Written by: Ainsley Hall and published in The Martinsburg Journal on March 25, 2025, link to the article HERE.
MARTINSBURG — Berkeley County Schools Superintendent Ryan Saxe officially received the West Virginia Superintendent of the Year award during the National School Superintendents Association Conference earlier this month.
The conference took place in New Orleans, Louisiana, March 6-8, where Saxe joined the other state superintendents.
The award was first announced last June, right before Saxe moved from Cabell County to Berkeley County on July 1, 2024. After being named the state superintendent, candidates are eligible to apply for the National Superintendent of the Year award. The program is designed to recognize the incredible leadership when it comes to education throughout the country.
Saxe was honored to represent West Virginia this year. However, he doesn’t just see it as a recognition of his work but of the people who made education a priority in their communities.
“Being named State Superintendent of the Year is not just a personal honor,” Saxe said. “Every member of the community contributes to our sole mission to educate our students. To me, this award belongs to the folk in both Cabell and Berkeley county.”
Saxe shared that he has always been passionate about learning and working with kids. He has 19 years of experience in education and served as a 4-H counselor and FFA advisor, later becoming an assistant principal, then principal.
Saxe also worked as a coordinator in the Office of Federal Programs and School Improvement at the West Virginia Department of Education, director of professional learning and executive director of secondary schools, before serving as the superintendent of Cabell County Schools for seven years. As a lifelong learner, he wants to instill that same love of learning to other students.
Saxe shared that he wanted the people to remember that successful education isn’t just about the superintendent but all the important roles throughout the education system. The only way for students to get the best education possible is for everyone to work together and do their part.
“We value every role in education,” Saxe said. “Success is built through the teachers, service personnel, maintenance workers and, of course, our board of education members. They all play an important role, and without these things in place, we couldn’t be as successful as we are.”
To learn more about Saxe and the other 2025 Superintendent of the Year state winners, visit https://soy.aasa.org/winners-2025.