Teachers at Paw Paw Schools, one of WV’s last K-12 schools, form meaningful bonds with students

Grayson Kinzer (left) interacts with a lesson from positive action instructor, Amber Morris (center) on Feb. 12, 2024 at Paw Paw Schools in Paw Paw, W.Va. Morris is contracted out by the Morgan County Partnership to teach positive action lessons, which are taught to help build a supportive network for students, their families and others connected in hopes to create a safe, healthy, and drug-free community. (Vanta Coda III | West Virginia Watch)

Wedged in between the hills of the Allegheny Mountains and along the Potomac River, lies the isolated town of just over 400 residents, Paw Paw, West Virginia.

Paw Paw Schools is one of the last four K-12 school campuses in West Virginia, due to teaching cuts across all school districts in West Virginia.

Even though the numbers may not be in their favor, the staff of Paw Paw Schools pour great effort into providing equal opportunities that are prevalent in other more populated schools.

Overlooking the Paw Paw Schools’ gym, Paul Price, who teaches health and physical education for fourth through 12th grade students, sorts through papers as his next class comes in after the bell on Feb. 8, 2024. (Vanta Coda III | West Virginia Watch)

At the forefront of Paw Paw Schools is Principal Melinda Kasekamp and Counselor Dr. Tina Boswell-Stickley. The pair have a combined 45 years of working at Paw Paw Schools, engaged in bettering the learning experiences for students.

“For most people looking from the outside, coming here seems very overwhelming and daunting to deal with,” Kasekamp said. “Because I’ve only ever really been here, it just seems completely normal to deal with children from the ages of 5 to 18.”

Paw Paw Schools’ staffing shortage is not the only obstacle within the district. The 160-student school also faces significant figures of student disability and homelessness, as well as a food desert within the Paw Paw community.

Boswell-Stickley and other staff know what students might be facing outside of school property, so forming a bond with every student is imperative.

“Just meeting every student wherever they are, and then just go from there to come up with a plan to survive,” Boswell-Stickley said. “Sometimes those plans are life plans, sometimes they’re educational plans, sometimes they’re plans just to get from minute to minute.”

Robert Wallace (left), art, band and music teacher for fourth through 12th grade, teaches Damian Davis on the tenor drums on Feb. 15, 2024 at Paw Paw Schools in Paw Paw, W.Va. (Vanta Coda III | West Virginia Watch)

About half of the Paw Paw Schools teaching staff are within their first permanent teaching assignment. However, due to the heightened responsibility of being short-staffed, they have acquired certain skill sets that allow them to teach combined grade levels, or different subjects in one class period.

Alex Arthur, who is a teacher for seventh and eighth grades, teaches both math and English curriculum, alternating between subjects every class period.

“A lot of the time before starting a lesson, I find ways to be more efficient and to make it balanced, and a lot of that comes down to just having to trial and error things out,” Arthur said.

This teaching style can also be seen in other classrooms as well. In the elementary wing, Clinton Cochrum, fourth and fifth grade teacher, teaches both grade levels with the same method.

“It was pretty confusing and stressful at first, but honestly by this point, I feel like I’ve gotten into a flow that it’s much easier and the kids know what to expect more as well,” Cochrum said. “I feel like they’ve kind of learned how to problem solve on their own, which is a good skill to have.”

Counselor, Dr. Tina Boswell-Stickley, and Principal Melinda Kasekamp talk over lunch in the main office of Paw Paw Schools on Feb. 12, 2024. “We work together very well and we are close friends because of Paw Paw
schools,” said Boswell-Stickley. (Vanta Coda III | West Virginia Watch)

In such a small-town environment, it’s not unusual to take pride in where you’re from. For the staff of Paw Paw Schools, their work is what makes their hometown a home.

“I don’t consider this work and my home as home, this is home,” Boswell Stickley said. “We don’t do this for money. We believe in this community that is why we do it.”

1 — English and math teacher for seventh and eighth grade, Alex Arthur, sits in the back of class while students participate in silent reading time on Feb. 15, 2024.

2 — Tessa Palumbo, special education teacher, helps Nikki Dick with a writing assignment on Feb. 15, 2024. Aside from being a special education teacher, Palumbo is in charge of standardized tests, multiple student learning organizations and is the track and cross country head coach. Since becoming the track team coach three years ago, Paw Paw Schools has made it to state every year. “I like to keep busy,” Palumbo said.

3 — Students who participate in color guard take advantage of the warm weather and practice outside of the Paw Paw Schools’ band room on Feb. 15, 2024.

4 — Harlan Fravel (let) and Timothy Mendez (right) overlook Connor Kendall as he shoots a reverse layup on Feb. 15, 2024. [customCaption]5 — Kolten Ballerstadt (left) and Greyson Corbett (right) take a break during time between classes on Feb. 15, 2024.

6 — As the final bell rings over the intercom high school students, RJ Ryan (left) and Donovan Tanouye (right) walk to their next class of the day on Feb. 15, 2024.

7 — Third grade teacher, Shanna Poniris (right), plays with students Damian Tanouye (left) and Yens Nunez-Armes (middle) during indoor recess in the elementary wing of Paw Paw Schools on Feb. 12, 2024. Poniris, who grew up in Paw Paw, graduated from Fairmont State University and came back to Paw Paw Schools to teach elementary school [customCaption]8 — Decorations from elementary classes line a wall in celebration of Valentine’s Day at Paw Paw Schools on Feb. 12, 2024. .

9 — A scarecrow doll dressed as the Paw Paw Schools mascot, a pirate, sits on the shelf in sixth grade teacher Anne Helmick’s room on Feb. 8, 2024.

10 — Pictures of past graduation classes line the halls of Paw Paw High Schools’ one hallway on Feb. 8, 2024. “There are students that are here in which I have taught their parents,” said Principal Melinda Kasekamp. Kasekamp has been a faculty member for Paw Paw Schools for 30 years. (Vanta Code III | West Virginia Watch)

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