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Markham hired as new HNHS athletic director

Jeremy Markham (left) was named the new athletic director for Huntington North High School (HNHS) at the Huntington County Community School Corporation Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, June 28. Also featured is HNHS principal Rief Gilg.
Jeremy Markham (left) was named the new athletic director for Huntington North High School (HNHS) at the Huntington County Community School Corporation Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, June 28. Also featured is HNHS principal Rief Gilg. Photo by Emily Wyatt

The Huntington County Community School Corporation (HCCSC) Board of Trustees introduced several new administrators during their regular meeting on Monday, June 28.

First, Huntington North High School (HNHS) principal Rief Gilg introduced Jeremy Markham as the new athletic director for HNHS.

“In my experience of being a principal now and being an athletic director in the past, I feel like I know a couple of things,” Gilg said. “I know how difficult it is and I know how important it is, so you really had to find a unique individual for this, and I feel extremely fortunate that Mr. Markham showed interest in this position.”

 “He’s got experience coaching multiple sports at the collegiate level, he’s been in athletic administration at the college level and also seven years experience as a high school athletic director,” Gilg continued. “When he talked to us—the interview committee which was administrators, teachers, there was a separate one made up of mainly coaches—what kept coming through is this person comes off as legitimate, real, down-to-earth and truly caring about our athletes and our coaches.”

 “I’m very excited to get started,” Markham said. “There’s a lot of tradition here and tradition that we want to continue to build on and carry on.”
“We’re going to talk a lot about being first class in how we conduct ourselves,” Markham continued. “Compete hard and coach hard, but do it the right way and teach life lessons along the way, so that when student athletes leave here, they’re going to be prepared for the real world that’s out there.”

Next to be introduced was the new Lincoln Elementary School Principal Jennifer Yarger.

HCCSC Superintendent Chad Daugherty says that Yarger has over 15 years of experience at the elementary level. Yarger also served as the assistant principal for Horace Mann Elementary School and Lincoln for the 2020-21 school year.

“We are very blessed to have her leading this building,” Daugherty said.

Yarger said, “I’m very excited to continue to serve them (Lincoln students and staff) in this new role.”

Finally, Marissa Tinkle was introduced as an Elementary Professional Development Coordinator. The exact schools haven’t been designated yet, but she will have three schools she is in charge of.

Tinkle was a virtual first grade teacher for the 2020-21 school year.
“That was not an easy task and it was obvious during the interview process that Marissa rose to the top and so we are excited about bringing her on our team,”

Director of Curriculum Jay Peters said. “And again, she’s been a literacy coach for the last two years at Roanoke, so she has that coaching experience that we’re looking for.”

In other business:

• The board approved the 2021-22 Memorandum of Understanding between Huntington University and HCCSC for the Achieving Balance in Life through Education (ABLE) program as presented.

• The board voted to approve the 2021-22 Creating Positive Relationships Associate Renewal Contract.

• HCCSC Business Manager Scott Bumgardner requested approval for the Bayada Home Health Care, Inc. to provide one-on-one services for two students within HCCSC for the 2021-22 school year. The motion passed unanimously.