Meet the Candidate: Sabrina Stutts for Monroe County Board of Education

I’m Sabrina Meadows Stutts, a Monroe County native. I’m a 1994 graduate of Peterstown High School, 1998 graduate of Bluefield State College and a 2001 graduate of Concord University.  I currently work as a site manager for Monroe Health Center Forest Hill.  I am a proud mother of three children.  My oldest two children are enrolled at Marshall University and my youngest is a student at Peterstown Middle School.  My husband and I are both active in coaching and volunteering for extracurricular activities in our community.  I serve on the Summers/Monroe County Community Corrections Board.  I am president of GFWC WV Peterstown Woman’s Club.

I am an incumbent for the board of education.  I will finish serving my first term of four years at the end of June.  I began serving on the board in July of 2020 and I feel like the first two years of my term were focused on Covid-19.  In the last two years, the board has been able to focus more on education recovery and have seen some positive improvements in test scores and outcomes.  I am seeking reelection to continue making a positive impact on my community through the education of our youth.

Monroe County Schools face many issues, as do all schools in West Virginia.  Mental health and behavior issues of students are a top concern. We have to continue to provide behavioral health counseling, guidance counseling and social needs services to our students.  I would like the board to implement a mentoring program through the existing Community In Schools program where adults within the community could mentor high risk students.

Student safety is always a concern. As a board, we have worked to get fencing, metal detectors, new locks, digital radios, security cameras, GPS for buses, bullet proof film on windows and safer entryways for school buildings.  One safety concern that remains a problem is student vaping, especially vapes containing THC and other illegal substances that pose acute and chronic health risks. We have installed vape sensors in school restrooms and had guest speakers to educate students, but it continues to be an issue.  As a board member, I don’t have an immediate solution, but I plan to continue to work with local and state authorities to decrease the sale of these vapes to minors, continue educating students and parents on the risks of vaping and encourage state representatives to implement stricter control on the ingredients in vapes and the sale of vapes.

I am the only candidate that has a child enrolled in Monroe County Schools, so I have a vested interest in the success of our school system. I am an advocate for education and believe students should graduate career and college ready.  I have four years of experience serving on the board of education and hope to continue serving my community for the next four years.