by Kate Evans
Morgan County School Board members are preparing to hire former Morgan County School Superintendent David Banks as the new superintendent for Morgan County Schools.
School board president Aaron Close made an announcement about the superintendent hiring at the May 7 school board meeting. He named Banks as their candidate for school superintendent pending the board’s formal approval at their May 21 meeting.
Close said in an email on Wednesday morning that after interviews with the four superintendent candidates, the board asked him to negotiate with David Banks for a 4-year term for Superintendent of Morgan County Schools.
Verbal agreement
“Those negotiations have been fruitful, and contract terms have been verbally agreed to between David Banks and myself. At the board meeting on May 21st the board will officially offer a 4- year contract to David Banks.”
Close invited Banks to the May 7 meeting to release his name in conjunction with the superintendent’s position and to say hi to everyone.
Banks said he “is honored that you have faith in me” and is excited to come home.
“I’m fortunate and blessed to follow Kristen’s leadership,” Banks said of current Superintendent Kristen Tuttle.
Experience
Banks was previously the Morgan County Schools Superintendent for 10 years from 2007-2017. He became Berkeley County Schools Assistant Superintendent of Special Education in 2017 and Berkeley County Schools Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Instruction in 2019. Banks then moved to Jefferson Country Schools in 2021 as Deputy Superintendent of Instructional Support.
Banks was named 2017 West Virginia Superintendent of the Year by the West Virginia Association of School Administrators in June, 2016. He is a graduate of Morgan County Schools himself.
Deep community ties
“Mr. Banks may have left the employment of the Morgan County Board of Education. For the past 7 years, however, his ties to the students, staff, and residents are deeply rooted in this community and his affection for the students, staff, and residents have never left,” Close said on Wednesday.
“Mr. Banks has only grown his instructional leadership abilities over the past seven years and has always kept a pulse on his home’s school district. I see this transition as being seamless from Superintendent Tuttle to Superintendent Banks,” Close added.
Current Superintendent Kristen Tuttle served as Interim Superintendent for one year starting July 1, 2019. She has been Morgan County Schools Superintendent since July 1, 2020. Tuttle resigned her position as superintendent as of June 30.
