WV SBA Denies Replacement of Sprinkler System at Marlinton Elementary School

During his Superintendent’s Report at the September 22^nd Pocahontas County Board of Education (BOE) meeting, Terrence Beam said that the WV School Building Authority (SBA) denied the school’s application for a major improvement project to replace the fire sprinkler system at Marlinton Elementary School. Beam said the SBA gave no reason for the denial

Also, during his report, Beam announced that there will be a special BOE meeting on Tuesday, October 6^th at 6 p.m. in the board conference room to approve the 2020-2030 CEFP

Beam recognized WV Wesleyan for donating 23 microscopes to the county schools. He also recognized the work of the school’s service personnel with September 23^rd being Service Personnel Day.

During Delegations, P. Erwin Berry, Vocational Agriculture Teacher at PCHS proposed a teacher- conceived idea for full-time teachers to voluntarily give up their planning period to cover a classroom in lieu of using a substitute teacher. Beam said they will look into the legality of this idea.

Greg Morgan, the President of the Pocahontas County Education Association, told the board that while many teachers across the state are afraid to go to school because of lack of cleaning supplies and ppe, that the Pocahontas County Schools are “doing it right.”

New Student Representative Jacob Kinnison introduced himself to the board.

Andy Cocina and Sam Marotta of Wendell Energy presented the results of their free energy audit of the schools. If the Wendell plan is approved, this replacement of lighting with LED lighting and other energy efficiency improvements will generate enough energy savings to pay for all these improvements, according to the audit. The board will consider action on this at a later meeting.

In other significant actions, the board:

• Decided to not defer payroll tax collections under the federal plan for pandemic disaster relief.
• Approved a letter of Agency with the Educational funding Group regarding savings on telecommunications and fiber optic lines.
• Approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the N3T Noyce Fellowship to support Jennifer Nail-Cook as a cohort help other schools to improve math instruction at no cost to this county’s schools.
• Approved an MOU with Community Care to provide health clinics at PCHS and Green Bank Elementary Middle School this year.
• They approved the Superintendent’s Goals for this school year.
• They reviewed the school reentry plan and, after consulting with the principals, passed a motion for students to return to four day weekly in-school attendance provided the school has the ability to do so while maintaining social distancing and that the parents and the school agrees. At this time, however, only Hillsboro Elementary School has the ability to do this.  
• They authorized he Superintendent to obtain a survey and appraisal of the BOE’s property In Green Bank, known as the Slaven Property, for a possible future disposition of that property.

The approved personnel actions at this meeting can be found on our website, alleghneymountainradio.org, along with the approved Superintendent’s Goals for this school year.

SUPERINTENDENT’S GOALS FOR 2020-2021

1. Continue to emphasize the importance of developing a more informative and up-to-date website.
2. Develop leadership skills with our principals to make them more effective leaders with the ability to handle school-related issues with limited involvement from the superintendent.
3. Monitor the COVID-19 pandemic guidelines as it relates to the Pocahontas County Schools, and consistently keep the board members informed of the issues and successes in the daily school activities.
4. Work with the board to make adjustments to the Pocahontas
   county Re-entry Plan as we progress through the 2020-2021 academic year.

PERSONNEL ACTIONS APPROVED AT THE SEPTEMBER 22^ND BOE MEETING

ANNE M. SMITH employment as Teacher of Science at Green Bank Elementary – Middle School, effective September 21^st.

DARLA J. HUDDLE employment as Academic Interventionist at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School at $22.00 per hour, three hours per day, as needed, not to exceed 375 hours or $8,250, effective September 8^th through May 14, 2021.

SHERRI L. HOWE, Consent to Change from Cook III at Marlinton Middle School and Marlinton Elementary School to Cook III at Marlinton Middle School for 4 days a week and Cook III at Hillsboro Elementary School for 1 day a week.

DARLENE D. ARBOGAST, to mentor Tessa M. Himelrick at $22.00 per hour, not to exceed 50 hours or $1,100.00

DEREK R. TROLL, employed as Site Coordinator of the “Community in Schools” program at Marlinton Middle School (paid for by CIS Grant.)

Of the following as Virtual School Facilitators, extra-curricular at $22.00 per hour, as needed:

• Darlene Arbogast at PCHS, special education
• Kathy Mason at PCHS 9^th-12^th grades
• Teresa Rhea at MMS, 6^th -8^th grades
• Alison Safrit at GBEMS, 6^th -8^th grades
• Jeanette Wagner at MMS, special Education.

Of the following as Virtual School Instructors, extra-curricular at $22.00 per hour, as needed:

• Darla Huddle at MMS
• Kimberly Shinaberry at HES/GBEMS K-5^th grades.
• Jeanette Wagner at HES, Special Education

Of the following as Teachers of home bound Instruction at $22.00 per hour as needed:

• Darla huddle
• L. Brooke Nottingham

Of the following as substitute Special Education/Classroom aide/Bus Aide effective September 24^th, as needed and pending background checks.

• Jessica Beard
• Laurie Corbin
• Kristi Dinkins
• Tomma Johnson
• Pippi Miller

PIPPI MILLER as Substitute Custodian effective September 24^th as needed and pending background check.

Of the following as Substitute Maintenance effective September 24^th, as needed and pending background checks.

• George Jaharias
• Larry Price

Permission for the superintendent to post and fill positions prior to board approval until October 13, 2020.