Pocahontas County Board of Education seeks applications for new member

Pocahontas County Board of Education invites applicants for a new member of the board.

The new board member will replace Suzanne Stewart, whose term expired. In the recent election to fill two board seats, Steven Tritapoe ran unopposed.

“We have to fill a position on the Board of Education from either the northern district or the southern district of Pocahontas County,” said Board President Emery Grimes.

“We are going to interview candidates on Jan. 20 beginning at 7 p.m. We will make the announcement that night of who we’re going to fill the seat with,” Grimes said.

Anyone interested in serving on the Board of Education needs to send a formal letter of interest to the Superintendent of schools.

“They need to contact the Superintendent. They need to send a letter to the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Donald Bechtel at the board office. If they don’t have that address, call the board office and get it.”

“It is a paid position. You make $160 a meeting and most of the time you have about two meetings a month and you get paid travel,” he said.

“The term will be for two years until the next election,” he said.

In other matters, Sherry Radcliff, director of finance for the Board, said she is sending letters to elected officials to hopefully procure payments from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the National Forest lands in the county.

In years past, the county has received more than $400,000 from the program, which was established to compensate counties with National Forest land for the lack of property taxes received from the land. This year, she has budgeted $150,000 for that fund, but there is concern that money will not be approved at all. The county likely will not find out the allocation until this spring.

The Board also recognized Mark Jordan, a ninth grader at Pocahontas County High School, with $50 for winning the Krypto Tournament during Math Field Day on Dec. 10.

The Board also approved the following miscellaneous and personnel matters:

• Approval of Steven C. Tritapoe, volunteer assistant girls basketball coach, at Green Bank Elementary – Middle School.
• Approval of Pocahontas County High School FFA Chapter to travel by school bus to the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania departing Jan. 11 and returning Jan. 12. Costs associated with the trip will be paid by the school’s FFA chapter.
• Approval of Courtney E. Curran and Loretta E. Wayne as volunteer coaches for 5th grade basketball at Green Bank Elementary – Middle School.
• Employment of Tonya Warder, assistant girls basketball coach, at Green Bank Elementary – Middle School at a supplement of $1,000.
• Requested transfer of Sarah C. Brown, teacher of multi-subjects at Marlinton Elementary School, to teacher of Title I (half-time) at Hillsboro Elementary School at state basic pay based on degree and experience, effective for the 2015 – 2016 school year, term of employment: 200 one-half days.
• Employment of Jeanette D. Wagner, teacher of Option Pathway (GED) at Pocahontas County High School at state basic pay based on degree and experience, effective Jan. 14 for the remainder of the 2014-2015 school year.
• Resignation of Randall Ware, teacher of electricity, at Pocahontas County High School.
• Creation of position – Credit Recovery Teacher (2), extracurricular, at Pocahontas County High School, effective the week of Jan. 26 through May 8 at $20 per hour, 2 hours per day, 2 days per week – not to exceed $1,200 per position. Positions to be funded through Innovation Zone Drop Out Prevention Grant.
• Resignation of Ricky Irvine, due to retirement, as school bus operator for Pocahontas County Schools, effective at the end of the 2014 – 2015 school year.
• Employment of the Kaitlyn Goins and Michelle Wilfong as substitute teachers for Pocahontas County Schools, effective Jan. 14 for the remainder of the 2014 – 2015 school year at state basic pay based on degree and experience.