Pocahontas BOE Approves Retirement of Superintendent Lynne Bostic

In addition to the discussion about the Pocahontas County Schools being placed on a “state of Emergency: by the WV Board of Education, which was covered in part 1 of our story about the February 18^th BOE Meeting, we will now cover the other actions taken during that meeting.

The Pocahontas County Board of Education approved the recommended personnel actions, which notably included the retirement of School Superintendent Lynne Bostic, effective June 30, 2025. The entire list of these personnel actions can be seen at the end of this story on our website, alleghenymountainradio.org.

The members approved routine financial reports, including payment of vendor listing, payment of local government purchasing card, employee payroll, grant awards, schedule of revenues and expenditures on a cash basis and budget adjustments.

They also approved the following miscellaneous items:

• The Pocahontas County Schools Management Representation Letter – single audit as of June 30, 2024, the fee for which is $26,170.00.
• A contract with Deirdre Cline and the WV Department of Education, which will be effective from February 19, 2025 through June 30, 2025 when it will expire.
• A contract with Dodi Slaughter, a Counselor at the Fred W. Eberle Tech Center in Buckhannon, WV to serve as a mentor for Casondra Griffith, Dean of Students at PCHS. This contract will be effective from February 19, 2025 until January 1, 2026.
• To place the Extracurricular Physical Education Policy on public comment. This policy would allow students to earn one graduation requirement of Physical Education for participating in two sessions of a WVSSAC approved activity.
• For Justin Kerr, Jonathan Taylor and Sarah Cover to take approximately 20 students from Pocahontas County High School to Skills State Leadership and Skills Conference at Fairmont State College on March 27-29. Transportation will be provided by one bus.
• For Courtney Curran to take 4 students from PCHS’s Grow Your Own Project by private vehicles to the Grow Your Own & Milken Symposium in Fairmont, WV on April 7-8.
• For Andy Friel to take 4 students by private vehicle to the WVU Reedsville Farm in Arthurdale, WV on March 7^th.
• For Rick McLaughlin and parents to transport 3 students to the Phillip Barbour High School for the Region 8 Middle School Honot Band on February 21 & 22.

Finally, the board went into an Executive Session concerning a personnel matter as requested by Board President Emery Grimes. Upon returning to open session, no action was announced as a result of that closed session.

We thank the Pocahontas Times and their staff reporter, Suzanne Stewart for much of the information contained in this story

Personnel Actions Approved at Meeting

• Resignation of Erin Baldwin as English/language arts teacher at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective February 18.

• Dillion Vandevandar as volunteer coach for the fifth-grade basketball team at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective for the 2024-2025 athletic season.

• Allen Taylor as volunteer coach for the fourth-grade basketball team at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective for the 2024-2025 athletic season.

• Todd Jones as volunteer coach for the fourth-grade basketball team at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective for the 2024-2025 athletic season.

• Retirement of Virginia Calhoun, effective June 30.

• Jessica Jones as volunteer coach for the fourth and fifth grade basketball team at Hillsboro Elementary School, effective for the 2024-2025 athletic season.

• Doug Jones as volunteer assistant coach for the fourth and fifth grade basketball team at Hillsboro Elementary School, effective for the 2024-2025 athletic season.

• Nebraska Scotchie as volunteer assistant coach for the fourth and fifth grade basketball team at Hillsboro Elementary School, effective for the 2024-2025 athletic season.

• Unpaid medical leave for Erin Murphy at Marlinton Middle School, effective February 15, for a period of up to 12 weeks through May 20.

• Retirement of Diane L. Nelson, effective June 30.

• Requested transfer of Jeanette Wagner from teacher of special education/autism at Marlinton Middle School to teacher of CTE business management/administration at Pocahontas County High School, effective February, for 71 days for the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year and will be 200 days each year thereafter.

• Peter Monico as volunteer head golf coach for the Pocahontas County High School golf team for the 2024-2025 athletic season.

• Earl “Doug” Friel as volunteer assistant golf coach for the Pocahontas County High School golf team for the 2024-2025 athletic season.

• Employment of Karen O’Neil as head track coach for the boys and girls track teams at Pocahontas County High School, for the 2024-2025 athletic season, supplement being $1,125.

• Appointment of Christine Campbell as interim/acting principal for Pocahontas County High School, beginning February 17.

• Resignation of Robert Jordan as custodian III, at Pocahontas County High School, effective February 13.

• Retirement of superintendent Lynne Bostic, effective June 30.

• Employment of Coty S. Rexrode as substitute school bus operator for Pocahontas County Schools, at state minimum professional salary for the 2024-2025 school year.

• Employment of Sherry Radcliff as substitute secretary/accountant, emergency only, for Pocahontas County Schools, at state minimum professional salary for the 2024-2025 school year.