The Pride of Pocahontas Warrior Marching Band Wins Tournament of the Bands

The October 23^rd meeting of the Pocahontas County Board of Education was held at the Marlinton Elementary School and was preceded by a Local School Improvement Council or LSIC meeting.  During the LSIC meeting, K through 5 students made a presentation about their STEM Projects and talked about their Student Council. There were also staff presentations about the improved Summative Assessment scores achieved by Marlinton Elementary students.

Hunter Tankersley, The Pocahontas County High School Student Representative to the Board of Education announced that the Pride of Pocahontas Warrior Marching Band took a first place win at the Region 13 Tournament of the Bands competition held at Fairmont State University on October 21^st. Hunter also told the Board that a lot of students are unhappy with the number of tardiness reports being given to students who are late to class because the 3 minutes allowed to change classes does not allow students enough time to pick up their breakfasts and still be in class on time. Hunter told the Board that breakfast is now given out for students to take to their classrooms. He says this is a result of  the new 7 period class schedule.

Pocahontas County School Superintendent, Terrence Beam recognized PCHS Science Teacher Kathy White for being selected as the Featured Educator for the “Shape of Life” website. That website says that you will find in this remote part of West Virginia “an incredible teacher who opens up the world to her AP Biology high school students” referring to Kathy White. To read the full article, visit: www.shapeoflife.org/news/birthplace-rivers-future-scientists.

Other items approved at the meeting include payments of vender bills; local purchasing card charges; extra duty pay for September; employee payroll; and the bank reconciliation report for this past August.

The Board also approved a WV Department of Education Grant in the amount of $295.00 to purchase Agricultural Experience Tracker record books for students enrolled in Agricultural education courses at PCHS, as well as approval of a Student Teaching affiliation with  Western Governors University, dated September 6, 2017 and effective for the second semester of the 2017-2018 school year. This agreement allows teaching students enrolled at Western Governors University to obtain supervised teaching experience in the Pocahontas County Schools.

The Board also approved two policies that have been through the 30 day comment period -the “Bring your Own Device” policy and the “Service Personnel Evaluation” policy.

The Board adopted West Virginia Department of Education Policy 2419, “Regulations for the Education of Students with Exceptionalities” as being also County policy. You will find a link to this policy here:  http://apps.sos.wv.gov/adlaw/csr/readfile.aspx?DocId=49583&Format=PDF

Following a short closed Executive Session; the Board approved a Professional and Service Personnel Agenda which can be found below

Professional and Service Agenda for the October 23, 2017 Pocahontas County Board of Education Meeting

EMPLOYMENT of TINA JACKSON, as Cook – SPLASH Program at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective October 25, 2017 through the end of the 2017-2018 school year, 2 hours per day, 4 days per week, at $12 per hour.

EMPLOYMENT Of the following as Homework Help Teacher (SPLASH) at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective October 25, 2017 through the end of the 2017-2018 school year, up to 9 hours per week (1 hour planning/reports, 2 hours pf instruction daily 4 days per week) for up to 25 weeks, plus additional planning/meetings before program begins.*Position of employment and hours per position contingent upon adequate student enrollment and/or attendance and availability of WVDE grant funding.(Position to be divided equally between two individuals.)

Alison C. Flegel

Christin D. Shinaberry

EMPLOYMENT ofCHERYL JONESE, as Project Math Tutor/STEM Instructor (SPLASH) at Green Bank Elementary-Middle, effective October 25, 2017 for the remainder of the 2017-2018 school year, up to 7 hours per week (1 hour planning, 2 hours of instruction daily 3 days per week) for up to 25 weeks, plus additional planning/meeting before program begins.*Position of employment and hours per position contingent upon adequate student enrollment and/or attendance and availability of WVDE grant funding.

EMPLOYMENT of MELISSA ERIN BALDWIN, as Project ELA Tutor/Enrichment Instructor (SPLASH) at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective October 25, 2017 for the remainder of the 2017-2018 school year, up to 7 hours per week (1 hour planning, 2 hours of instruction daily 3 days per week) for up to 25 weeks, plus additional planning/meeting before program begins. *Position of employment and hours per position contingent upon adequate student enrollment and/or attendance and availability of WVDE grant funding. (Position to be divided equally among four individuals.) NOTE- the other three positions were previously selected and approved by the Board of Education)

EMPLOYMENT of DEREK TRULL, as Academic Competition Coordinator for Pocahontas County

Schools, effective for the 2017-2018 school year, at compensation not to exceed $1,000.

EMPLOYMENT of KRISTEN LECROY, as Substitute Teacher for Pocahontas County Schools, effective October 25, 2017 for the remainder of the 2017-2018 school year, as needed, at state basic pay.

EMPLOYMENT of the following as Substitute Teacher for Pocahontas County Schools, retroactive to October 2, 2017 for the remainder of the 2017-2018 school

year, as needed, at state basic pay.

Anne Mitchell

Linda Wilfong

EMPLOYMENT of AMANDA G. McCARTY, as the following for Pocahontas County Schools, effective October 25, 2017 for the remainder of the 2017-2018 school year,as needed, at state basic pay.

Substitute Aide

Substitute Custodian

EMPLOYMENT of Gary Rose as School Bus Operator for Pocahontas County Schools, at state basic pay, effective October 25, 2017 for the remainder of the 2017-2018 school year,

term of employment: 146 days. (NOTE: Term of employment shall be 200 days each year thereafter.) Run as follows:

Morning Run:

Beginning at Marlinton Middle School, take a left, travel to intersection Route 39, take a right, travel to Tabernacle Church and turn in driveway above church at mobile home, proceed to the intersection of Route 219, and take right to Hillsboro Elementary School. Leaving Hillsboro Elementary School, take right on Route 219 north to Spruce Flats Road intersection turn left, turn at the intersection of Spruce Flats Road and Dry Branch Road, proceed back to intersection of Route 219 to Marlinton Middle School. Leaving Marlinton Middle School turn right on to Route 219 turn left at Waugh Road intersection, proceed through to intersection of Route 219 on to Marlinton Elementary School. Leaving Marlinton Elementary School travel back to Marlinton Middle School, from Marlinton Middle School proceed to School Days Child Care, turn left and travel to intersection of Route 39 and proceed to the Tabernacle church and turn in the driveway of the mobile home and proceed back to intersection of Route 219, turn right and travel to the intersection of Seebert Road turn at the old depot lot and travel back to Puffenbarger Road, take a left out to Road, turn left and proceed to Hill Road intersection, turn and travel back to the intersection of Route 219 and turn left, proceed to Hillsboro Elementary School, turn right and return to Marlinton Middle School.

Afternoon Run:

Leaving Marlinton Middle School, turn left and proceed to the School Days Child Care, leaving daycare, travel on to Marlinton Middle School leaving Marlinton Middle School, travel to Marlinton Elementary School, and proceed back to the intersection of Waugh Road, proceed through to the intersection of Route 219, turn right, back to School Days Child Care, travel to the intersection Spruce Flats Road, turn at the intersection of Spruce Flats Road and Dry Branch Road, proceed back to the intersection of Route 219, proceed to Hillsboro Elementary School turn right, travel on to intersection of Route 39, turn left and travel to the Tabernacle Church and turn in the driveway of the mobile home, proceed back to the intersection of 219 and turn left, travel to Marlinton Middle School.

SNOW ROUTE: On days when a Snow Route code is in effect, Morning Run:

Begin at Marlinton Middle School, take a left and travel to the intersection of Route 39, take a right and turn the bus at Boxley Aggregates. Proceed to 219 South to Hillsboro Elementary School. From Hillsboro Elementary School turn right on 219 North and proceed to Marlinton Middle School, leaving Marlinton Middle School, turn right and proceed on 219 North to Marlinton Elementary School. From Marlinton Elementary School proceed to 219 South and travel to Hillsboro Elementary School and return to Marlinton Middle School.

SNOW ROUTE Afternoon Run: the reverse of the Morning Run

NOTE: The Board voted separately on and to not approve the following proposed employment which had also been on the agenda:

EMPLOYMENT of FREDA CANADA, as Substitute Cook for Pocahontas County Schools, effective October 25, 2017 for the remainder of the 2017-2018 school year, as needed, at state basic pay.