Coaches Supplemental Pay Discussed at The Pocahontas County Board of Education’s April 27th Meeting

Athletics over Academics?

Coaches objected to Board of Education cuts to the coaching supplements for the upcoming fiscal year. A number of Pocahontas County Assistant Coaches, led by retired coaches Bob Sheets and Chuck Workman appeared before the Board at the April 27th Pocahontas County Board of Education meeting. They expressed their objections to the Boards recent decision to make an overall $40,000 cut to the supplements paid to County Coaches.

Sheets pointed out that he was “shocked” when he learned about the cuts and said that school athletics are equally important as academics in developing well educated students as sports build character. He understood that the Board made the decision to make the cuts to the coaching program to save teaching positions. Sheets disagreed with that.

“That falls into the category of Academics over athletics, of course I disagree with you on that because I think sports and development of young people is something that goes not only in the mind but also in the body” said Sheets.

Coach Workman pointed out that the cuts amounted to only $4.00 per student and felt the Board should have cut the salaries of the 10 most highly paid non-teaching positions by $4000.00 each which would save the $40,000 instead of cutting the coaches supplements. He felt that there would be a surplus in the budget which could be used to maintain the current level of coaching supplements.

Members of the Board told the coaches that they absolutely believed in the importance of academics over athletics. They also explained that budget restrictions could prevent them from moving money from salaries or certain other areas to pay coaching supplements. The Board members did say that they learned just a week ago that the County schools were going to receive an unexpectedly higher amount of money from the Forest Service Timber allotment then expected – over $300.00 rather than the $70,000 they had been told earlier. This supplement will be for 2 years only. As a result of this increased revenue, they would take another look at the coaching supplemental pay since they too would like to maintain support for the coaches and athletic programs if at all possible without hurting academics.

The Board also voted to extend the contract of Dr. Bechtel, Superintendent of Schools for one year from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016 at a salary of $85,000.

Dr. Bechtel offered special recognition to Sherry Radcliff, Treasurer/Director of Finance of the Pocahontas County Schools for her exceptional review and scrutiny of the finances of the school system.

Robert Mann, Band and Choir Director spoke before the Board to recognize a recent achievement of the PCH Band

“I just want to take a quick moment to tell the Board our band program is headed in the right direction” said Mann. “This past week we went to participate in large group ratings fest. Our band performed two pieces before a group of music education judges. It was at Phillip Barbour High School. On two we got a superior rating, the best rating and then on the other two we got an excellent rating on those. And that is certainly a growth from last year when we received a three rating.”

Mann said that on Thursday they were going to be one of the feature acts at the Evening for the Arts at the Marlinton Oprah House, starting at 7 pm. He also said their hour-long Spring Concert will be held on Sunday, May 17th at 2 PM at the PCH Auditorium.

Board members voted to approve the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015 and ending June 30, 2016. The Total budget was 13 million, seven hundred forty thousand, six hundred and forty dollars ($13,740,640). Of that, Ten million one hundred=twenty one thousand, five hundred seventy dollars ($10,121,570) was for “Salaries and Benefits” and One million, one hundred ninety five thousand, three hundred dollars ($1,195,300) is for Instructional supplies and textbooks. Next year’s budget is about $50,000 less than the current year’s budget. It was pointed out that the School System’s budget has remained relatively flat for the past 5 years.

The Board also approved various bill payments, budget adjustments (moving money from one budget line to another), bank statements, grant awards and the monthly revenue/expenditure summary.

They approved the calendar for the 2015/2016 school year, with school starting for students on August 17, 2015 and includes two built in days to allow for weather related school closings before December. One Board member (Steve Tritapoe) was concerned that there were not enough of these weather buffer days built into the calendar so he alone voted against it.

The Board voted to approve a number of English/Language Arts textbooks and several Health textbooks for the coming school year.

The approved text books are:
“Journeys West Virginia Kindergarten” (Published by Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt)
“Journeys West Virginia Grade 1” (Published by Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt)
“Journeys West Virginia Grade 2” (Published by Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt)
“Journeys West Virginia Grade 3” (Published by Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt)
“Journeys West Virginia Grade 4” (Published by Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt)
“Journeys West Virginia Grade 5” (Published by Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt)
“Collections” Grade 6” (Published by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall)
“Collections” Grade 7” (Published by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall)
“Collections” Grade 8” (Published by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall)
“Common Core Literature, WV Edition, Grade 9” (Published by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall)
“Common Core Literature, WV Edition, Grade 10” (Published by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall)
“Common Core Literature, WV Edition, Grade 11” (Published by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall)
“Common Core Literature, WV Edition, Grade 12” (Published by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall)
Grades 6-8 -“Teen Health” (published by McGraw Hill Glencoe)
Grade 9 “Health” (published by Pearson)

The Board also approved Teresa Mullin to attend the “High Schools that Work” conference in Atlanta, GA on July 15-18. This is entirely paid for by a grant.

The Board approved joining the West Virginia School Board Association for $1,875.00 for a one year membership.

Finally the Board approved a number of personnel hirings, resignations and voluntary transfers, which are attached to this report on our website.

PERSONNEL AGENDA
April 27, 2015
Professional and Service Personnel

PERSONNEL
Green Bank Elementary – Middle School:

CREATION OF POSITION: Teacher of Title I at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective for the 2015-2016 school year, at state basic salary based on degree and experience, term of employment is 200 days.

REQUESTED TRANSFER: D. JULIAN RITTENHOUSE, from Teacher at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School to Teacher of Alternative Education at Green Bank Elementary-Middle Schools, effective for the 2015-2016 school year, at state basic salary based on degree and experience, term of employment is 200 days.

Marlinton Elementary School:

CHANGE IN EFFECTIVE DATE OF UNPAID MECIAL LEAVE: NICOLE ROSE-TAYLOR, as Teacher of Early Education at Marlinton Elementary School, change in effective date of unpaid medical leave from April 20, 2015 to April 14, 2015.

RESIGNATION: RICHARD F. McLAUGHLIN, as Teacher of Music at Marlinton Elementary School & Marlinton Middle School, effective at the end of the 2014-2015 school year.

Pocahontas County High School:

REQUESTED TRANSFER: ABRAM J. RITTENHOUSE, from Teacher of Health/Physical Education/Social Studies at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, to Teacher of Health/Physical Education at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2015-2016 school year, at state basic salary based on degree and experience, term of employment is 200 days.

Pocahontas County Schools:

ABOLISHMENT OF POSITION: Cook – Summer Feeding Program, effective for the summer of 2015.

CREATION OF POSITION: Cafeteria Manager – Summer Feeding Program, effective for the summer of 2015, 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM per day (six hours per day), a total of 24 days, at an hourly rate of pay based on state minimum.

EMPLOYMENT: Of the following as Substitute Teacher for Pocahontas County Schools, effective April 29, 2015 (or upon completion of the RESA Online Substitute Teacher Training and background clearance, if not already completed), as needed, at state basic salary based on degree and experience.

Asaco Adkins
Reina L. Lopez
Peggy S. Owens
Rachel Wilson

EMPLOYMENT: DIANA L. ARBOGAST, as Substitute Administrator for Pocahontas County Schools, effective April 29, 2015 for the remainder of the 2014-2015 school year, as needed, at state basic salary based on degree and experience.