In the newest episode of Our Communiversity Today, host Dr. Ramon Stuart welcomes Dr. Serena Starcher, Superintendent of Raleigh County Schools, for the first installment of a two-part conversation about education, leadership, and serving students in Southern West Virginia.
Dr. Starcher shares the path that brought her to Raleigh County and the experiences that prepared her to lead a school system serving students across 27 schools.
Originally from Putnam County, Dr. Starcher traces her interest in education back to the fourth grade, when a teacher inspired her to consider the profession. After attending Marshall University, she began her career as a high school math teacher before moving into educational administration. Her journey eventually included work with the West Virginia Department of Education, where she gained valuable experience with education policy, state law, and the challenges of looking at education from a statewide perspective.
Dr. Starcher also discusses her transition from the state level to county leadership, including her time in Fayette County and her move to Raleigh County in 2015. She explains how serving in different administrative roles taught her to balance policy with the realities facing individual schools, educators, and students. After nearly eight years as an assistant superintendent in Raleigh County, she was selected to become superintendent in 2023.
Throughout the conversation, Dr. Stuart and Dr. Starcher explore the experiences and lessons that have shaped her approach to leadership. From the classroom to the superintendent’s office, her career reflects an ongoing commitment to education and the responsibility that comes with leading a public school system.
This episode begins a special two-part series with Dr. Serena Starcher. Join Our Communiversity Today as Dr. Stuart looks at the journey that prepared her for leadership, with the next installment turning to the work being done in Raleigh County Schools to educate and elevate students, families, and the broader Southern West Virginia community.
