Hillsboro and Marlinton Elementary School principals presented changes each school has made to the Respect and Protect BIF (Behavioral Information Form) to the board of education Monday night.

HES principal Ricky Sharp said the school has taken the focus away from the ﾓgotchaﾔ aspect and made the program carry a more positive connotation.

ﾓThe program we set up is the ICARE,ﾔ he said. ﾓ[It] stands for Integrity, Compassion and Respect Everyday. That is our BIF. We want to get away from the negative connotation of the old form. We want to catch kids being good, instead of just catching them being bad.ﾔ

With the reward system, students are given Red Devil Bucks when they are ﾓcaught being good.ﾔ If a teacher sees a student helping a classmate without being prompted, they can receive a buck. The bucks are used at the school store and for buy time to the schoolﾒs new game room.

ﾓThe game room has three TVs and three Wiis,ﾔ Sharp said. ﾓItﾒs not just traditional video games, itﾒs the interactive games. We want to get the kids up and moving.ﾔ

The students will also receive a larger reward at the end of each nine weeks. Sharp said the school has planned field trips including a movie at the Pocahontas County High School auditorium, tubing at Silver Creek, Virginia Safari Park and Watoga State Park.

MES principal Ron Hall said his school is taking a similar approach to the program by focusing on studentsﾒ good behavior.

ﾓItﾒs no longer a BIF, we call it a TIP, which stands for Tracking Information Paper,ﾔ he said. ﾓThatﾒs basically what we use it for, so that we can track where the students are struggling.ﾔ

On September 2, the school had a ﾓWelcome Back/Doing a Great Job So Far Dayﾔ where the students wore their favorite sports team shirts and hats. Hall said the day went really well, and he plans to have more days like it. The school also plans to have field trips or field days at the end of each nine weeks.

Although the new program does focus on rewards, Hall said he is still a stickler for discipline when itﾒs needed.

ﾓIﾒm still old schoolﾔ ﾖﾖﾓthe conservative type person,ﾔ he said. ﾓI expect students to do what they are supposed to do, without rewards. Iﾒm a little harder that way. Weﾒre trying to soften it as best we can, but students still need to know I expect them to do whatﾒs right, and I tell them that. I say, ﾑyou know whatﾒs right and whatﾒs wrong,ﾒ and they do. You just have to show them the right path to take.ﾔ

Hall said that he has seen a change in the behavior of the students and less BIFs.

The board thanked the principals for their presentations and expressed its appreciation for the schools taking ownership of the program.

In updates:

ﾕ The newly hired Coordinator of Food Services/Student Services, Cheri Hall, addressed the board with her goals for the year. Hall said she is excited about several new programs State Superintendent Dr. Jorea Marple plans to implement in the state school system. Hall was previously employed at RESA IV.

ﾕ Roger Trusler and Dale Withrow gave a brief update on the Pocahontas County Multi-Purpose Community Center. Withrow said the projects pre-bid went well and the bids will be opened September 27. Fourteen contractors showed interest in the project and Withrow said he believes the bid process will go quickly. Trusler added that they have received all theﾠ needed permits to begin the project.

ﾕ Sharp reported on the Kindergarten Next Generation Strategies seminar he attended this summer. The seminar focused on the new standards which will replace current CSOs (Content Standards and Objectives). The new program is based on a child-driven classroom and integrates subjects. Sharp gave the example of reading the story, ﾓThe Three Little Pigs,ﾔ and then having the students use math and science to build houses with blocks signifying the straw, stick and brick houses of the pigs.

ﾕ Director of Federal Programs and Instruction Terrence Beam said he will deliver the Five-Year Plan to the state board Wednesday, and will provide the board with copies to review.

ﾕ Student representative Chloe Bland said the homecoming theme is ﾓWild with Prideﾔ and students are ready for spirit week. The volleyball team is currently 4-0 and the band won third place at a competition in Elkins. The color guard took first place in its category.

ﾕ Superintendent C.C. Lester said he discussed the HES Needs Project with School Building Authority Executive Director Dr. Mark Manchin. Although the SBA has turned down the project three times, Manchin showed interest in the school and is coming to visit HES to see the issues for himself.

In financial management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $19,177.92.

ﾕ Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $117,715.49.

In personnel management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Requested transfer of Melvin B. Lindsey from Dean of Students at Pocahontas County High School to principal at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, retroactive to August 29, for the remainder of the 2011-2012 fiscal year. Term of employment is 202 days.

ﾕ Employment of Lauren Brooke Dickenson as Title I Reading Specialist, half-time, at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, retroactive to August 29, for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year. Term of employment is 192 one-half days.

ﾕ Out-of-field authorization of Lauren Brooke Dickenson as reading specialist, effective for the 2011-2012 school year.

ﾕ Employment of Lisa R. Burns as teacher of language arts at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, retroactive to September 6, for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year. Term of employment is 186 days.

ﾕ Employment of Lauren Brooke Dickenson as Academic Interventionist at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, retroactive to September 6 through April 27, 2012, at $20 per hour, three hours per day, as needed, not to exceed $8,400. Schedule to be determined by the principal, but cannot be extended beyond April 27, 2012.

ﾕ Resignation of Lauren Brooke Dickenson as academic/special education interventionist at Marlinton Middle School, retroactive to August 26.

ﾕ Suspension without pay of Teresa Wimer as teacher at Pocahontas County High School, for a period of three days, retroactive to September 7, for use of inappropriate language to a student.

ﾕ Resignation of Melvin B. Lindsey as volleyball coach at Pocahontas County High School, retroactive to August 29.

ﾕ Medical leave of absence of Sammantha Bartley as teacher at Pocahontas County High School, beginning September 20, for a period of three weeks or until a doctorﾒs release is received, and after the exhaustion of all days of leave and days donated by the leave bank.

ﾕ Resignation of Melvin B. Lindsey as athletic director/coordinator at Pocahontas County High School, retroactive to August 29

ﾕ Requested transfer of Michael S. Knisley from teacher of Health Sciences to Dean of Students at Pocahontas County High School, retroactive to September 12, for the remainder of the 2011-2012 fiscal year. Term of employment is 187 days with salary based on degree and experience plus equity and a supplement of $870. 215 days employment and $1,000 supplement each year thereafter.

ﾕ Employment of James McCoy as baseball coach at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2011-2012 season at a supplement of $1,500. Position pending sufficient number of players to make a team.

ﾕ Employment of Kay Wiley as volleyball coach at Pocahontas County High School, retroactive to September 12, for the remainder of the 2011-2012 season at a supplement of $1,154. Position pending sufficient number of players to make a team.

ﾕ Employment of Philip Anderson as athletic seasonal coordinator of basketball at Pocahontas County High School, retroactive to September 12, for the remainder of the 2011-2012 season at a supplement of $1,200. Position pending sufficient number of players to make a team.

ﾕ Resignation of Sharon J. Moore and Sarah C. Wilkins as substitute teachers for Pocahontas County Schools, retroactive to the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year.

ﾕ Resignation of Lauren Brook Dickenson as At-Risk Interventionist for Pocahontas County Schools, assignment Marlinton Middle School, retroactive to August 26.

ﾕ Employment of Joanna Burt-Kinderman as math consultant, grades 6-12, for Pocahontas County Schools, retroactive to September 6 through January 14, 2012, for 30 one-half days to be equally divided among Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, Marlinton Middle School and Pocahontas County High School, at $150 per half-day worked, not to exceed $4,500. Schedule to be determined by the Director of Federal Programs and Instruction.

ﾕ Employment of Janet L. Cole as substitute cook for Pocahontas County Schools, effective September 13, for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year, as needed.

ﾕ Employment of Silas L. Sattler as substitute school bus operator, effective September 13, for the remainder of the 2011-2012 fiscal year, as needed.

ﾕ Employment of Cammie J. Wade as substitute aide, retroactive to September 2 through September 13, as needed.

ﾕ Employment of Aaron L. Pugh and Christine E. Rebinski as substitute teachers effective September, for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year, as needed.

ﾕ Employment of Cheri L. Hall as half-time Coordinator of Food Services/Student Services for Pocahontas County Schools, effective September 20 through June 30, 2012. Term of employment is 176 one-half days with a supplement of $801. Schedule: Each year thereafter 220 one-half days, work school calendar plus 10 days prior to the opening of school and 10 days after the school term with a $1,000 supplement.

ﾕ Employment of the following, as mentor teachers effective for the 2011-2012 school year: Christine J. Campbell mentoring Jan Jonese, $1,000; Diane L. Delfino mentoring Jennifer McCarty, $1,000; Alesia M. Wayne mentoring Lauren Dickenson, $1,000; Alesia M. Wayne mentoring Kelli Hickson, $400; and Sharon O. Vance mentoring Lisa Burns, $1,000.

ﾕ Employment of Cammie Wade as itinerant special education classroom aide/bus aide for Pocahontas County Schools, assignment Pocahontas County High School, effective September 14, for the remainder of the 2011-2012 schoolﾠ year. Term of employment is 180 days. Board bus approximately two miles south of Buckeye at the residence of Charlotte and Wayne Burgess at 6:40 a.m. and return in the evening to the Burgess residence at 4:45 p.m.

In miscellaneous management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Travel requests for September 12.

ﾕ Contract between the Pocahontas County Board of Education and Schools Days Child Care, LLC to provide preschool services to four-year old children and three-year old children with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), retroactive to August 29 and ending the Friday before the Memorial Day holiday at a maximum yearly rate of $2,800 per student, not to exceed $56,000 for up to a total of 20 students.

ﾕ Contract between the Pocahontas County Board of Education and the Pocahontas County Parks and Recreation Board, a non-profit community recreation-related organization, to construct a facility to promote the public interest by conducting recreational activities and instructional courses, effective July 1 through June 30, 2012.

ﾕ To place on 30-day comment, the revision of the following policies: File: IDBC, Aids Education; File: IDDE-R, Driver Education Vehicles; File: IFCD, Volunteer Service; and File: IHE, Promotion, Acceleration, Placement and Retention.

ﾕ To place on 30-day comment, the adoption of File: IABB, Programs of Study.

ﾕ To abolish the following policies: File: IHD, Pocahontas County High School Honors and Advanced Curriculum and File: IHEB, Acceleration.