Pocahontas BOE Has Applied for a 6 million Dollar SBA Needs Grant

Pocahontas County School Superintendent Lynne Bostic announced at the September 24^th Board of Education meeting that they have applied to the WV School Building Authority (SBA) for a 6 million dollar Needs Grant. Bostic explained that this grant will all be dedicated to Pocahontas County high School (PCHS.) The money will be used to make the high school more energy efficient and safer. Some of it will be used to attach the main school to the auditorium building, eliminating the need for students to walk outside when moving between buildings. Also included are electrical upgrades, bathroom upgrades, and window replacements.  If approved by the SBA, the project will eliminate the need to replace the high school buildings for many decades.

Hillsboro Elementary School Principal Rebecca Spencer presented a solid case to the board members about the need to hire a half-time PE Teacher. She explained that there had been PE cuts at the school several years ago where they lost their PE Teacher. Since PE is required at elementary schools, they have tried a number of ways to continue teaching it but none worked out. Trying to have a special education teacher helping out with PE failed because it conflicted with the Special Ed program, and trying to have each teacher provide PE education to their own classes failed because those teachers had to cut time from their basic Math, Language Arts and Science classes because of the need to take out and put back the equipment needed in PE classes. Spencer said that lost time teaching the core subjects is making it more difficult to bring students up to grade level in Math and English as required by the 3^rd Grade Success Act. She pointed out that the other 2 elementary schools in the county have half-time PE Teachers.

The board members passed a motion by Sam Gibson to place hiring a half-time PE teacher at Hillsboro on the next BOE meeting agenda. Superintendent Bostic indicated they will fast track this effort.

During the Delegations section of the meeting, Katie Workman, whose daughter attends Marlinton Elementary School, expressed concern over how the emergency situation involving possible threats at the schools was handled with a 12 am phone call that did not explain what was happening. She said the policy for handling these kinds of threats needs to be revised and more transparent to parents.

Tiffany Ryder also upset over the lack of communication regarding the threats,called for a task force be appointed regarding school safety and agreed there needs to be more transparency.

School Treasurer Sherri Radcliff announced that the schools have received a School Safety Cops Grant for $408,631. She said they applied for $539,631 to install cameras at all school doors s well as access controls, however $131,000 was cut out of the approved grant.

Additionally at the meeting the members:

• Approved for Mr. Andy Friel and 8 students to attend the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana from October 23^rd to October 28^th.
• Approved for Ms. Mullen-Lambert, Mr. Bill Brown, and 5 students to travel to the Stonewall Resort in Roanoke, West Virginia on September 30^th to attend the Culinary Boot Camp.
• Approved for Mr. Andy Friel and 2 students to attend the WV Envirothon Training on September 23^rd in Sutton WV.
• They also approved an additional fundraiser for the Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, called “Donors Choose.”
• They approved the hiring of 7 Substitute Aides; two Substitute Cooks; one Substitute Custodian; and one Substitute Teacher for the school system.
• And they approved the recommended personnel actions

They held an Executive Session regarding a personnel issue.