Pocahontas County Board of Education Lends its Support to AirEvac (Provider of Emergency Medical Air Flights)
The Pocahontas County Board of Education meeting Monday night was for the birds – metal birds – as AirMedCare Network membership sales manager Mary Rader provided information about the AirEvac Lifeteam.
Rader said AirEvac has provided support to the county for many years and the business is looking for a way to give back to the community. Although their primary mission remains to save lives, that mission is enhanced by their efforts to have a great impact on those patients’ lives afterwards.
Rader points out that since 2011 the AirEvac team has done 210 flights out of Pocahontas County alone since 2011. They have an average 18 minute response time.
AirEvac established a membership program in 1985 to give users a break in the costs of using the services.
Annual membership in the AirEvac prigram costs $65.00 per year and includes services for everyone who resides in your household. This means that if a member of the program needs to be flown to the hospital their membership will cover the entire amount which remains due above what the patient’s insurance might pay. In other words, the patient will not be expected to pay any of that remaining bill. How much money can that save you? Rader said the average insurance payout is between $8,000 and $12,000 while an average flight with AirEvac can cost $28,000.
Rader said she recently visited the Pocahontas County Commission and is working on a municipal plan for the entire county which would cover every resident of Pocahontas County in the event they are flown out of the County to a trauma center. Rader is asking the support of the community for this valuable plan and emphasized that AirEvac has invested a lot of education and time into helping to improve the community.
The board of education gave its verbal support to the AirEvac program and thanked Rader for providing information on what the company does for the county.
In other actions:
Superintendent Dr. Donald Bechtel provided board members with information on the West Virginia OEPA [Office of Education Performance Audits] standards. The OEPA has a set of seven standards with 24 functions that schools are required to follow.
An OEPA team will come to the schools in Pocahontas County September 21 to do an evaluation. Dr. Bechtel says that West Virginia has standards by which the quality of schools is rated. These are:
- positive climate and cohesive culture
- school leadership
- standards-focused curriculum
- instruction and assessments
- student support services
- family/community connections
- educator growth and development
- efficient and effective management; and continuous improvement
The faculty and principals, who have been preparing for this OEPA audit by doing self-evaluations, will meet with the OEPA observers. These observers will ultimately rate the County Schools.
Bechtel said the principals have been doing preparatory work to ensure the faculty and schools are properly following the standards.
Bechtel also reported on the success of the Pocahontas County archery team at the national competition in Louisville, Kentucky.
Marlinton Elementary placed 42 out of 148 teams that competed,” Bachtel said. He emphasized that he is really proud of their efforts. Number 22 and 23, Kelly Pyne and Chloe Hardesty, were our two middle school students who participated individually. The Archery Team had 23 students who traveled to Louisville. It was an extremely successful year said Bechtel.
Bechtel also thanked the parents and volunteers who worked diligently with the students to make the archery program successful. He said because of their efforts, the students had a practice facility and plenty of support at competitions.
In financial management, the board approved the following:
Payment of vendor listings of claims in the amounts of $10,955.62; $11,996.61 and $54,500.62.
Budget Adjustments, Extra Duty Pay for April and Grant Awards.
In miscellaneous management, the Board approved the following:
Shirlene Groseclose to attend the High Schools That Work Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, July 15 through 18. Groseclose will attend the conference in place of Teresa Mullen. All costs will be paid through the Family Resource Network Innovation Zone Dropout Prevention Grant.
The Board approved an addendum to the contract between the Pocahontas County Board of Education and the Pocahontas County Commission, as it relates to the ownership of the generator and related equipment situated on the campus of Marlinton Middle School. The original agreement was dated July 28, 2014. Addendum to become effective May 11.
They approved Anthony Minter as volunteer baseball coach at Pocahontas County High School, retroactive to April 28.
The Board approved personnel moves which you can see on our website at: allegheneymountainradio.org
The next Board meeting will be Tuesday, May 26, at 7 p.m., at the Board of Education conference room.
Suzanne Stewart, Reporter for the Pocahontas Times contributed greatly to this story.
PERSONNEL AGENDA
May 11, 2015
Professional and Service Personnel
| PERSONNEL | ||
| Green Bank Elementary – Middle School: | ||
| EMPLOYMENT: (From Preferred Recall List) | KELLI M. TALLMAN, at Teacher of Multi-Subjects at Green Bank Elementary – Middle School, effective August 11, 2015 for the 2015-2016 school year, at state basic salary based on degree and experience, term of employment is 200 days. | |
| RESIGNATION: | MORTON I. TABER, II, as Teacher of English/Language Arts at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective at the end of the 2014-2015 school year. | |
| Pocahontas County High School: | ||
| REQUESTED TRANSFER: | ANGELA G. IRVINE, from Custodian III (half time) at Hillsboro Elementary School to Custodian III at Pocahontas County High School/Green Bank Elementary- Middle School, at state basic pay, effective for the 2015-2016 school year, term of employment is 220 days. | |
| Pocahontas County Schools: | ||
| EMPLOYMENT: | KENNETH J. SAMPLES, as School Bus Operator for Pocahontas County Schools (Beginning at Marlinton Middle School, take a left, travel to intersection Route 39, take a right, travel to Tabernacle Church and turn in driveway above church at mobile home, proceed to the intersection of Route 219, and take right to Hillsboro Elementary School. Leaving Hillsboro Elementary School, take right on Route 219 north to Spruce Flats Road intersection turn left, turn at the intersection of Spruce Flats Road and Dry Branch Road, proceed back to intersection of Route 219 to Marlinton Middle School. Leaving Marlinton Middle School turn right on to Route 219 turn left at Waugh Road intersection, proceed through to intersection of Route 219 on to Marlinton Elementary School. Leaving Marlinton Elementary School travel back to Marlinton Middle School, from Marlinton Middle School proceed to School Days Child Care, turn left and travel to intersection of Route 39 and proceed to the Tabernacle church and turn in the driveway of the mobile home and proceed back to intersection of Route 219, turn right and travel to the intersection of Seebert Road turn at the old depot lot and travel back to Puffenbarger Road, take a left out to Road, turn left and proceed to Hill Road intersection, turn and travel back to the intersection of Route 219 and turn left, proceed to Hillsboro Elementary School, turn right and return to Marlinton Middle School.
Afternoon Run: Leaving Marlinton Middle School, turn left and proceed to the School Days Child Care, leaving daycare, travel on to Marlinton Middle School leaving Marlinton Middle School, travel to Marlinton Elementary School, and proceed back to the intersection of Waugh Road, proceed through to the intersection of Route 219, turn right, back to School Days Child Care, travel to the intersection Spruce Flats Road, turn at the intersection of Spruce Flats Road and Dry Branch Road, proceed back to the intersection of Route 219, proceed to Hillsboro Elementary School turn right, travel on to intersection of Route 39, turn left and travel to the Tabernacle Church and turn in the driveway of the mobile home, proceed back to the intersection of 219 and turn left, travel to Marlinton Middle School. SNOW ROUTE: On days when a Snow Route code is in effect, Morning Run: Begin at Marlinton Middle School, take a left and travel to the intersection of Route 39, take a right and turn the bus at Boxley Aggregates. Proceed to 219 South to Hillsboro Elementary School. From Hillsboro Elementary School turn right on 219 North and proceed to Marlinton Middle School, leaving Marlinton Middle School, turn right and proceed on 219 North to Marlinton Elementary School. From Marlinton Elementary School proceed to 219 South and travel to Hillsboro Elementary School and return to Marlinton Middle School. Afternoon Run: the reverse of the Morning Run), at state basic pay, effective for the 2015-2016 school year, term of employment is 200 days. |
|
| ABOLISHMENT OF POSITION: | General Maintenance/Electrician II/Plumber II for Pocahontas County Schools, effective at the end of the 2014-2015 fiscal year. | |
| CREATION OF POSITION: | General Maintenance/Heating and Air Conditioning Mechanic II/Electrician I/Plumber I/Painter for Pocahontas County Schools, at state basic pay plus $3,000 annual supplement, effective July 1, 2015 for the 2015-2016 fiscal year, term of employment is 261 days. (Hiring preference shall be given to the applicant that possesses all certification, however, if no applicant possesses all certifications, hiring preference shall be given to applicant that possesses certification in the area of HV/AC, if more than one applicant possesses certification in the area of HV/AC, but does not possess all certification, preference shall be given to applicant that possesses certification in the areas of HV/AC and Electrician, if more than one applicant possesses certification in the areas of HV/AC and Electrician, but does not possess all certifications, hiring preference shall be given to the applicant that possesses HV/AC, Electrician, and Plumber.) | |
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