Math specialist Joanna Burt-Kinderman has a ﾓbig ideaﾔ for the implementation of Math 1 in the county schools. She shared her idea at the board of education meeting Monday night.

ﾓIn this summer institute weﾒre going to try to do three things,ﾔ she said. ﾓThe biggest part of it is to research, write and test big idea lessons. We already have a head start on that. Weﾒve been collaboratively planning, implementing and testing lessons that should reveal to students the big idea of the math they are studying.ﾔ

The institute will prepare teachers to begin implementing the new Next Generation Math 1 course. Math 1, Math 2 and Math 3 will replace Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II by 2015. To make a smoother transition for students, Pocahontas County is implementing the new math classes one at a time.

The new math classes will consist of combined algebra and geometry to make each level all-inclusive.

ﾓWeﾒre going to look at the Glencoe texts carefully and see where our old curriculum overlaps with the new curriculum weﾒre going to be implementing in ninth grade for Math 1 next year,ﾔ Burt-Kinderman said.

At the institute, Burt-Kinderman will instruct and collaborate with math teachers with five-nine endorsements and all high school math teachers.

ﾓAs opposed to being just a training institute, this institute is going to be a creative institute, and at the end of the day, what weﾒre going to have is a working, live document to be the curriculum guide for Math 1,ﾔ she said. ﾓIﾒm going to be putting together some lessons that are going to be above where the teachers are expected to be teaching so that they can have a more clear view of where we are heading.ﾔ

Burt-Kinderman plans to have the institute as close to the end of school as possible, as well as a refresher course in August before school starts.

In updates:

ﾕ Jack Berry, director of the State Auditorﾒs Local Government Purchasing Card Program informed the board about the purchasing card program. He explained that the purchasing card program allows local governmental bodies to pay all vendors with the card instead of with checks.

Every purchase made with the card is tracked and is electronically recorded to deter fraud and embezzlement. The card comes with a $100,000 liability insurance policy in case of misuse. Berry added that use of the card comes with a rebate. For every dollar spent under half a million, the board will receive a 1.05 percent rebate. Anything over a million dollars, the rebate is 1.15 percent.

Berry suggested beginning to program in July at the start of the new fiscal year.

Board president Kenneth Vance asked Berry work meet with Superintendent C.C. Lester and Associate Superintendent for Operations, Treasurer Alice Irvine to begin the program.

ﾕ Pocahontas County Conventions and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Cara Rose reported on the new tourism club at Pocahontas County High School. She said the club has had a large turnout, with roughly 25 active members attending meetings.

The focus of the club is to educate students about the tourism industry and jobs that are part of that industry.

The club has taken two trips ﾖ an International food tasting at the Pretty Penny Cafe in Hillsboro and Snowshoe Mountain Resort ﾖ and is planning a trip on May 2 to the New River Gorge.

Rose said the students will volunteer at the Great Greenbrier River Race as part of the clubﾒs activities.

ﾕﾠMaintenance director Darin McKenney reported that the Safe Schools grant will be used to purchase an intercom system for Marlinton Elementary School, to upgrade the intercom system at Marlinton Middle School and to install cameras at Hillsboro Elementary School.

He is also gathering information on the purchase of a furnace control system for the high school, as well as paddle fans for the bus garage.

ﾕ Director of Federal Programs and Instruction Terrence Beam said MES principal Ron Hall and MES third and fourth grade teachers visited Panther Creek Elementary School. Panther Creek is a high ranking school and Hall asked to visit the school in order to observe instructional techniques and classroom management strategies to implement at MES. Beam said Hall plans to return next fall with the kindergarten through second grade teachers.

ﾕ Lester said Glenville State College is offering a teen bullying session June 1. He is askingﾠ one teacher from each school to attend. GSC is also offering a teaching institute June 11-13.

ﾕ Board member Jan McNeel mentioned the film ﾓBully,ﾔ which has garnered a lot of attention recently due to the controversy over the filmﾒs rating. The film is a documentary that follows a 12-year-old student whose bullying is ignored by school administration. The student later took his own life. The film was initially rated R for six curse words, but due to an outcry by Hollywood actors and teenagers, the rating was reduced to PG-13.

McNeel encouraged board members to see the film, which will be released in theaters March 30.

ﾕ At a March 16 special meeting, the board approved the resignation of Michael S. Knisely as Pocahontas County High School athletic director, head boys track coach and head football coach, retroactive to March 13.

In financial management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $18,804.07.

ﾕ Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $86,847.84.

ﾕ Bank Reconciliation, Revenue and Expenditures Summary, Budget Supplements, Budget Transfer and Projects Summary.

ﾕ Schedule of Proposed Levy Rates for fiscal year ending June 30, 2013.

In personnel management, the board approved the following:

ﾕﾠAbolishment of position Dean of Students at Pocahontas County High School effective at the end of the 2011-2012 school year.

ﾕ Creation of position Assistant Principal at Pocahontas County High School effective for the 2012-2013 school year.

ﾕ Resignation of Robert A. Sheets, due to retirement, as head boys basketball coach at Pocahontas County High School effective at the end of the 2011-2012 school year.

ﾕ Rescind action on employment of Allen L. Bell as substitute principal at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, retroactive to January 19, as needed for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year.

ﾕ Resignation of Mary L. McCutcheon, due to retirement, as kindergarten at Hillsboro Elementary School, effective June 30.

ﾕ Abolishment of position Electrician I, general maintenance, heating and air conditioning mechanic I, painter, plumber I and asbestos management for Pocahontas County Schools.

ﾕ Creation of position general maintenance, electrician II, plumber II for Pocahontas County Schools at pay grade G for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year.

ﾕ Resignation of Leffort M. Kidd, due to retirement, as school bus operator for Pocahontas County Schools, effective June 30.

In miscellaneous management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Abolishment of 47 policies. Of the policies, Vance said 25 of the policies need to be made into procedures instead of being used as policies.

ﾕ The proposed school calendar for the 2012-2013 school year.

ﾕ $2,500 contribution toward two part-time AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers for the 2012-2013 school year to assist with dropout prevention.

ﾕ Travel requests for March 26, except for the request by Teresa Mullen to attend the ProStart Instructorﾒs Level 2 Summer Institute Program in Daytona Beach, Florida.

The board will meet again Monday, April 16, at 7 p.m. in the board of education conference room.