New principal chosen to lead Wenonah

By Bob Stuart

Published: July 8, 2008

Longtime teacher and principal Rebecca Jarvis was named to lead Wenonah Elementary School Tuesday night by the Waynesboro School Board.
Jarvis is replacing Wenonah’s former principal, Karen Weaver, who retired at the end of the school year after an education career that spanned three decades.
“I’m thrilled to be back in Waynesboro,” said Jarvis, who served as an instructional coach at Wenonah and Berkeley Glenn Elementary in 2005-06.
For the past two years, Jarvis has been principal at Fairfield Elementary School in Lexington.
Jarvis said she enjoys the Waynesboro Schools because the school division is “forward thinking.”
“They look at what is research-based and what will make a difference for kids,” said Jarvis of the instructional methods the school district uses.
Jarvis pointed to one innovation she is already aware of.
She said Wenonah and Westwood Hills Elementary School will work together during the upcoming school year on creative ways to use technology to improve instruction.
Jarvis, who holds master’s degrees in curriculum instruction and in educational leadership and policy studies from Virginia Tech, has a fondness for working in elementary schools and spent 11 years as an elementary teacher.
“The little ones are wonderful,” she said.
Jarvis said it is fulfilling to help students learn to read and write and to prepare them for higher education.
Waynesboro Schools Superintendent Robin Crowder said of Jarvis, “I think we’ve got a good catch.”
Also Tuesday night, the board reorganized for 2008-09 and selected Kathe Maneval as board chairwoman. Jeremey Taylor was selected vice chairman.
Crowder said Maneval has worked hard as a school board member during the past couple years.
“She has an eye for detail,” said Crowder, who attributed Maneval’s thoroughness to both her background in education and as an accountant.
Several school board members paid compliments to outgoing chairman Doug Norcross.
Board member Brian Edwards said Norcross took the chairman’s job during a challenging time two years ago, when the school board was searching for a superintendent and was in the middle of renovating Kate Collins Middle School.
Edwards described Norcross as a statesman and a gentleman.
Also Tuesday night, the school board recognized the Waynesboro High boys varsity baseball team for their advancing to this past school year’s Group AA semifinals.