Stout said he and his wife chose to live in Wood County because of its school system and now want to ensure future students have the same opportunities their children received.

“We have four kids that are in the system now,” Stout said. “We really want to make sure that kids coming into the Wood County public school system have the same great opportunities that our kids have had.”

If elected, Stout said one of his priorities would be improving fiscal oversight and increasing transparency surrounding the board’s consent agenda process, which he said can limit public discussion on important issues.

Stout said his career has taught him to adapt quickly and work through challenges creatively. “I’m not afraid to put the work in,” he said. “I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty.”

Haley Meredith

Haley Meredith, a banking executive and mother of three children in Wood County Schools, is campaigning on increased financial oversight, communication and student retention.

Meredith, 39, serves as vice president in lending at Pleasants County Bank in St. Marys and said her 17 years in banking have prepared her to address financial concerns within the school system.

“I feel as though financially, the school system or the school board is lacking in oversight,” Meredith said. “That is the most important value, I think, that I personally bring.”

Meredith said she has been active in the community by coaching Vienna recreation cheerleading for the past two years and serving as treasurer for her school’s PTA. She said her experiences as both a parent and community member motivated her to run for office, citing declining enrollment and concerns she has heard from parents and teachers about communication within the district.

“I want people to want to go to Wood County Schools,” Meredith said. “I want to know why are we losing kids? I want to know why parents are choosing to send their kids someplace else.”

Meredith also questioned oversight related to ongoing bond projects and said teachers and parents should feel more comfortable raising concerns with administrators and board members.

If elected, Meredith said she hopes to improve transparency and help make Wood County Schools a stronger draw for families and businesses in the region.

Jason McCrady

McCrady, co-owner of J&M and Books and Play in Parkersburg, said he wants to advocate for teachers, parents and students who feel unheard within the school system.

McCrady, 42, said he has spent years working with students and families through coaching and volunteer work in education. He has coached soccer for 15 years with the West Central Soccer Association and Belpre Soccer, served as education coordinator for West Central Soccer and worked as a substitute teacher in Wood County Schools for 16 years.

“This is a way I can still give back,” McCrady said of his decision to run. “I just saw a need for somebody to stand up and be a voice of the voiceless.”

McCrady said his background as a small business owner has taught him problem-solving and communication skills that he believes would benefit the board. He pointed to keeping the bookstore open through the COVID-19 pandemic as an example of adapting through challenges.

If elected, McCrady said one of his priorities would be revisiting the district’s employee social media policy, which he argued discourages teachers and staff from speaking openly about concerns within the school system.

He also said he would like to expand volunteer mentoring and literacy support programs in schools by partnering with local businesses to help cover background check costs for volunteers.

“I want to see every kid in Wood County Schools achieve the most they can achieve,” McCrady said. “We should make the school system as good as it possibly can be.”

Debbie Hendershot

Incumbent Hendershot, 67, highlighted her experience on the board and continued focus on students, teachers and school improvement projects.

Hendershot is completing her seventh year on the board and said her perspective as a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother with family attending Wood County Schools helps guide her decisions.

“You have to be there for the kids, the teachers, service personnel and everyone,” Hendershot said.

Outside of the board, Hendershot said she previously served as a Vienna recreation soccer coach for more than 10 years, was a member of the mayor’s Park Advisory Committee and served as an adviser to the mayor’s Youth Council. She is also involved with the South Parkersburg Woman’s Club and the Wood County Farm Bureau.

Among the accomplishments she pointed to during her time on the board was the creation of a student advisory committee, which she proposed after hearing concerns from students who felt they lacked a voice in district decisions. The committee includes representatives from each high school, middle school and the Wood County Technical Center and meets monthly with board members to discuss school-related concerns and successes.

Hendershot also cited hiring a new law firm for the district, which she said has reduced legal expenses, and ongoing oversight of major construction projects, including new elementary schools in Lubeck, Parkersburg and Vienna, as well as improvements to the Parkersburg High School stadium.

Looking ahead, Hendershot said she wants to continue addressing classroom challenges, including concerns about teacher workloads and student achievement in reading and math.

“We’ve lost focus on reading, math and discipline,” Hendershot said. “I think our kids and families are feeling it.”

Hargus, Raber and Shultz had not returned calls seeking comment at press time.