Highland County School Board Fills Positions, but Community Still Has Questions
It was announced in the August 8 meeting of the Highland County School Board that all teaching positions have been filled for the upcoming school year. Timothy Johnson, a retired teacher and administrator from Cave, WV was also hired as an elementary administrator.
There is currently only one vacancy, according to school board chairman Kenny Hodges in his personnel report, which is that of an additional school counselor. During the meeting, Hodges went further to say that a position for shop teacher, which has been widely discussed within the Highland community and on the school’s social media, is not currently an open vacancy but the board has not ruled out adding this listing if community need calls for it and budget allows. The matter was also mentioned in an article in The Recorder with Highland County Supervisor Henry Budzinski stating concerns about the school’s plans to send students to Valley Vo-Tech and feeling the school had jumped into the solution.
Hodges mentioned in both the article and the August 8 school board meeting that this was not a hasty decision by the board, noting that talks about joining the program actually began in the Fall of 2023.
Parents did feel rushed and were tasked with making decisions quickly regarding the program for the Fall 2024 semester because it was announced as an option only a month before classes began. Others are concerned that there seems to be a lack of offerings for 9th and 10th graders and have noted the toll that the drive will take on their children’s education with the current block schedule. Parent Cheyna Mason attended the August 8 meeting virtually and asked a scheduling question in the chat that went unanswered but encapsulated many of the parent concerns, “What happens when a course the student needs to complete a desired Vo-Tech Certificate is an afternoon class with only morning classes currently being offered? Also, how are these students meeting graduation requirements with only one block available per semester for four semesters?”
Allegheny Mountain Radio was asked to submit any questions to the Highland County School Board in an email after a snafu with virtual public comment. Questions regarding the safety of the school playground as well as a school resource officer stand unanswered as of this recording.
Highland High School Principal Tim Good presented the gifted plan, which outlined a new universal screening tool. He noted the need to purchase the tool with training and asked the board to look into the expense, which would be $1,255 for the first year and $1,000 for each additional year.
The next Highland County School Board meeting is scheduled for September 12 in Highland High School Library at 7:00 p.m.