County Teachers of the Year were awarded for their efforts at the board of education meeting Monday night. Superintendent Dr. J. Patrick Law shared his appreciation for the "wonderful young ladies" and read excerpts from their applications for the award.

Pam McCurdy, former Teacher of the Year, Law and board president Kenneth Vance presented awards to the school's Teachers of the Year, Virginia Calhoun, Hillsboro Elementary School; Barbara Beard, Marlinton Elementary School; Rebecca Spencer, Marlinton Middle School; and county Teacher of the Year, Anne Smith, Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.

Pocahontas County High School Teacher of the Year Dr. Mali Minter could not attend the meeting.

Shirlene Groseclose, Spanish teacher at Marlinton Middle School and Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, presented information on the Spanish studentﾒsﾠ trip to Costa Rica.

"I want to highlight that this trip was not only a very fun, magnificent trip, it was definitely very educational," Groseclose said. "It covered all kinds of Spanish CSOs as far as them practicing their Spanish. They really did try to practice their Spanish and talk to people and that was very touching to me."

MMS student Sarah Worth described her time on the trip and a visit to a specific school in Costa Rica.

"We went into a building and there were eight kids in there in their cultural dress and they danced a couple of the dances of Costa Rica for us," she said. "Then we went outside and played soccer with them and they showed us around their school."

Groseclose said that along with educating the students on the culture of Costa Rica and giving them a chance to expand their Spanish speaking abilities, the trip was also very scientific.

"The trip is also very science-oriented," she said. "It's so wonderful. There's so much biodiveristy."

With this experience under her belt, Groseclose came into an agreement with GBEMS science teacher Anne Smith to include science students in the 2012 Costa Rica trip.

"We decided that one of the things we could do is have a science club that is focused on Costa Rica and those kids will have two years to get ready for the trip," Smith said. "If any Marlinton kids would like to join that, they could do that as well. I think that would be really good to get those kids together so they know each other by the time of the trip."

Groseclose said she is approaching the board now about a 2012 trip because she wants the students to begin fundraising. The board unanimously approved the trip for Spanish students and the science department at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.

Middle school students who placed at the state level on the National Spanish Exam were presented plaques for their efforts. In the seventh grade, first place, David Rose; second place, Vincent Harper; third place, Miles Goodall; and tied for fourth place, Danielle Kane and Kayla Lester. Eighth grader Fredricah Gardener placed fifth.

Law and Vance also showed appreciation to Jody Spencer for his efforts in improving the Greenbrier River Trail behind the board office.

In financial management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ The 2010-2011 budget.

ﾕPayment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $10,121.33.

ﾕ Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $103,088.09.

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

ﾕ To use Pendleton Community Bank as the bank depository for the Pocahontas County Board of Education funds for the period July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2012.

In personnel management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Extension of contract for Michael F. Hudson as math interventionist at Hillsboro Elementary School, from three and one-half hours per day to six and one-half hours per day, as needed, retroactive to April 12, 2010 and ending on May 28, 2010.

ﾕ Resignation of Lisa N. King as teacher at Marlinton Elementary School, effective June 9, 2010.

ﾕ Employment of Lois Ann Beverage as cafeteria manager for the summer food program at Marlinton Elementary School, for five and one-half hours a day (7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.) at an hourly rate of pay based on state minimum, effective June 22, 2010 through July 30, 2010.

ﾕ Resignation of Alfred L. Dilley, due to retirement, as school bus operator for Pocahontas County Schools, effective at the end of the day on June 9, 2010.

ﾕ Creation of position for credit recovery teachers (one at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, one at Marlinton Middle School and one at Pocahontas County High School) at $20 per hour not to exceed $3,000 for each individual, as needed, effective June 28, 2010 and ending on July 30, 2010. Schedule to be determined by the principal and teacher.

ﾕ Creation of position for teacher of third grade support (one at Hillsboro Elementary School and one at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School) at $20 per hour not to exceed $1,500 for each individual, as needed, effective June 28, 2010 and ending on July 30, 2010. Schedule to be determined by the principal and teacher.

ﾕ Permission to fill vacancies to Superintendent of Schools to fill the positions of teacher for credit recovery and third grade support prior to the next board meeting.

In miscellaneous management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Travel requests for May 24, 1010.

ﾕ Contract with Scott Floor Company, Inc. to sand, seal and finish gym floor and replace existing game lines at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School at a cost not to exceed $7,900.

ﾕ The following math textbook adoptions: kindergarten through fifth grade, Everyday Mathematics; sixth grade, Impact Mathematics Course 1; seventh grade, Impact Mathematics Course 2; eighth grade, Impact Mathematics Course 3; ninth through 12th grades, Glencoe Algebra I, Algebra II Student Text WV Edition, Geometry Student Text WV Edition, Larson Precalculus with Limits and Thinking Mathematically.

ﾕ File: DIC, Procedures for Maintaining an Inventory of Equipment.

ﾕ To place on 30-day comment, File: KCB/LEBA, Parent Involvement Policy.

ﾕ The following as chaperones for Marlinton Middle School, effective for the remainder of the 2009-2010 school year: Jeffrey Childers, Charles Elkins, Curt Felton, Kimberly Holliday, Richard Moore, III, Brandy Sharp, Michael Sharp, Kathy Smith and Michael Smith.