Pocahontas County BOE Considering “Home Grown” Meals To Reduce Costs In The School Lunch Program

Marlinton, WV – The Pocahontas County Board of Education is concerned about the costs associated with the School Lunch Programs. Board Member Emory Grimes asked how some of these costs could be reduced. School Superintendent CC Lester says one way is going through another supplier.

He says that hasn’t been done for two or three years. He called the supplier and asked him why he hadn’t been bidding on the contract; the supplier said it was a time conflict. Lester says they worked around the conflict and his bid is considerably cheaper. Lester continued with another example of what might be possible.

He says Cabell County reduced their costs by over half a million dollars just by cooking from scratch. He says it’s a lot more work for everybody, but the payback would be worth it. He says that by buying locally produced products, the County might save as much as $50,000.00, and that, he says, is a lot of money.

Grimes and Board Member Margaret Worth agreed saying the food tastes better, would be more appealing and might encourage more children to participate in the school Lunch Program. Mr Lester will continue to research the “Home Grown” option.

Lester says the Respect and Protect Training is going forward and that each Principal has taken ownership of the program for their individual schools. Several board members had the opinion that bus drivers and other service personnel should be included in the training so that they will fully understand the intent of the program, i.e., it is not a discipline program.

Lester also says that Sandra Foster from the State Education office will be conducting a full training session on Acuity at each school starting on August 19th.

In other action, the Board approved the purchase of 2 new 77 passenger school busses. The busses will be bought from Heritage Bus Sales and will be identical to the last buses purchased by the Board.

The Board also took the following actions:

Accepted a bid from Yancy Sales of Marshall, Arkansas to purchase 6 older buses for a total of $17,600

Accepted a quote for diesel, gasoline and #2 heating oil from Woodford Oil Company

Accepted quotes from Flowers Baking Co, Broughton Foods and A F Wendling for food products

Renewed a Memorandum of Understanding with North Central West Virginia Community Action Association for the Head Start Program

Approved Pocahontas County Free Libraries request to place a storage building on Hillsboro Elementary School Property

Approved requests from Non County residents Catherine Mallow and Kevin & Melissa Ferrell and out of state resident Leslie Goodall to permit their children to attend school in Pocahontas County

And approved a request from county resident Nadine Kellison for her children to attend Greenbrier County Schools

Personnel Agenda of the Pocahontas County Board of Education Aug 8, 2011

Green Bank Elementary/Middle:
Transfer: Sabrina Jordan custodian at Hillsboro to Cook at Green Bank
Resignation: Jennifer McCarty, Academic Interventionist

Hillsboro Elementary:
Employment/ Out of Field Authorization: Kelli Hickson Reading Specialist
Employment: Valerie Lambert Custodian Half Time

Marlinton Middle:
Resignation: Anne Thomas, Teacher of Language Arts/Reading

Marlinton Elementary:
Resignation: Stephanie Sizemore,Teacher of early childhood

Pocahontas County High:
Transfer: Caleb Barkley from General Maintenance to Custodian
Resignations: Darlene Arbogast as athletic seasonal coordinator for soccer & Michael Hudson as custodian
Medical Leave of Absence: Glenda Vanreenan

Pocahontas County:
Employment: Jerald Ramos as bus operator

Employment of the following as substitute teachers:
Carol Alderman, Daniel Arbogast II, Michelle Arbogast, Margaret Baker, Delmos Barb, Teresa Barb, Matthew Barkley, Susan Borror, Lisa Burns, McArthur Buzzard Jr, Jessica Cole, Rebekah Connor, Mary Dawson, Lauren Dickenson, Ellen Fortney, Karen Friel, Kathryn Gillispie, Janelle Gilmore, Edward Hill, Diane Hoover, Michael Hudson, Janet Hunt, Allen Johnson, Debora Johnson, Cheryl Jonese, Jan Jonese, Judith Kane, Dustin Lambert, Brook Leyzorek, Norris Long, Jennifer McCarty, Kathleen McGee, Freda McKean, Sharon Moore, Rebecca O’Brien, Susan Peck, Victoria Poundstone, Brittan Propst, Lucy Rittenhouse, Rhonda Rose, Jack Sanders Jr, Dorthie Shamblin, Sharla Sherman, Kimberely Shinaberry, Jean Srodes, Louise Starke, Dorothy Sutton, Elizabeth Sutton, Rebecca Taylor, Sharon Vance, Linda VanReenan, Jennifer Whiteis, Sarah Wilkins, Julia Williams, LyAnn Zelinsky

Removal from Substitute List (may reapply):
Susan Morrison- aide, Robert Patterson-aide, Julia Williams-aide
Gary Taylor-custodian

Employment of the following as substitute aides:
Michelle Arbogast, Janet Cole, Melissa Ervine, Diane Hoover, Michael Hudson, Debora Johnson, Valerie Lambert,Brook Leyzorek, Sandra Perdue, Heather Simmons

Employment of the following as substitute bus operators:
Freddie Greer, Mark Mengele, Daryl Shinaberry, Kenneth Varner

Emergence Use Only:
Daniel Arbogast II, Patrick Gibson, Daren McKenney

Posted Positions Not Yet Filled:
Teacher of Early Childhood: Marlinton Elementary
Teacher of Language Arts/Reading: Marlinton Middle
Academic Interventionist: Green Bank
Cheerleader Coach: Pocahontas County High
Athletic Seasonal Coordinator-Soccer: Pocahontas County High