Blatt inside the new Herbert Hoover High School in Elkview , WV . Photo by Tracy A . Toler Photography .
Meeting the Needs of All
New State Superintendent Michele Blatt
ANNA MOORE
Michele Blatt never considered a career outside of education . A teacher , she says , is just who she is .
“ Teaching is the only profession I considered ,” Blatt says . “ I enjoy teaching children at church every Sunday . I am the happiest when I am around children .”
It ’ s her own children , Jonathan and Emma , who have always been the reasons she does what she does each day .
“ I am so proud of the young adults they have become and the amazing work they do in their careers ,” she says .
Blatt became West Virginia ’ s 34th superintendent of schools on July 1 , 2023 . She was named to the executive position by the state board of education on June 23 , 2023 , although she has been leading state education initiatives much longer as an employee at the West Virginia Department of Education for the past 17 years , most recently as deputy superintendent during the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ I began my tenure as deputy superintendent during the pandemic . We figured out how to close schools , move to remote learning , feed children , live by the colors of a map , bring children back to in-person learning , distribute vaccines and then move into the post-pandemic world ,” she says . “ We had to do it all by leaning and depending on one another , and I will make sure we continue to do that .”
Prior to her time at the Department of Education , she served more than 25 years at the public school level as both a teacher and principal .
“ My career has afforded me the opportunity to hold a variety of positions , which allows me to see public education from multiple viewpoints ,” she says . “ Teaching and making a difference in the lives of children has been my driving force throughout my career . I learned early on as a middle school teacher that public education is the saving grace for so many students . Education truly opens the doors to the world . When I was offered the opportunity to take on a leadership position in the county , I was hesitant to leave the classroom because I loved teaching . I know now that the various opportunities I had at the county and state level have prepared me for this position .”
Her years of experience not only afford her the ability to make decisions based on what is best for West Virginia students , but it also gives her the ability to understand the needs of teachers , staff and administrators .
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