Charleston, W.Va. (WVDN) – The West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) recognized the state’s 2026 Teacher of the Year (TOY) and School Service Personnel of the Year (SPOY) during the January meeting in Charleston. Both received these titles during a ceremony in September 2025; however, their one-year terms began this month. School Service Personnel of the Year Brandon Kelley, a custodian from Upshur County, shared his platform, and Teacher of the Year Tiffany Barnes, a special education teacher from Ohio County, shared her focus and was presented with a new RAV4 from Toyota West Virginia (Toyota WV) to use during her tenure.
Toyota WV President David Rosier presented Barnes with the new vehicle and shared the importance of the partnership with the education community. For the past 25 years, Toyota has provided the TOY with reliable transportation to use during their term as the state’s top education ambassador. Horace Mann Insurance provides coverage at no cost to the teacher.
“There are some days that I look forward to every year. This is one of them,” said Rosier. “Just as you must create the right environment for learning, as a plant president, we must create the right environment for our team to be successful. We believe education is important to build strong communities and a strong workforce. That is why this partnership is important to all of us.”“To our service personnel: thank you for what you do every day. Without the custodians and service personnel, we can’t operate our 618 schools,” WVBE President L. Paul Hardesty said. “To our Teacher of the Year: special education teachers are special people. The general public has no idea the challenges you face in our classrooms, and we are grateful.”
Barnes, a two-time Iraq War veteran, is a special education teacher at Wheeling Middle School in Ohio County. Her passion for teaching is rooted in her commitment to leading with compassion. She plans to promote the importance of including special education students and students with autism as a visible part of the school community. Kelley, a custodian at Washington District Elementary School, brings dedication and a commitment to service that supports administrators, educators and students and strengthens the school community. He serves as a mentor to students and is a member of the Upshur County Superintendent’s Advisory Council and the Staff Development Council. During his tenure, he will focus on recognizing the vital role school service personnel play in schools and in the lives of children.
Superintendents from Boone, Randolph and Roane counties presented updates to the Board as required by state code. Special Circumstance Reviews in 2025 led to a full intervention in Boone County, and states of emergency for Randolph and Roane counties. The WVBE voted to maintain the current status for each county, with progress reports required in six months. Reports are available on the Accountability section of the WVDE website.
