U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon Visits the Mountain State

Barboursville, W.Va. - U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon visited two Cabell County locations on Thursday to learn about advances in elementary and secondary education as part of her Return Education to the States tour.

Stops at Village of Barboursville Elementary School and the Woody Williams Center for Advanced Learning and Careers gave students the chance to share their academic experiences with the Secretary and the strides they are making through diverse learning opportunities offered in the public school system.

Village of Barboursville Elementary showcased its mathematics, literacy and instructional models. Cabell County implemented the Science of Reading curriculum in 2018, with the statewide rollout following in 2023. This literacy tool is based on how the brain learns to read and includes key instructional components for writing. Public schools are also implementing mathematical strategies that align with the Unite with Numeracy initiative. This program supports instructional expertise and pedagogy that increases student engagement and academic achievement.

The Woody Williams Center for Advanced Learning and Careers hosted the Secretary for the afternoon. Student leaders from the SkillsUSA program led a tour highlighting high school programs ranging from Health Sciences and Electrical Technology to Cosmetology and Masonry. Students also shared their experiences competing at the state and national SkillsUSA Championships. SkillsUSA is a workforce development organization for students in career technical education programs that promotes interpersonal, workplace and technical skills through a series of career-based competitions.

"We appreciate the opportunity to showcase the work of our schools to a national audience and Secretary McMahon. We believe our educators, staff and students work extremely hard to support learning and positive outcomes, and today was an example of their dedication," said State Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt. "Special thanks to Cabell County Superintendent Keith Thomas and his school community for hosting this wonderful day and sharing the exceptional learning opportunities provided to our students to build the workforce of tomorrow."

View photos from the visit in the WVDE Flickr album.