Board of education members voted unanimously to select C.C. Lester, of Richwood, as Pocahontas County Schools Superintendent at Monday night's meeting.

Lester will begin his job July 1, when current superintendent Dr. J. Patrick Law moves to be superintendent in Wood County.

The board conducted a superintendent's forum and interviewed three candidates. With the information gathered from individual interviews and surveys from the forum audience, the board held a special work session to make their decision.

Anne Smith, science teacher at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, and Rachel Rose of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, introduced the board to members of the Pulsar Search Collaboratory and presented each member with a certificate for their participation.

The students, from GBEMS and Pocahontas County High School, studied data at the NRAO that no other astronomers have studied. The members recognized were: Jamie Boothe, 11th grade; Phil Whiteis, 9th grade; Nathanial Langston, 8th grade; and Miles Goodall and Galen Sexton, 7th grade.

In other updates:

ﾕ Law informed the board that the Needs Project for Hillsboro Elementary School was turned down by the School Building Authority. The project will be added to the Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan (CEFP).

ﾕ Alice Irvine, Associate Superintendent for Operations and Treasurer, supplied board members with a copy of the State Auditors Report for Pocahontas County Schools.

ﾕ Diane Delfino, Coordinator of Student Services and Special Education, told the board she submitted the special education self-assessment and received notice that the findings were accepted by the state board.

Delfino also mentioned the Healthy Edge program that began at Marlinton Middle School last week. A fitness trail was set up in the hallways. Along the trail were signs with certain exercises for students to do as they walked the trail. She said she hopes to eventually have the program in all the schools.

ﾕ Student representative Nathan Hamons reported the seniors are planning graduation and have decided to number the floor seating for parents. Scheduling for underclassmen has begun and Hamons said a Phlebotomy and Medical Terminology class will be offered for college credit. He added that the Foreign Language Festival will be May 20 and the senior awards banquet is May 27.

In financial management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $8,525.01.

ﾕ Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $75,685.17.

ﾕ Treasurer's report, revenue and expenditures summary, budget supplement and projects summary.

In personnel management, the board approved employment of the following:

ﾕ Scott E. Garber, as teacher of forestry at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2010-2011 school year. Term of employment is 200 days.

ﾕ Sammantha J. Britton, as teacher of agricultural education at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Term of employment is 220 days.

ﾕ Caleb J. Barkley, as custodian II for the Group Workcamps Foundation Project at Pocahontas County High School, effective June 12, 2010 and ending June 19, 2010, at state minimum salary, not to exceed 50 hours.

ﾕRebecca A. Evans and Joyce A. McLaughlin, as cafeteria managers for the Group Workcamps Foundation Project at Pocahontas County High School, effective June 10, 2010 through June 19, 2010, at state minimum salary, 68 hours maximum for each individual.

ﾕ Nancy C. Green, as substitute cook for the Group Workcamps Foundation Project at Pocahontas County High School, effective June 12,ﾠ 2010 through June 19, 2010, at state minimum salary, not to exceed 50 hours, as needed.

ﾕ Madeline Galford, Sarah J. Hedrick, Sherri L. Howe, Valerie H. Lambert, Kimberly D.ﾠ McComb and Kay E. Wiley, as cook II for the Group Workcamps Foundation Project at Pocahontas County High School, effective June 12, 2010 through June 19, 2010, at state minimum salary, not to exceed 50 hours per cook.

In miscellaneous management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Travel requests for April 26, 2010.

ﾕ The FY11 West Virginia School Boards Association Membership Subscription Fees in the amount of $1,875.

ﾕ The Board of Education's meeting schedule for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

ﾕ Partnership between the Pocahontas County Parks and Recreation Board and the Pocahontas County Board of Education to construct a facility to promote the public interest by conducting recreational activities and instructional courses, effective July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011.

ﾕ Place on 30-day comment the revision of File: IHE, Promotions and Retentions.