Pocahontas County Board Of Education Hears How To Make Schools More Energy Efficient

Marlinton, WV – Ken Hughart says Pocahontas County schools can be made more energy efficient, without any upfront costs. Hughart, representing the West Virginia School Building Authority told the Pocahontas County Board of Education the results of his recent inspection of Pocahontas County High School and Green Bank Elementary Middle School.

He says that both schools have only one major deficiency, the lack of a preventive maintenance plan. And there is no way to control access to the High School. The only other problem was poor air quality but he says that’s an easy fix; just let the system work. Specifically, ask the teachers to not adjust the fan controls in their individual classrooms.

Hughart also told the Board that they are going to have to modernize the lighting in all the schools. The current T-12 florescent lights are being phased out and will no longer be available in just a few years. He also recommends the Board have a central computerized control system installed on the heating systems. This automation improvement would allow the entire system to be controlled from one central point that could be accessed via the internet, giving the system incredible flexibility. The cost for such a system would be approximately $30,000. Hughart says the good news is there’s a way to pay for everything.

“Performance Contracting – say you spend $100,000 for your county” he says. “A company will come in and evaluate your systems, and they will say we will replace all these things, lighting controls, all these things that will upgrade and make your schools more energy efficient. And they will purchase it from their money; it’s not out of your budget at all. You will still spend $100,000 annually but only part of it; $75,000 will go to the utility company. The other 25,000 that you would’ve spent anyway, is going to go to the contractor that did the Performance Contracting.”

Hughart says that he has a lot of experience in this area and would be happy to assist the county in this area. Since he works for the state, his services are at no cost to the County.

Dale Withrow of the Chapman Technical Group gave the latest update on the community building project. Withrow says they are continuing to accelerate the project time line. They hope to award the contract in September so that the contractor will be able to build the retaining wall foundation and install the Rammed Aggragate support for the building site before winter. Then the rest of the construction can take place next spring and summer.

Terrance Beam tells the Board that plans for the Summer Math Institute are complete. This week long seminar and work shops will help the counties’ math teachers be more effective in teaching math and will take place June 15th thru 19th. Forty four teachers from all grades and schools are scheduled to attend.
Diane Delfino tells the Board that Pocahontas County will receive a $10,000 grant to help replace the steamer at Marlinton Elementary.

In other action, the Board approved 5 contracts for the instructors for the Math Institute, approved Scott Recycling to dispose of non usable technology equipment, accepted a bid from Reliable Roofing for the Marlinton Middle School Gym Roof, and approved identifying art as an area of critical shortage.

Personnel Agenda

County:

Change in Classification: Carolyn Pennington from itinerant special education classroom aide/bus aide to itinerant special education classroom aide/bus aired/paraprofessional

Creation of Position: Itinerant multi-categorical teacher of special education (mental impairment/behavior disorders/specific learning disabilities)/autisim
Employment of Brooke Dickenson, at risk interventionist at Marlinton Middle School

Marlinton Elementary and Marlinton Middle Schools:

Heather Simmons, cook for summer feeding program at Marlinton Elementary
Brooke Dickenson, academic/special education interventionist at Marlinton Middle School
Abolishment of Position: Teacher of special education (mental retardation/behavior disorder/specific learning disabilities) at Marlinton Middle School

Pocahontas County High School:

Teresa Rhea, resignation of as athletic seasonal coordination for football
Kathryn Kolonay, medical leave of absence without pay

Employment for the 2011-2012 School Year:

Please note: all athletic positions are pending on sufficient number of players to make a team

Phillip Anderson, athletic seasonal coordinator for baseball
Darlene Arbogast, athletic seasonal coordinator for soccer
Cindy Brock, Emergency Medical Technician for football
Douglas Burns, 7th and 8th grade head football coach
Michael Doss, assistant football coach
Scott Garber, assistant basketball coach (boys)
Michael Knisely, Head football coach and head track coach
Melvin Lindsey, athletic director/coordinator and head volleyball coach (girls)
Timothy McClung, head basketball coach (girls)
Robert Sheets, head basketball coach (boys)
Christopher Sutton, assistant football coach
Steve Tritapoe, assistant football coach
Kathryn White, co-head soccer coach (boys and girls)
Steven White, co-head soccer coach (boys and girls)
Kay Wiley, head track coach (girls) and athletic seasonal coordinator track
Jerry Matheny and Charles McQuain, athletic and extracurricular drivers for activity bus runs
Ryan Ullman, band director
Danielle Goode, assistant band director