AFT-WV executive board member and Language Arts teacher at Marlinton Middle School Chris Campbell addressed the board Monday and asked for their support on the organization's PEIA reform petition.

"AFT-WV has launched a campaign to urge legislators to do something about PEIA reform which needs changes," Campbell said. "The finance board has done a lot of things this past year that have caused a lot of problems. We're trying to get all the county boards to sign this resolution saying they are in favor of this reform."

Campbell briefed the board on the main points of the resolution:

ﾕ Eliminating the responsibility of the OPEB (Other Post-Employment Benefits) liability from county boards of education and shifting it to the state.

ﾕ Reinstating the retiree health care subsidy for new hires. Campbell explained that if a teacher takes off two or more years that does not include medical leave, when he returns, he is considered a new hire and he loses all benefits he built up prior to his leave.

ﾕ Increasing the experience increments. Currently, the increments stop at 35 and Campbell said if it is increased to 36-40 years, it would encourage people to work longer and take away some of the liability.

ﾕ Clarifying the 80/20 cost sharing.

ﾕ PEIA retiree trust fund to provide a source of the revenue.

ﾕ Reconstituting the PEIA finance board to create more voting seats for public employees.

Board members agreed to sign the resolution and give the county's support to AFT-WV.

For more information on the resolution, visit http://wv.aft.org.

Although the Parkersburg News and Sentinel reported last week that Dr. J. Patrick Law has been hired in Wood County as school Superintendent, the board did not discuss the issue.

In other updates:

ﾕ Superintendent Dr. J. Patrick Law updated board members on a Professional Teaching Standards Commission meeting he recently attended. The topics of discussion included teaching preparation and teacher evaluations. Law explained that Fairmont State University did a presentation about better teaching preparation which suggested changes to make the level of preparedness increase greatly.

He added that some changes will be made in teacher evaluations, as well. Although it will take time for the changes to be made, Law said some of the suggestions are very interesting and may make the task of evaluations less time consuming. One change he mentioned was the utilization of peer evaluations.

ﾕ Student representative Cody Perkins informed the board that the students at Pocahontas County High School will vote for his replacement on February 22, weather permitting. The two candidates, Nathan Hamons and Jamie Boothe, will give speeches explaining why they should be student representative and the students will vote to elect their new representative.

Perkins added that scholarship information is coming in to the guidance office. Students who want information about applications should speak to guidance counselor Linda Beverage.

In financial management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $27,811.01.

ﾕ Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $76,696.24.

In personnel management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Employment of Michael F. Hudson as math interventionist at Hillsboro Elementary School, effective February 10, 2010, for approximately 16 weeks, as needed, at $20 per hour, three and a half hours per day, five days a week, not to exceed $7,000. Schedule to be determined by the principal.

ﾕ Resignation of Michael G. Burns, due to retirement, as teacher of Forestry, Facilitator of the School to Work Program, head boys and girls soccer coach for Pocahontas County High School and substitute school bus operator for Pocahontas County Schools, effective at the end of the 2009-2010 school year.

ﾕ Employment of Virginia Ramos as athletic seasonal coordinator, softball, at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2009-2010 season at a supplement of $500. Position pending on sufficient number of players to make a team.

ﾕ Employment of Jerald L. Ramos as girls softball coach at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2009-2010 season at a supplement of $1,500. Position pending on sufficient number of players to make a team.

ﾕ Abolishment of position of Coordinator of Federal Programs for Pocahontas County Schools, effective February 9, 2010.

ﾕ Abolishment of position of Coordinator of Student Services for Pocahontas County Schools, effective February 9, 2010.

ﾕ Creation of position of Director of Federal Programs and Instruction for Pocahontas County Schools, central office, effective March 1, 2010, for the remainder of the 2009-2010 fiscal year. Term of employment is 88 days, five of which are uncompensated days with a supplement. 240-day position each year thereafter with a $4,000 supplement.

ﾕ Employment of Sandra K. Perdue and Gary B. Taylor as substitute custodians for Pocahontas County Schools, effective February 9, 2010, for the remainder of the 2009-2010 school year, as needed.

In miscellaneous management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Travel requests for February 8, 2010.

ﾕ Memorandum of Understanding between the Pocahontas County Board of Education and the Pocahontas County Day Report Center Community Corrections to provide limited custodial services throughout the school year, effective February 9, 2010, and to continue until such time as the board deems the services are no longer needed or the Corrections determines that the service can no longer be provided.