Thad Marsh For Preston County Schools

06/08/2026

Sometimes the simplest, most organic things can change the outcome for our children and our community.

06/03/2026

Justin,

We spoke during the campaign about Healthy Kids and your interest in incorporating their food into the summer meals program. As you know, one of my "Four Great Steps Forward" for our district was providing locally sourced, freshly prepared, nutritious food while reducing reliance on packaged and highly processed foods whenever possible.

I want to commend you for following through on your commitment to provide healthy, locally sourced meals for our students in Preston County. I encourage you to continue expanding the use of locally sourced foods during the upcoming school year. Whenever possible, we should invest our residents' hard-earned tax dollars back into our own communities rather than sending those dollars to large corporations outside our state.

Research consistently shows that children who receive balanced, nutritious diets perform better academically. Following the recommendations of the MyPlate nutrition guidelines can go a long way toward supporting our students' success. Good nutrition supports learning, improves concentration, promotes positive behavior, and contributes to better overall health and well-being.

Additionally, I encourage you to expand the involvement of Career and Technical Education (CTE) students in the sourcing, production, and preparation of school meals. Doing so provides valuable hands-on experience and workforce training while creating opportunities for students to see firsthand how food is grown, processed, and prepared. This not only develops practical skills but also fosters a greater appreciation for agriculture, nutrition, and the important role our schools play in strengthening the community. Furthermore, it instills pride in the students involved and encourages appreciation among their peers for the work that goes into providing healthy meals.

Having worked with backpack programs and food pantries for many years, I understand that for some students, the meals they receive at school may be the most nutritious food they eat all day, through no fault of their own.

These programs are not handouts; they are a hand up that helps ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed and build a brighter future.

Access to healthy, balanced meals leads to improved academic performance, reduced behavioral issues, better attendance, and stronger long-term outcomes for our students and our community as a whole.

Thank you for your efforts and for your continued commitment to the health, well-being, and future success of Preston County's children.

06/02/2026

I ran for the Preston County Board of Education because I believe our students, teachers, and community deserve better than more of the same. Unfortunately, only 27% of eligible voters participated in this election, and now we are left to continue down the same path.

The reality is that only 43% of our students are proficient in reading and only 37% are proficient in math. These numbers should concern every parent, grandparent, taxpayer, and community member. They represent children who are not being given the opportunities and support they need to reach their full potential.

This election serves as a powerful reminder that apathy often produces the very outcomes people say they want to change. When nearly three-quarters of the electorate stays home, we lose the opportunity to demand accountability, new ideas, and better results for our schools.

Given today's social media post by an elected Board member who has not yet been seated, we have to ask ourselves an important question: Are we confident in the direction of this district and county? The actions and conduct of those entrusted with leadership matter, especially when our students' futures are at stake.

I wanted to share the contents of an email I sent to Superintendent Martin and the current Board of Education after the public post was removed. During my campaign, I pledged to work for complete transparency in our district, and I intend to continue advocating for openness, accountability, and improved outcomes for our students and community.

Regardless of election results, my commitment remains the same: our children deserve better, our community deserves transparency, and our schools deserve leadership focused on student success.

Good Evening,
I would like to bring to your attention a recent social media post by elected, but not yet seated, board member Amanda Alexander that raises questions regarding governance, communications, and district operations.
As reflected in the original post, several statements appeared to represent positions, intentions, or actions of the Board and/or the District. It is unclear whether those statements were authorized, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the current Board.
In response to my inquiry regarding the legitimacy of the post, Mrs. Alexander indicated that she had obtained an opinion from counsel. This raises an important question regarding the capacity in which that opinion was provided. Specifically, was the opinion obtained on behalf of the current Board, the District, or solely in her personal capacity?
Additionally, the post referenced the email address [email protected]. Because communications transmitted through a district-issued email account may be subject to applicable public records and Freedom of Information requirements, the suggestion that individuals could communicate anonymously through that account may create confusion regarding the nature and accessibility of those communications.
I also seek clarification regarding whether Mrs. Alexander was authorized to use this district email account for board-related activities at this time, and, if so, under what authority. If the account was issued for another purpose, clarification on that point would also be helpful.
Because the original post has reportedly been removed, I have included below comments and discussion points reconstructed from my review of the exchange. While these may not be verbatim quotations, they accurately reflect, to the best of my recollection, the substance of the discussion and the concerns raised.
Given that the original post has reportedly been removed and questions have been raised regarding related communications, I respectfully request that any potentially relevant records be preserved pending review. This would include, to the extent applicable:
• Copies of the original social media post and any edits, revisions, or deletions.
• Communications concerning the post.
• Communications related to any legal advice referenced in the discussion.
• Emails or other records associated with the district-issued account referenced in the post; and
• Any other records reasonably related to these matters.
Preservation of these materials will help ensure that any review is based upon a complete and accurate record and will promote transparency and public confidence in the process.
I respectfully request that the appropriate parties review the matters outlined above and provide clarification regarding any governance, operational, or policy implications involved. Such clarification will help promote transparency, maintain public trust, and reduce the likelihood of unnecessary disputes that could divert time and resources from the District's core mission of serving students and the community.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Respectfully,
Thad Marsh

My Response: Mrs. Alexander, your intentions appear commendable, but as a former Public Information Officer, I would encourage you to ensure that both the establishment of this mailbox and the language used in this post have undergone an appropriate ethics and legal review, if that has not already occurred. The creation of a separate reporting channel could be perceived as establishing a parallel process that may bypass the superintendent, the Board, and established administrative procedures. Depending on how information is received, maintained, and acted upon, there may also be implications related to public records retention requirements, chain of custody considerations, Open Meetings Act compliance, and other applicable federal and West Virginia laws and regulations. Given these potential issues, it may be prudent to seek guidance from legal counsel or the appropriate ethics authority to ensure the process is fully compliant and transparent.

Mrs. Alexanders Response: 7m Reply Amanda Alexander Thad Marsh For Preston County Schools Thank you for your advisement. I have already spoken with counsel and the ethics committee regarding this matter prior to establishing this P.O. Box.

My response:
Thank you for the clarification. I appreciate knowing that counsel and the ethics committee were consulted prior to establishing the P.O. Box.
My comments were intended less as a challenge to the creation of the mailbox itself and more as a recognition that any reporting process can raise important questions regarding records retention, transparency, due process, and how information is ultimately handled. I trust those considerations were part of the review and appreciate your willingness to address the matter.
In the interest of transparency and public confidence, would you consider publicly posting the legal and ethics guidance or review that was provided, to the extent it is permissible to do so? Making that information available would help reassure the community that the process has been thoroughly vetted and is being conducted in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and ethical standards.

Mrs. Alexander
I will hold off on my other post until I can provide all the information requested by Mr. Marsh. I am currently waiting on 2 separate emails addressing the PO Box matter solely, so that I can post them along with the other information. I apologize for the delay, but was not expecting to be asked for proof of my due diligence in the matter.

My response:
Mrs. Alexander,
It appears your original post was removed. If the goal is transparency, removing the original post while promising documentation later raises more questions than it answers.
Respectfully, due diligence is not something that is created after concerns are raised. Due diligence is the contemporaneous collection and preservation of records, communications, approvals, and authorizations as actions are taken. Requesting emails after the fact to justify a decision is not the same as documenting the decision-making process when it occurred.
As a member of a Board of Education, you have a fiduciary obligation to ensure that actions taken in the name of Preston County Schools are properly authorized, documented, and accountable to the public. Written records matter because they provide an objective and verifiable account of what occurred. Verbal conversations, standing alone, do not.
With that in mind, I believe the public deserves answers to the following questions:
1. Did the Board formally authorize the opening of this PO Box?
2. Was there a vote, motion, or documented approval authorizing the use of "Preston County Schools" on the application?
3. Who is paying for the PO Box and from what source of funds?
4. Are any other Board members listed as authorized signatories or account holders?
5. If Board approval was not obtained beforehand, under what authority was the PO Box opened?
These are not personal questions. They are governance questions. If public resources, public authority, or the name of Preston County Schools were used, then the public has a right to know who authorized those actions, how they were authorized, and who is accountable for them.
Transparency is not achieved by promising information later. Transparency is achieved by providing complete documentation and answering legitimate questions directly.

05/27/2026

This is what voting for more of the same looks like. We cannot build a better future on “just good enough.” I believe we owe future generations more than complacency and recycled choices. Real progress demands the courage to embrace change, even when that means embracing successful ideas from outside the usual circles. If we want different results, we cannot keep making the same decisions. Most importantly, we must show up, because I refuse to let just 27% of people determine the future for the other 73%. I will continue to advocate for change through every avenue placed before me, because silence and inaction have never created progress.

05/27/2026

Opportunity to achieve successful outcomes! https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1E2MWvt4kf/

05/25/2026

Today we bow our heads in reverence and gratitude for the men and women who gave everything so that this bold experiment in liberty could endure and for every generation since that stood watch over its promise with their final full measure of devotion. We also honor those who returned bearing the wounds of war visible and invisible whose sacrifices did not end when the battlefields fell silent.

They surrendered futures they would never see, carried burdens they did not have to bear, and paid a price beyond measure so that others might live free. Some gave their lives; others carried home scars upon their bodies and hearts that would remain for the rest of their days. The liberties we enjoy, the opportunities we pursue, and the nation we call home were secured not merely by words written on parchment, but by sacrifice written in blood.

E pluribus unum out of many, one.

On this solemn day, let us do more than remember; let us recommit. Let us pledge that these sacrifices will never be reduced to a date on a calendar or a passing moment of reflection. Let us honor them not only with our words, but through our actions by defending the principles they fought and died to protect, by caring for those who still bear the burdens of service, by strengthening the bonds that unite us, and by carrying forward the responsibilities of citizenship with humility, courage, and conviction.

Montani Semper Liberi Mountaineers are always free.

May this great state and this great nation forever remain free, and may we prove ourselves worthy of the tremendous price paid to preserve that freedom.

05/21/2026

For West Virginia, the “Southern Surge” https://www.city-journal.org/article/mississippi-louisiana-alabama-education-schools-southern-states may provide key insights to how we can improve outcomes for our students and community, are we doing all we can here in West Virginia and in Preston County, we all need to ask how we are faring on each point, what are your thoughts?
1. Make K–3 reading the top priority.
WV already has a Third Grade Success Act focused on early literacy and numeracy, including screeners and interventions. The next step is strict implementation: every K–3 classroom should use explicit phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing instruction.
2. Train every elementary teacher in the science of reading.
Mississippi’s gains were not just from passing a law; they came from teacher coaching, aligned materials, and consistent classroom practice. WV should require high-quality training and follow-up coaching, not one-time workshops.
3. Use early screening aggressively.
WV’s law requires K–3 screeners in reading, dyslexia risk, and math early in the year, midyear, and end-of-year. The key is acting on the data immediately, not just collecting it.
4. Build daily intervention blocks.
Every elementary school should have protected time for small-group reading and math intervention. Students below grade level need extra instruction every day, not occasional remediation.
5. Strengthen math alongside reading.
WV’s 2024 NAEP results show weak performance, especially in eighth-grade math and reading. Fourth-grade reading averaged 206, below the national average of 214.
6. Restore classroom order.
The Southern states’ lesson is not just curriculum. Learning improves when classrooms are safe, calm, and predictable. WV should track chronic disruption, support principals, and give teachers clear discipline procedures.
7. Hold schools accountable for growth.
Focus on whether students are improving year over year, especially low-performing students. Public dashboards should show reading proficiency, math proficiency, absenteeism, intervention success, and school-by-school growth.
8. Reduce chronic absenteeism.
No literacy reform works if students are not in class. WV should treat attendance as an academic issue, with early outreach after repeated absences.
9. Pick strong curricula and stop constant switching.
Use a small approved list of evidence-based reading and math materials. Then stick with them long enough for teachers to master them.
10. Copy what worked, but adapt it to WV.
WV should not simply imitate Mississippi or Louisiana. Rural geography, transportation, staffing, and poverty make WV different. But the core formula travels well: early literacy, strong curriculum, teacher coaching, intervention, discipline, attendance, and accountability.

Students need orderly classrooms to learn.

05/20/2026

That's a lot of money being spent but our outcomes are dismal!!! Why! https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1cyrZjzsX2/

🚨 New from Georgetown Univerisity's Edunomics Lab: West Virginia spends $15,968 per student—more than Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Louisiana.

But the results? All four outperform West Virginia on NAEP. Mississippi leads in 8th-grade reading by 8 points. Florida leads in 4th-grade math by 14 points.

More money isn’t delivering better outcomes for our kids. It’s time to ask: Are we funding student success, or just the system?

05/18/2026

What a great way to celebrate 250 years of this great country’s history by heading to the theater! The closest one for us is in Bridgeport. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18WQaa5Jur/

In theatres May 31 - June 2.