State-Appointed Harrison County Superintendent To Receive $180,000 Under Four-Year Contract

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Harrison County’s incoming superintendent will receive a $180,000 annual base salary under a four-year contract as the school system continues operating under state intervention.

Dr. Sheena Van Meter is scheduled to take over Harrison County Schools on Oct. 1, replacing Superintendent Dora Stutler, who is retiring Sept. 30.

Unlike a typical superintendent search, Van Meter was not hired by the elected Harrison County Board of Education.

West Virginia State Superintendent of Schools Michele Blatt appointed Van Meter to the position in August after the West Virginia Board of Education intervened in Harrison County Schools and transferred significant authority over the district to the state.

That intervention gives the state superintendent authority over several areas that would ordinarily fall under local control, including key personnel and administrative decisions. Harrison County board members therefore did not select Van Meter or negotiate the appointment in the way a local board normally would outside of state intervention.

Van Meter’s contract appears on the Harrison County Board of Education’s Sept. 15 agenda under “State Superintendent Approved Items.”

Under the agreement, Van Meter will serve through June 30, 2030, and receive a base salary of $180,000 per year, paid from Harrison County Board of Education funds.

The contract also allows for potential annual increases of $2,000 following successful evaluations.

The salary would place Harrison County among the higher-paying school districts in West Virginia for its superintendent position.

West Virginia Department of Education salary information for the 2024-25 school year listed only four county superintendent salaries above $180,000, while Cabell County was listed at $180,000. Several superintendent contracts around the state have changed since that reporting period, making a precise current statewide ranking difficult, but the Harrison County salary is among the highest in the state.

The $180,000 salary also represents an increase from what Harrison County had recently been paying for the position. State records for the 2024-25 school year listed Harrison County’s superintendent salary at $155,000, with increases scheduled under the previous contract in later years.

Van Meter comes to Harrison County after serving as superintendent of Hardy County Schools. She has more than two decades of experience in public education and has previously worked as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and assistant superintendent.

Her appointment comes during one of the most significant periods of administrative change Harrison County Schools has faced in years.

The West Virginia Board of Education intervened in the district this summer following a state review that raised concerns involving staffing, financial sustainability, administrative practices and local governance.

Since the intervention, the state has assumed greater authority over major decisions involving the school system while Harrison County works to address deficiencies identified through the review.

Another agreement appearing on the Sept. 15 agenda provides additional insight into the state’s continuing involvement.

Charles F. Hedrick has been retained as an external consultant from Aug. 31, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Hedrick will receive $575 per day for as many as 100 days of work, putting the maximum value of the agreement at $57,500.

According to the agreement, Hedrick will help develop action plans to address deficiencies identified within the school system and assist with strengthening leadership capacity.

Together, the appointment of Van Meter and the addition of an outside consultant provide a clearer picture of the leadership structure being put in place as Harrison County Schools operates under state oversight.

Van Meter will inherit a district serving nearly 9,000 students across more than 20 schools while facing continued scrutiny over staffing, finances and long-term operations.

The Harrison County Board of Education is scheduled to meet Tuesday, Sept. 15.