Photo by Robert A. DeFrank Martins Ferry High School Principal Jim Fogle is named incoming district superintendent. He will take the position in February.

Martins Ferry City Schools will have a new superintendent at the helm Feb. 1, when Jim Fogle takes over for Superintendent Dirk Fitch upon his retirement.

The school board approved Fogle, who currently serves as Martins Ferry High School principal, for the district’s top administrative post during its regular meeting Monday.

“I’m honored to be the next superintendent following two great leaders, former Superintendent Nick Stankovich and current Superintendent Dirk Fitch. I’ve learned a lot from both of them,” Fogle said.

Fogle said he has experience with the school district at all levels and cited familiarity with the buildings, since he began his career at the district in 1996. He currently has two daughters attending the high school, and one of his daughters graduated from the high school last year.

“I’ve been a principal at the elementary level, at the middle school level and now currently at the high school level, so I have a lot of experience with the district and the administrative part of it. I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead,” he said. “It’s unique taking over midway through a school year, so we have a lot of things that are currently in place that I’d like to see through. Then I’ll get together with our administrative staff once we get the restructuring going, and we’ll make new goals for next year.”

Fogle added that he will continue to rely on the staff.

“We’ve got a great group of teachers here at Martins Ferry. We’ve got a great support staff. We’ve got great students, and I’m really looking forward to providing our students with an environment that is safe and one that is conducive to learning,” he said.

Fogle noted he looks forward to a new phase of his career, working with parents and administrators and the district as a whole, rather than being restricted to a principal’s focus on the students of a single building.

“We had some good candidates. He was the one who was the most qualified and had the most to offer to our schools at this time,” said school board President Joe Lovell. “He was probably the one who had the most experience.”

The new principal of the high school has not been determined, but Fogle does not intend to undertake a dual role.

Fitch will assist in the transition and remain with the district in a support role through February.

“He’s an outstanding administrator and a very good, solid individual. I think everything will work smoothly,” Fitch said of his successor.

In other matters, an active shooter training drill is scheduled for Nov. 22. The campus will briefly be on lockdown, and the road coming up the hill to campus and Alumni Road will be shut down temporarily. The drill will begin at about 9 a.m., led by local law enforcement. Fire and emergency medical officials will also participate, along with the Belmont County Emergency Management Agency. The event should be completed in 15 minutes, officials said.