CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With the regular legislative session starting this coming week, Kanawha County Schools Superintendent Dr. Paula Potter is talking about the relationship she wants to have with the legislature going forward.
Paula Potter
Potter is in her first year at the helm in Kanawha County after Dr. Tom Williams retired.
Potter says public school systems need to have that good partnership with lawmakers.
“We would just like to have a positive partnership with everyone including the legislators for public education,” Potter said on 580 Live with Dave Allen. “I’m not sure positivity is always the selling point, but I strongly believe in what public school has to offer all students.”
She says she believes public schools can and should be an avenue to a successful future.
“I do think it’s a method that we can educate everyone and help our students have a better future than what you and I have as adults,” Potter said.
“Our goal is always to try to create a younger generation that is better than our generation. I hope that everyone considers laws or policies or procedures has that on the forefront of their mind too so that our young people can begin to create a better community and environment than we have right now,” she continued.
In the fall of 2024, the Kanawha County Board of Education voted to close two middle schools and four elementary schools in the county because of a continued decline in enrollment. With the school funding formula, county boards get less money to operate as enrollment goes down.