Green Bank Elementary-Middle School will have a change in leadership after its principal was arraigned on a felony charge Monday night.

At the board of education meeting Monday night, Superintendent C.C. Lester explained the administration situation.

Lester said, at this time, guidance counselor Ira Brown is in charge of the school and will receive help from Director of Special Education/Student Services and former principal Ruth Bland and principal mentor Alan Bell.

The arrangements were made after principal Melvin Lindsey was reported missing from the school Friday. Lindsey was found in Harrisonburg, Virginia, later that day and was held in a Rockingham County jail facility until Monday.

According to court records, a warrant for Lindseyﾒs arrest on a felony charge of entering without breaking was issued on Friday. The Pocahontas County Sheriffﾒs Department went to Harrisonburg to retrieve Lindsey on Monday.

He was arraigned Monday night and released on a $11,000 personal recognizance bond for the felony charge and a misdemeanor charge of petit larceny.

Innovation Zone grant will fund dropout prevention efforts

Family Resources Network director Laura Young reported on the status of a $300,000 Innovation Zones grant application.
The board and FRN entered a partnership to apply for the grant, which will fund dropout prevention efforts in the county.

ﾓThere are several components in the strategic work plan,ﾔ Young said. ﾓOne was to open a parent education and resource center, to take our alternative education teacher from part-time to full-time, and to add a full-time counselor to the staff of the board of education. We are also required to have community forums that we have contracted with the United Way in Lewisburg.ﾔ

If the grant is awarded, the $300,000 will fund these programs for a three-year span. Young said the intention is to get the community more involved in lowering the dropout rates in Pocahontas County.

ﾓThe five community forums we will have in the county are just to find out what the community, business partners, and parents think about dropout prevention and ways that we can help our kids graduate from school,ﾔ she said.

Young added that there is room in the grant to hire two full-time VISTAs, which requires a $5,000 match. She explained that if the grant is approved, she will add a line item in the budget to pay for the VISTA positions.

Joining the BOE and FRN in the efforts are the Family Outreach and Education Center and the United Way in Greenbrier County. Young and United Way director Laura Haddad have already attended several meetings to prepare for the programs that will be funded by the grant.

ﾓThere are three things to look at when youﾒre talking about at-risk behaviors for dropouts. If they are in the sixth or ninth grades and have missed more than 18 days a year, thatﾒs a red flag. Also, if they have BIFs and behavioral problems, thatﾒs another flag. If they have course performance thatﾒs below grade level in either reading or math,ﾔ Young said.

ﾓLots of people donﾒt know this. I didnﾒt know this until I went to this program,ﾔ she added. ﾓSo thatﾒs what they want us to doﾖ go out into the community and let them know what kind of things weﾒre looking at for dropout prevention, and to see if we can help improve our graduation rates.ﾔ

Young said the grant award announcement will be sometime this month.

In updates:

ﾕ Lester recognized newly retired lead executive secretary/accountant and assistant to director of finance Eileen Irvine for her 44 years of service to the school system. He said she did a wonderful job and will be difficult to replace.

Lester read a letter he received from Pocahontas County Commission president David Fleming offering his support for the PRO (Prevention Resources Officer) Program. Director of Federal Programs and Instruction Terrence Beam will attend a meeting about the PRO Program grant process in Charleston this week.

He added that county Math Field Day is January 24 at Pocahontas County High School. Reporting for Bland, he said the county received $95,000 in eRate money for the elementary schools. With the money, Hillsboro Elementary School and Marlinton Elementary School will be completely wireless.

ﾕ Board member Leslie Cain said the National Honor Society induction ceremony will be held January 22 at 3 p.m. in the PCHS auditorium.

In financial management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $10,713.27.

ﾕ Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $89,382.97.

In personnel management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Resignation of Cheri L. Hall as Coordinator of Food Services/Student Services for Pocahontas County Schools effective at the end of the day January 9.

ﾕ Employment of Joanna A. Burt-Kinderman as math consultant, grades six-12 for Pocahontas County Schools effective January 26 to May 25 as needed for 30 days, three hours per day to be divided among the schools. Schedule to be approved by the Director of Federal Programs and Instruction.

ﾕ Employment of Lesa Allen as substitute teacher for Pocahontas County Schools, effective January 10 for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year, as needed.

ﾕ Employment of Lesa Allen as teacher of homebound/hospitalized students for Pocahontas County Schools, effective January 10 for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year, as needed at $20 per hour.

In miscellaneous management, the board approved the following:

ﾕﾠTravel requests for January 9.

The next board of education meeting will be, Tuesday, January 17 at 7 p.m. at Pocahontas County High School.