Proposed Athletics Policy Questioned at Pocahontas Board of Education Meeting

At their August 8^th meeting, the Pocahontas County Board of Education voted to place a proposed new Athletics Policy on 30 day comment, but not without comments and questions from Board members. School Superintendent Beam presented the proposed policy and asked the Board members to look at it closely because it might still need revision following the 30 day comment period. When Board member Steve Tritapoe asked Beam if this was their first policy on athletics, Superintendent Beam replied that they have never had one but one is needed.

It didn’t take long for Board President Emery Grimes to find a problem in the draft policy.

“Reading over this, where it says ‘eligibility’, the State, the WVSSAC (West Virginia Secondary Commission) requires a student to have a 2.0 grade point average to participate in a sport” said Grimes “If you read this it says if a student athlete is failing a class…well you can fail a class and still have a 2.0, but not according to this policy.”

Board members gave examples where a student athlete could have straight A’s in core subjects but fail an elective such as welding and be ineligible to play despite having a grade average well above the State requirement to play a sport and this would put PCHS sports teams at a competitive disadvantage playing schools who only follow the State requirements of a 2.0 GPA. Mr. Beam said this could be sorted out and possibly changed over the 30 day comment period.

Three people addressed the Board during the public comment –or delegations- part of the meeting.

1. PCHS Baseball Coach Randy Irvine said his program had raised enough money to pay for some of their own baseball equipment and for the busses to transport the team. He also expressed concerns that bathroom facilities need to be built near the baseball field.
2. Rich Wilson, Director of the WV Economic Justice Project, briefed the Board about implementing the Feed to Achieve Act in Pocahontas County.
3. Christine Rebinski, expressed concerns that she had not been timely advised that her Substitute Teaching Certification needed renewal this year. Mr. Beam said the school staff would do everything in their power to expedite her renewal with the State.

In other actions, the board approved routing financial reports, grants extra duty pay and the WV Department of Education’s financial variance explanations for June.

They approved a trash service agreement with Allegheny Disposal for Hillsboro elementary, Green Bank School and the high school.

They approved an amendment to the Board’s Meeting schedule for the upcoming year to change all the Board of Education Meetings scheduled for 7:00 p.m. to begin at 6:00 p.m. instead, effective with the August 22^nd meeting.

They approved the proposed Professional and Service Personnel list attached to the agenda, but pulled a number of proposed employments from that agenda during a brief Executive Session.

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PERSONNEL AGENDA 8-8-16 POCAHONTAS COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

(All were approved by the Board of Education at this meeting unless otherwise noted)

Marlinton Elementary School:

RESCIND RESIGNATION: SAMANTHA J. FEATHER, as Teacher of Multi Subjects at Marlinton Elementary School.

Marlinton Middle School:  CYNTHIA SHREVE, as Athletic Director at Marlinton Middle School, effective for the 2016-2017 school year, at a supplement of $750. PULLED FOLLOWING AN EXECUTIVE SESSION-NOT VOTED ON OR APPROVED

Pocahontas County High School:

EMPLOYMENT: JAMES D. CHESTNUT, as Custodian Ill at Pocahontas County High School/Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, at state basic pay, retroactive to August I , 2016 for the 2016-2017 school year. Shift: 2:00 PM-10:00 PM. Term of employment is 220 days. (NOTE: Term of employment shall be 220 days each year thereafter.)

EMPLOYMENT: CORY A. MCNABB, as Golf Coach at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 20 16-2017 season, at a supplement of $600.

Pocahontas County_ Schools:

EMPLOYMENT: Of the following as Academic Interventionist for Pocahontas County Schools, effective August 15, 2016 through May 12, 2017, at $20 per hour, 3 hours per day, as needed, not to exceed $7,000 per positions:

Lucy M. Rittenhouse — Green Bank Elementary-Middle School

Linda H. VanReenen — Hillsboro Elementary School

Teresa Barb — Marlinton Elementary School

EMPLOYMENT: Of the following mentors, effective for the school year at a supplement of $I, OOO:

Virginia Shaw mentoring Susan Grant

Courtney Curran mentoring Jeanette Wagner

EMPLOYMENT: Of the following as Substitute Aide for Pocahontas County Schools, effective for the 20 16-2017 school year, as needed, at state basic pay:

Amber Arbogast; Natashia Carr; Dottie Chestnut; Sarah Cover; Cynthia Defibaugh; Thomas Dennison; Salania Evans; Mia Friel; Donna Gragg; Haley Hensler; Diane Hoover; Debora Johnson; Kimberly Jordan; Cynthia Landis; Andrew Myers; Anna Parker; Tonya Warder; and Anita Workman. NOTE- Anita Workman was voted on separately with Board of Education President Emery Grimes abstaining from that vote.

EMPLOYMENT: Of the following as Substitute Aide for Pocahontas County Schools, effective for the 20 16-2017 school year, as needed, pending background clearance through the West Virginia State Police at state basic pay:

Kathryn Chandler-Hall; Katlin R. Sharp; Jamie D. Hill; Ashley Wilt.

EMPLOYMENT: Of the following as Substitute Cook for Pocahontas County Schools effective for the 20 16-2017 school year, as needed, at state basic pay:

Amber Arbogast ; Natashia Carr; Dottie Chestnut; Sarah Cover; Cynthia Defibaugh; Thomas Dennison; Salania Evans; Mia Friel; Donna Gragg; Haley Hensler;Tammy Wright

EMPLOYMENT: WILLIAM M. HARDESTY, as Substitute Cook for Pocahontas County Schools, effective for the 2016-2017 school year, as needed, pending background clearance through West Virginia State Police, at state basic pay. NOTE- This was pulled from the agenda following an Executive Session and was not voted on.

EMPLOYMENT: of the following as Substitute Custodian for Pocahontas County Schools, effective for the 2016-2017 school year, as needed, at state basic pay.

Dottie Chestnut; Thomas Dennison, Martha Friel; Vickie Vrable; Tammy Wright; and Carl Kelk. NOTE: Carl Kelk’s name was pulled from the agenda following an Executive Session and was not voted on. All the others were voted on and approved.

EMPLOYMENT: of the following as Substitute Maintenance for Pocahontas County Schools, effective for the 2016-2017 school year, as needed, at state basic pay.

Thomas Dennison; Richard Dunbrack, and Carl Kelk. NOTE: Carl Kelk’s name was pulled from the agenda following an Executive Session and was not voted on. All the others were voted on and approved.

EMPLOYMENT: WILLIAM M. HARDESTY, as Substitute Maintenance for Pocahontas County Schools, effective for the 2016-2017 school year, as needed, pending background clearance through West Virginia State Police, at state basic pay. NOTE- This was pulled from the agenda following an Executive Session and was not voted on.

EMPLOYMENT: of the following as Substitute Secretary/Accountant for Pocahontas County Schools, effective for the 2016-2017 school year, as needed, at state basic pay.

Kimberly Jordan and Lisa Rich