Pocahontas BOE Recognizes Three Students for Heroic Actions

At the February 18 Pocahontas County Board of Education meeting, three Pocahontas County High School students were honored for their bravery and swift actions during a medical emergency on their school bus. Director of Transportation Ruth Bland described the incident, which took place on January 30. She explained that when a bus driver became ill and lost consciousness, students Rachel Ames, Jason Browning and Conner Spencer acted to ensure the safety of the driver and the students.

Ames calmed the passengers, as Spencer caught the attention of a parent on the side of the road, while Browning helped the bus driver and steered the bus to a stop in a driveway. The driver eventually came around.  Bland described the students’ actions as “courageous and heroic.” State Bus Inspector Dave Baber, also praised the students’ actions as leading to a positive outcome to a bad scenario.

Bland and Baber presented a certificate of appreciation to each of the three students, as well as a key fob and bracelet with words describing the students’ actions.

Spencer’s key fob said “Vision – a strategy, a plan or a blueprint for achieving a desired outcome.” Ames’ said “Focus – to pursue something with total determination and concentration.” Browning’s said “Success – a person who achieves their desired goals or attaints prosperity.” The bracelets were also inscribed “With courage, you can do anything.”

The board thanked the students for their efforts during the incident.

In other meeting actions:

• On behalf of the Marlinton Elementary School Local School Improvement Council [LSIC], Luci Mosesso addressed the board with concerns that once the former board office is demolished, the playground will be more exposed and that will lessen the safety of the students. Mosesso said the LSIC would like to add a new fence, new surfaces for the basketball and tennis courts and solar sails to provide a shaded area on the playground. The board authorized the LSIC to pursue grants to fund the upgrades

• Superintendent Beam reported that State Fire Marshal James Lewis has said that Marlinton Elementary and Marlinton Middle schools have both maxed out their electrical capacity.

• Beam also said that several county student projects placed first at the Regional Science Fair: Elementary school students Madalynn Landis and Jolene Workman; middle school students Eden Smith, Jasey Kramer and Willie O’Ganian; and high school students Max O’Ganian, Mason Solliday, Kyle Wayne and Sienna Bircher. They will all compete at the state level in the spring.

The board also approved the following:

• The 2020-2021 Pocahontas County Schools calendar.
• The Non-Traditional Instructional Day Plan or “snow packets” for the 2020-2021 school year.
• A PCHS Pro-Start college trip in April.
• Tom Moats, Lonnie Armstrong and Shonda Carr as volunteer baseball coaches at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2019-2020 season.
• Personnel actions.

Allegheny Mountain Radio would also like to thank Suzanne Stewart, Staff Writer the Pocahontas Times for providing assistance in preparing this story.

 Personnel Actions

• Resignation of Stacy E. Landis as teacher of science at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, retroactive to the end of the day on January 31.

• Resignation of Doris E. Sharp, due to retirement, as cafeteria manger at Hillsboro Elementary School, effective at the end of the 2019-2020 school year.

• Creation of position itinerant school social worker at Hillsboro Elementary School, at state basic salary, effective for the 2020-2021 school year. Term of employment is 210 days.

• Resignation of Dorthie Shamblin, due to retirement, as itinerant special education classroom aide/bus aide at Marlinton Middle School, effective at the end of the 2019-2020 school year.

• Abolishment of position itinerant special education classroom aide/bus aide at Marlinton Middle School, effective at the end of the 2019-2020 school year.

• Employment of the following as substitute aides for Pocahontas County Schools, at state basic pay, effective February 20, as needed, for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year, contingent upon results of background check: Teresa Kloeker, Tiffany Long, Heather McNeill, Rebecca Peteete and Shawn Smith.

• Employment of Shawn Smith as substitute cook for Pocahontas County Schools, at state basic pay, effective February 20, as needed, for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year, contingent upon results of background check.

The next board meeting is Tuesday, March 10, at 6 p.m., at the board of education conference room