The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) announced its 2025 West Virginia Teacher of the Year Finalist on July 12, 2024. The five finalists exemplify dedication to student achievement and well-being through classroom innovation and engaging instruction. Among the state finalists was Seth Skiles, Putnam County School’s 2025 Teacher of the Year and Music Educator at Rock Branch Elementary.
Seth Skiles is a passionate music educator and West Virginia native serving as an elementary music specialist at Rock Branch Elementary School. Skiles earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Education from Anderson University. He obtained a master’s degree in church music with a concentration in conducting from Belmont University. After teaching elementary music in the Nashville area, Skiles returned to West Virginia, bringing acquired educational practices and cultural experiences to his home school district. He is certified in the John Feierabend First Steps in Music curriculum and is pursuing National Board Certification. Skiles’ professional development experience includes the University Mozarteum Orff Institute’s International Elemental Music course in Salzburg, Austria; conducting intensives through Rider University’s Westminster Choir College; West Virginia University’s World Music Pedagogy course; Disney Institute’s Approach to Leadership Excellence course; and state music education conferences in Indiana, Tennessee, and West Virginia. His passion for arts education influences the classroom environment, creating a learning atmosphere driven by student engagement and proactive learning.
West Virginia’s 2025 Teacher of the Year and School Service Personnel of the Year will be announced on September 10, 2024, during a ceremony at the Culture Center in Charleston. To learn more about the Teacher of the Year program, visit the West Virginia Teacher of the Year page.