Pocahontas County School Superintendent Recognizes Student Academic Winners

At the January 3^rd Pocahontas County Board of Education Meeting, School Superintendent Terrence Beam offered special recognition to  the student winners in last semester’s academic competitions, including the County Literature Fair; the Regional Literature Fair; the County Math Field Day; and the County Spelling Bee. The complete list of those winners follows below  at the end of this story

During the Delegations portion of the meeting, where members of the public can address the board members, Dave Beverage, once again asked that the school bus route near his home be diverted 3/10ths of a mile up his road in order to pick up his middle school granddaughter at his house and return her there every day. Beverage had also requested this at the November 29^th board meeting. While appearing to be sympathetic with this request at the last meeting, the board indicated it needed to consult with the Director of Transportation, Ruth Bland. After this second request, the board members did not comment on it until the Matters of the Board session towards the end of the meeting. Ruth Bland recommended against doing this, saying it would set a bad precedent and encourage other parents to ask for door-to-door service. She added that door-to-door service is not a right guaranteed to West Virginia public school students and also School Policy 4346 says it is the responsibility of the parents to transport students to the bus stop and to supervise them while they are at the stop. She said that student transportation in West Virginia is a privilege not a right.

Bland also said that while there is a good place to turn the bus around on that road, it is about a half-a-mile past Mr. Beverage’s house and the road is very narrow, so that if the bus was confronted by an approaching car, it would have to back up, which could be a safety problem. She said that if the bus made this diversion, it would also add 10 minutes to the already long trips of all the other students on the bus, changing their pick-up and drop off times as well.

The board members indicated they will not take any action on Beverage’s request, and Superintendent Beam indicated that neither would the school administration.

During his Superintendent’s Report, Beam said that during the cold spell around Christmas, pipes froze at Marlinton Elementary School, Green Bank Elementary/Middle School, and Hillsboro Elementary School. He recognized the maintenance workers as well as Ron Hall who spent many hours at the schools over the holidays because of those frozen pipes.

Beam also commented on Jay Miller’s request to have a Memorandum of Understanding with the board regarding his offer to help finance and to mentor an additional Math Tutor for the schools so that his achievements will remain even when he eventually retires from his paid tutoring position.

Miller has been tutoring math for the past eight years after switching from the Read Aloud program at the request of teachers, and has been on the school payroll at the rate of a substitute teacher for three years.

Beam said he has referred Miller’s proposal to the school’s lawyers for an opinion. He is not sure if the board can enter into a memorandum of understanding with an individual employee. Beam also wants to confer with the principals to see if they want a Math Tutor.  He added that since COVID money is ending next fiscal year, the schools need to be very cautious about spending money since finances will be very tight.

Additionally at the meeting, the board:

• Approved routine financial reports
• Approved executing the 2^nd phase of their Energy Performance Contract with Wendel Energy Services, LLC to move forward with HVAC systems at Marlinton Middle School, Green Bank Elementary School, and in the Cafeteria at Marlinton Elementary School
• Approved the only recommended personnel action – the employment of Lisa M. Dennison as a Substitute Teacher for the 2022-2023 school year.

Winners in Last Semester’s Academic Competitions

                              County Literature Fair Winners

                           Regional Literature Fair Winners

County Math Field Day Winners

Krypto Royalty Elementary-                            Easton Smith Middle School- Levi Hill

High School-      Max O’Ganian