Pocahontas County Teacher Receives Statewide Recognition

The Pocahontas County Board of Education’s April 8^th meeting was livened up by the announcement of several awards and recognitions. School Superintendent Terrence Beam said that West Virginia Hospitality and Training, has announced that PCHS ProStart Teacher Teresa Mullen has been named the 2019 West Virginia ProStart Educator of Excellence by the National Restaurant Association Foundation. Mullen’s nomination stated that she “always brings her students to state events to ensure her students have industry opportunities and exposure. Her vast culinary knowledge and hard work ethic has paid off in the classroom. She has earned her students’ respect and her colleagues’ appreciation.”

With this award, Mullen becomes a finalist for the National Educator of Excellence Awards which are sponsored by Golden Corral Restaurants. She will also be honored at the Educator of Excellence Awards reception and dinner which will be held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington D.C. on May 9^th and 10^th as part of the 2019 National ProStart Invitational.

Student Representative to the Board of Education Jarod Liptrap continued the recognitions by reporting:

• The Pride of Pocahontas Warrior Band received a rating of 3 at the Band Adjudications in Princeton last week.
• The PCHS Softball team has a record of five and two, while the Baseball Team has a record of two and eight.
• The Archery Team participated in a state tournament in Huntington with Ben Davis placing 9^th, Maria Workman 5^th and Allie Lane 4 Lane and Workman both won invitations to the National Archery Tournament next month in Louisville, Kentucky.
• The Girls Track Team won first place and the Boys Track team placed third at a recent meet at Keyser High School.

During his Superintendent’s Report, Beam reported that the Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan Committee will hold its first meeting – which will be limited to members who Board and Central Office members -on April 15^th at 2 p.m.

At this meeting, the Board also approved the following:

• Routine financial reports and payments
• Approval of an agreement between Pocahontas County Board of Education and The Thrasher Group, Inc., for the Pocahontas County Schools’ Comprehensive Education Facilities Plan for 2020-2030.
• Approval to accept bid from Brewer & Company, in the amount of $119,600, for the sprinkler system at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School -MIP Project.
• Approval of Memorandum of Understanding between the Pocahontas County Board of Education and Pocahontas County Family Resource Network, for services and reimbursement.
• Approval of Retainer Agreement for Legal Service between Dinsmore & Shohl LLP and Pocahontas County Board of Education, for services and fees.
• Approval for Hillsboro Elementary School students to travel, by school bus, to Massanutten Indoor Water Park, McGaheysville, Virginia on May 17, 2019.
• Approval for Scott Garber to transport PCHS forestry students to Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, in Clifton Forge, Virginia, on April 15, 2019.
• Approval to place three policies on 30-day comment – The Parent and Family Engagement Policy; the policy on critical need shortages -substitute teachers, allowing retired teachers to substitute in those cases; and the dual Credit-Advanced Placement Policy.
• Approval of five Volunteer coaches at PCHS
• Approval of six social studies textbooks for next school year.
• And a Professional and Service Personal list.

During the Matters of the Board, it was brought out that the old School Board Building in Marlinton will be demolished in September; There will be a meeting on June 17^th where the new Major Improvement Project to replace the roof at Green Bank Elementary/Middle School will be considered for approval by the SBA; and finally, there will be a meeting on May 9^th where possible consolidation of Boards of Education will be discussed.

A link to the list of approved Volunteer Coaches; the list of approved textbooks; and the approved Personnel Agenda can be found here. 4-8-19 BOE Actual Agenda

NOTE, Item #15 was pulled off of this agenda at the beginning of the meeting.