Reduction In Force For Five Teaching Positions Approved By Pocahontas County Board of Education

Marlinton, Wv – The Pocahontas County Board of Education approved a Reduction In Force or RIF for five teaching positions for the 2011-2012 school year during the regular board meeting Monday night. Three of the five positions are part of a reconfiguration of the Special Education needs for the County.

The teachers receiving the RIF notification are:

Kelli Hickson, a half time teacher at Hillsboro Elementary due to displacement by a more senior employee

Shannon Anderson, a second grade teacher at Marlinton Elementary, also due to displacement by a more senior employee

Carolyn Pennington, a half time itinerant special education classroom/bus aide for the county

Michael Hudson, an itinerant special education classroom/bus for the county

Samantha McClure, a half itinerant special education teacher for the county.

The positions for Pennington, Hudson, and McClure are being abolished as part of the special education reconfiguration process.

The board also approved transfers for Rebecca Spencer ,Title 1 Reading specialist at Marlinton Middle, and Daniel Arbogast II, Itinerant supervisory special education classroom/bus aide at the high school. Both will be reassigned at a later date.

The board approved creation of a general maintenance position for the county, and creation of two itinerant classroom/technology support teaching positions, effective for the remainder of the 2010-2011 school year. They also approved continuing and probationary contracts for teachers and service personnel throughout the county for the 2011-2012 school year.

In other business, school treasurer Alice Irvine told board members that the county will be getting a little over $27,000.00 in Safe and Secure Rural Schools funding. Irvine suggested one possible use for that money would be to replace the intercom system at Marlinton Elementary school.

Student representative Nathan Hammons says 17 high school students were recently inducted into the National Honor Society. They are Tanner Graham, Alexander Rodriguez , Evan Rose, Aaron Sharp, Mercedes Warner, Chloe Bland, Summer Chestnut, Alex Griffith, Lindsey Kinder, Seth Morgan, Andrew Myers, Erica Rebinski, Chasten Taylor, Chelsea Walker, Caleb Walkup, Erin White and Lindsey Barlow.

Hammons also praised the concept of project based learning, now in use in Pocahontas County schools. He credits the program for changing his mind about history classes from one of intense dislike to one of total engagement in the material presented.

Pocahontas County School Superintendent CC Lester told the board members that the West Virginia School Board Authority has approved over $111,000.00 in federal stimulus money to replace the roof on Marlinton Middle school. The approval means the county can now put the project out to bid. Lester also told the board members about his discussion about a PRO officer with the Pocahontas County Commissioners. He would like to have a PRO officer at the high school, and will discuss the matter further at the February 1st Commission meeting.