When two school boards recently promoted employees in their districts to superintendents, they were promoting people with lifelong ties to Washington and Greene counties.

Helen McCracken, assistant to the superintendent in Canon-McMillan School District, and John George, assistant to the superintendent in Chartiers-Houston School District, will begin their new positions as head administrators Tuesday.

"For me, it's personal," Dr. McCracken said. "Everything's personal in this job."

Dr. McCracken was raised in North Strabane and attended Canon-McMillan schools. Both of her parents started their careers as teachers. Her father was an elementary school principal in the district. He worked mainly at Wylandville Elementary School but also was principal at First Street Elementary School.

"I never considered any other career choice other than a teacher," she said. "I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I was 6 years old."

Canon-McMillan's first female superintendent has devoted her 30-year career to the largest school district in Washington County. Dr. McCracken was named assistant to the superintendent in July 2003. She was the director of curriculum and instruction from 2000 to 2003.

Before then, she worked as academic principal at the high school, principal of Canonsburg Middle School, principal of Wylandville Elementary School and a reading specialist at the high school. She began as the elementary reading resource specialist in 1978.

Superintendent Nick Bayat announced his retirement in February.

"It was my dream to work in this school district," she said. "My goal wasn't to be a superintendent. My goal was to be superintendent of Canon-McMillan."

Dr. McCracken received a bachelor's degree in elementary education, a master's degree in reading, an elementary principal certification and a superintendent's letter of eligibility from California University of Pennsylvania, a master's in business administration from Robert Morris University and a doctorate in education from the University of Pittsburgh.

She lives in Waynesburg with her husband, Jeff, a pharmacist, and their 16-year-old daughter Elissa, who will be a senior at Waynesburg High School.

She believes it's helpful that she has a vested emotional interest in the district. She tells teachers to treat students as if they were their own children.

"It's almost like we're sending 5,000 of our children out into the world," Dr. McCracken said.

A challenge she will face is accommodating students in the rapidly expanding district, which serves Canonsburg, Cecil and North Strabane. She also wants the district to "address learning in all aspects of the 21^st century" by incorporating technology as a mainstay and focusing on the future.

One of her accomplishments as assistant to the superintendent last year was having First Street Elementary School honored as one of 13 schools in the state to be named a No Child Left Behind National Blue Ribbon Award Winner.

The new Chartiers-Houston superintendent, Mr. George, grew up in Monongahela. He lives in Washington with his wife, Doreen, a speech therapist, and their 15-year-old son J.D., who will be a sophomore at Trinity High School.

He remained in the area because of his family and the "good, hard-working people." The district has a wonderful group of teachers, staff and community, he said, making it a good place to raise a child.

Mr. George is a graduate of Ringgold School District. He received a bachelor's degree in sociology from Saint Vincent College in Latrobe and a master's degree in education from California University.

He is certified to teach children with mental and physical handicaps in kindergarten through sixth grade, secondary administration, secondary counseling and elementary administration. He received his superintendent's letter of eligibility from West Virginia University.

Mr. George's first job was with United Cerebral Palsy. He spent 13 years in Central Greene School District, where he worked as a special education teacher and assistant principal/athletic director. He's been the assistant to the superintendent in Chartiers-Houston for seven years.

He was officially named superintendent June 16, replacing Charles Mahoney.

Mr. George has no specific changes in mind for the district yet because he wants to collect data first.

"Quality education is the most important thing we give back to our students," he said. "Our goal is to maximize the potential of all our students so when they leave here they will be productive citizens."