Pocahontas parents frustrated with math homework

Marlinton, W.Va. – During the Pocahontas County Board of Education meeting Monday evening, board member Hanna Sizemore says parents are having trouble helping their children with math homework because of new math teaching techniques.

“They don’t understand how to help their children with their math homework, because they were taught to do math in a different way than their children are being taught,” she said.

“I’m really concerned about this because, if somebody like me, who’s doing algebra and calculus every single day can’t effectively help a student in middle school, with their homework, I think we’re really setting ourselves up to discourage students and parents and we’re not going to get the support from the parents that we need to keep kids going on what’s actually kind of a tedious subject.”

Sizemore, a planetary scientist, recommends a parent-teacher conference.

“So, I think that it’s an important enough issue,” she said. “It would be nice if we could get some of the math teachers and some of the concerned parents to come in here and talk to us about their concerns and kind of brainstorm some things we could do to get everybody talking and understanding the current educational paradigm for math.”

The board expressed support for the idea.

In other business, the board approved a number of contracts for the upcoming school year:
Katherine Snyder received a contract for reading/language arts consulting services for $350 per day for 60 days, not to exceed $21,000.
David B. Wamsley received a contract for psychoeducational assessment services for $325 per assessment, $40 per rating scale and $95 per hour for onferences and consultations, not to exceed $6,500.
Joyce Brown received a contract for psychoeducational assessment services, not to exceed $6,500.
Leslie Goodall received a contract for occupational therapy services, at $60 per hour, not to exceed $20,000.
Melanie Mason received a contract for physical therapy services, at $110 per hour, not to exceed $9,000.
Kimberly Robin Groves received a contract for physical therapy assistant services, at $85 per hour, not to exceed $10,000.

The board also approved several hirings:
Stephanie Poppe was hired as a teacher of language arts at Pocahontas County High School.
Morton Taber II was hired as an alternative education/GED option/credit recovery teacher.
Silas L. Sattler was hired as a school bus operator.
Nancy T. Martin and Gary C. Beverage were hired for technology repair and upgrade at $20 per hour, not to exceed $800 each.
Jean O. Srodes was hired as a part-time teacher – extended school year; assignment Marlinton Middle School.
Carolyn J. Pennington was hired as part-time aide – extended year program; assignment Marlinton Middle School.
The board also approved Patrick McCurdy as a volunteer assistant coach for both the boys and girls soccer teams at PCHS.