{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"The News Journal","provider_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net","title":"Amon Couch named new Williamsburg Superintedent &ndash; The News Journal","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"QRhiCF0ykz\"><a href=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/amon-couch-named-new-williamsburg-superintedent\/\">Amon Couch named new Williamsburg Superintedent<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/amon-couch-named-new-williamsburg-superintedent\/embed\/#?secret=QRhiCF0ykz\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Amon Couch named new Williamsburg Superintedent&#8221; &#8212; The News Journal\" data-secret=\"QRhiCF0ykz\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/COUCH1.jpg","thumbnail_width":480,"thumbnail_height":348,"description":"Williamsburg Independent Schools will have soon have a new superintendent as the board voted unanimously Tuesday night to name current principal Dr. Amon Couch to replace Denny Byrd, who is retiring at the end of the year. The board met in executive session for approximately 50 minutes before returning to regular session and unanimously approving a motion to hire Couch. In addition, the motion called for Board Chair Dr. John Jeffries to negotiate a contract with Couch. Jeffries said Couch was selected from among four candidates, though he declined to name the other candidates. \u201cMr. Couch was the most qualified and had the most experience, and had previously been a superintendent,\u201d Jeffries said. Couch, who began his career in education as a teacher at Williamsburg in 1992, has served a principal at Williamsburg since July \u201cVery blessed. Very humbled,\u201d Couch said when asked how he was feeling following the board\u2019s decision. \u201cTo be able to be the superintendent now is, frankly, very overwhelming to me.\u201d Couch has previously served as superintendent of the Clay County school system. Prior to that, he served as principal at Boston Elementary, Williamsburg, and Corbin\u2019s Central Primary. Couch also spent several years working for the Kentucky Department of Education, going to under performing schools across the state to help them improve. \u201cTo me it is the greatest school in the world,\u201d Couch said of Williamsburg. Couch said that in the past Williamsburg has been ranked as a National Blue Ribbon School. His goal is to get the school back to that level. \u201cI feel like we have the pieces in place here to be a National Blue Ribbon School again,\u201d Couch said. \u201cThat guiding force is going to drive everything we do.\u201d Among the things he wants to implement is giving the students more access to technology\u00a0 and allowing them to take advantage of as many educational opportunities as possible in and out of the classroom. \u201cAnything innovative, that is where I want to be,\u201d Couch said. While those goal are at odds in a time of shrinking education budgets, Couch said he is blessed with a great staff at Williamsburg. \u201cHopefully I can rally them together and set that vision for what we can accomplish,&#8221; Couch said. \u201cThis school district is amazing. I just want to see it get better and better and better.\u201d Couch said Williamsburg offers a unique experience for a superintendent because the entire school system is in one building. &#8220;I was disconnected from the kids,\u201d Couch said of his time at Clay County noting his office was in downtown Manchester and the schools were located throughout the county. \u201cHere, I can literally walk out of my office as superintendent and be in a classroom in about 10 seconds. That is one of the things I love about this school.\u201d Couch graduated from Clay County High School. He did his undergraduate work in education at then Cumberland College and went on to earn his maters and doctorate degrees from the University of the Cumberlands. Couch and his wife still live in Corbin. However, with the new position, he said they plan to relocate to Williamsburg. \u201cWe are all in,\u201d Couch said."}