Two Early Literacy Summer Programs Were Successful
Highlighting the August 8th Pocahontas County BOE meeting, was Stephanie Burns reporting on the success of the schools’ two summer literacy programs. Burns said the first program was the Summer Literacy Camps held at each of the three elementary schools, Marlinton, Greenbank and Hillsboro. She said these were for 3- to 6-year-old kids, and emphasized movement activities as well as crafts and art activities. Burns said one of the primary goals of these camps was to introduce the kids to reading nursery rhymes. Each child received a book for each day they attended, and were served snacks each day.
The second program was about books, and was for elementary and middle school students. She said that were 6 books for each grade level that were read.
Burns also said that brochures and fliers have been sent to each of the schools and libraries promoting this year’s Battle of the Books.
During her Superintendent’s Report, Lynne Bostic said one of her goals this year is to reach out to the families of the 75 home-schooled kids in the county. Bostic also said talked about the new dress code for students and staff. She said this policy was established by an advisory committee. During the Matters of the board discussions at the end of the meeting, Board Member Sam Gibson remarked that he has heard that staff members and parents like the new dress code policy.
The board also approved to allow parents to purchase insurance on the Surface GO tablets that are issued to their student children. This insurance will be provided by U-PIC Insurance Services, and will cover damage, theft or loss to these devices at a cost of $34.00 per device per school year. The devices cost $650.00 each, and without the insurance, the parent would be responsible for any damage, theft or loss to the devices.
Additionally, the board approved a large number of routine annual agenda items which are approved at the beginning of any school year. These include:
- A memorandum of Understanding MOU with Community Care of West Virginia to provide in-school healthcare services.
- An MOU with the WV Department of Education’s (WVDE) Office of Child Nutrition.
- An MOU with the WVDE National School Lunch Program’s Snack Agreement.
- An MOU with the West Virginia Family Nutrition Program.
- Acceptance of the bid from United Dairy to provide dairy products.
- Acceptance of the bid from Tri-County Wholesale Produce to provide produce.
- To accept the bid from the Flowers Bakery Co. to provide baked goods.
- A contract with Certified School Psychologist Diana Smith.
- A contract with Physical Therapist Melanie Mason.
- A contract with Occupational Therapist Leslie Goodall.
- An MOU with the North Central WV Community Action Agency regarding the Head Start Program.
- An MOU with Southern Educational Services Cooperative (SESC) regarding providing school-bus operator examinations
- A contract with Jeff Wayne to serve as Water Operator at the Green Bank School.
- A contract with Diamond J. Heating and Cooling to provide HVAC repairs as needed to the schools.
- For Dr. Sue Hollandsworth to remain as the BOE representative to the SESC; for Sam Gibson to remain the BOE representative to the WV Extension Office Committee; and for Rebecca Campbell to remain as BOE representative on the Day Report Committee.
- They approved 6 Advance Placement courses and of 13 dual-credit courses at PCHS’
- They approved of the following as this school year’s sports gender classifications
- Boys’ sports: baseball; basketball; soccer; and track & field.
- Girls’ sports: softball; basketball; soccer; and track & field.
- Co-Ed sports: band; cheer-leading; football; and golf.
The board also approved a seven-page recommended list of personnel actions, which included hiring Jonathan Taylor as the Carpentry Teacher, which was a position the board and the Superintendent had been very worried about being able to fill.
To see the advanced placement and dual credit courses added at PCHS, or to see the approved personnel list, click on the below link to the official meeting agenda. Note, there were three blank names not on that official agenda. They were added at the meeting and were:
- Trista Robinson as Cafeteria Manager at Hillsboro Elementary School
- Tiffany Wayne as Special Education Classroom Aide/Bus Aide for Pocahontas county Schools (assignment Hillsboro Elementary School.)
- Jonathan Taylor as Teacher of Carpentry at PCHS.