Superintendent C.C. Lester updated the board of education Monday night on the Needs Project at Hillsboro Elementary School.

The SBA (School Building Authority) has been reviewing the project, since SBA Executive Director Dr. Mark Manchin visited the school. The project has been presented for funding three years in a row,

The SBA agreed to do a 50/50 match with the BOE and award $700,000 to the project, if the BOE could match the amount. Lester suggested a 15-year loan and the board decided against such a long-term commitment.

Board member Emery Grimes said he didnﾒt think it was fair to commit future board of education members to pay off the loan, especially if the school system looses Safe and Secure Rural Schools funding.

Lester said another member of the SBA will visit HES Wednesday to tour the building and envision the project.
A parent concerned about class size at Marlinton Elementary School addressed the board.

Stephanie Burns, who has a second grade student, is worried her daughter is not meeting her full potential due to a large class size. Burns said the class has always been large, but she hasﾠ noticed her daughter struggling this year.

The second grade at MES is split into two classes, with 22 and 23 students. Burns said she approached the teacher, who said other parents have voiced concern, as well.

Burns requested that the board consider hiring a third second grade teacher for MES. She also asked why the third grade, which has fewer students, has three teachers.

Superintendent C.C. Lester said he would meet with principal Ron Hall and try to work out a solution to the problem.

Burns is a sixth grade language arts/reading teacher at Marlinton Middle School.

In updates:

ﾕ Mary Dilley, service personnel spokesperson, requested that the rate of pay for extra, after-hour duties be the same for professional and service personnel. Currently, service personnel are paid $12 an hour and professionals receive $20 an hour.

Dilley said she understands that salaries should be different, but doesnﾒt know why the rate of pay is different for training and after-school committees.

Lester said he would work on the issue and agreed that service and professional personnel should be paid equally for extra duties.

Dilley also asked Lester to clarify which service personnel are to report for duty on snow days. Lester said he would make a schedule for Dilley and all service personnel to use as reference.

In financial management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $15,940.11.

ﾕ Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $5,473.25.

ﾕ Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $123,324.24.

In personnel management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Employment of Rebekah N. Connor as teacher of alternative education at Pocahontas County High School, effective October 12, for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year, as needed, at $20 per hour, 12.5 hours per week. Shift: 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

ﾕ Abolishment of position teacher of science/health at Pocahontas County High School, effective November 28.

ﾕ Creation of position teacher of health/physical education at Pocahontas County High School, effective November 28, for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year.

In miscellaneous management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Travel requests for October 10

ﾕ Agreement between Pocahontas County Schools and David B. Wamsley, to provide psycho-educational assessment services during the 2011-2012 school year, at a case fee of $325 per psycho-educational assessment, $40 per rating scale and $95 per hour for conference and consultation.