With technology taking the front seat in everyoneﾒs life, even schools are finding themselves relying more on computers and less on books and paper. Director of Special Education/Student Services Ruth Bland reported at the board of education meeting Monday night that Pocahontas County was awarded a $60,000 grant which, in part, funds a full-time technology services specialist.

ﾓThe position will serve four schools. Hillsboro is not going to be served by this person,ﾔ Bland said. ﾓ[Hillsboro is] going to be completely wireless after this summer, and they are the first ones to also be hooked up to fiber, so theyﾒre sitting very nicely in where they are going to be.ﾔ

Bland explained that the grant money would serve only four schools, so Hillsboro would be omitted.

Of the 22 counties that applied for the grant, Pocahontas County was one of five to receive the funds.

Bland believes the grant was funded due in large part to Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.

ﾓThere is zoning for National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and Green Bank cannot have wireless there because the zoning law prohibits it,ﾔ she said. ﾓIn the application I said that it was time for the State Board of Education and the School Building Authority to have a serious discussion over the lack of technological advancements in the Green Bank area. They are the only school in the state that is prohibited from having wireless.ﾔ

Although the NRAO has been helpful to the school, Bland said something more needs to be done.

ﾓThe observatory has done wonderful, wonderful things at Green Bank, giving the money, giving the wiring, providing technical assistance, but you canﾒt expect them to do it all,ﾔ she said. ﾓSo that was placed in the grant, and that was probably one of the reasons we got it because itﾒs pretty unique. Itﾒs very unique.ﾔ

The grant pays the salary of a technology specialist for one year and expects the county board to pick up that salary if there is still a need for the specialist.

ﾓThey have funding cycles for the positions and what they hope is when the state funds the first one in the grant, then the county will see the worth of that person and eventually pick up the salary,ﾔ Bland said. ﾓThe board is really going to have to consider somebody who is a network administrator all the time.ﾔ

The county had two part-time technology specialist, Gary Beverage and Nancy Martin, last year. Martin retired, leaving the county with one part-time person.

Bland said the county will need at least one full-time person, if not more.

ﾓItﾒs going to be pretty dicey to keep things going all the time,ﾔ she said.

The Technology Services Specialist position will be posted this week.

In updates:

ﾕ Attendance Director and Homeless Liaison Susan A. Borror gave her end of the year report. In attendance, Borror said the schools are having problems with students not wanting to come to school.

Borror provided two handouts which compared 2010-2011 attendance rates with 2011-2012. Hillsboro Elementary School, Marlinton Middle School and Pocahontas County High School had lower attendance in 2011-2012, while Marlinton Elementary School and Green Bank Elementary-Middle School had better attendance.

All the schools were above the state average of 93 percent, but Borror said she is concerned about upcoming years if the students continue to show a lack of interest in school.

Borror also requested that the board consider making her position full-time due to the amount of tasks she has being the attendance director, homeless liaison and homebound director.

ﾕ Maintenance director Darin McKenney voiced his concern over the construction at the multi-purpose building at MES. He said there is not a Clerk of the Works for the job and he asked the board to have someone monitor the work to ensure everything is going according to plan.

In financial management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $167,021.31.

In personnel management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Employment of Cheryl R. Jonese as at-risk interventionist at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective September 4 through May 3, 2013, at $20 per hour, 15 hours per week, as needed, not to exceed $7,500. Principal to determine schedule, but it cannot be extended beyond May 3, 2013.

ﾕ Employment of Lucy M. Rittenhouse as academic interventionist at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective September 4 through May 3, 2013, at $20 per hour, three hours per day, as needed, not to exceed $8,400. Principal to determine schedule, but it cannot be extended beyond May 3, 2013.

ﾕ Employment of Lauren Brooke Dickenson as academic interventionist at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective September 4 through May 3, 2013, at $20 per hour, three hours per day, as needed, not to exceed $8,400. Principal to determine schedule, but it cannot be extended beyond May 3, 2013.

ﾕ Employment of Sandra K. Perdue as custodian II, extra summer help, at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective July 2 through July 31, as needed for 10 days, not to exceed 80 hours at state basic rate of pay. Principal to determine schedule.

ﾕ Employment Gary L. Taylor as custodian II, extra summer help, at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective July 2 through July 31 for 10 days, as needed, not to exceed 80 hours at state basic rate of pay. Principal to determine schedule.

ﾕ Employment of Tina M. Sharp as custodian II, extra summer help, at Hillsboro Elementary School, effective July 2 through July 31, as needed for 10 days, not to exceed 80 hours at state basic rate of pay. Principal to determine schedule.

ﾕ Employment of Tina M. Sharp as custodian II, extra summer help, at Marlinton Elementary School, effective July 2 through July 31, as needed for seven days, not to exceed 56 hours at state basic rate of pay. Principal to determine schedule.

ﾕ Employment of Roy C. Shearer as custodian II, extra summer help, at Marlinton Elementary School, effective July 2 through July 31, as needed for seven days, not to exceed 56 hours at state basic rate of pay. Principal to determine schedule.

ﾕ Resignation of Betty Sue Miller due to retirement, as cafeteria manager at Marlinton Elementary School, effective June 30.

ﾕ Employment of Sherri L. Howe as custodian II, extra summer help, at Marlinton Middle School, effective July 2 through July 31, as needed for 15 days, not to exceed 120 hours at state basic rate of pay. Principal to determine schedule.

ﾕ Requested transfer of Nebraska N. Beverage, from teacher of mathematics, grades nine through 12 at Pocahontas County High School, to teacher of mathematics, grades five through eight at Marlinton Middle School, effective for the 2012-2013 school year, at state minimum salary based on degree and experience plus equity.

ﾕ Resignation of Scott E. Garber as assistant boys basketball coach effective at the end of the 2011-2012 season.

ﾕ Employment of Caleb J. Barkley as custodian II, extra summer help, at Pocahontas County High School, effective July 2 through July 31, as needed for 10 days, not to exceed 80 hours at state basic rate of pay. Principal to determine schedule.

ﾕ Employment of Douglas L. Burns as seventh and eighth grade football coach at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2012-2013 season, at a supplement of $1,500.

ﾕ Employment of Joanna Burt-Kinderman as math coach, grades six through 12, half time, for Pocahontas County Schools, effective for the 2012-2013 school year, term of employment 200 half-days, at state minimum salary based on degree and experience plus equity.

ﾕ Employment of Lesa A. Allen as teacher, extended school year, assignment Pocahontas County High School, effective June 18 through July 26, at $20 per hour, four days per week, three hours per day.

ﾕ Employment of Jerry A. Matheny as summer school bus operator, effective June 18 through July 26, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Monday through Thursday, at state minimum salary.

ﾕ Employment of Larry D. Sharp as summer bus operator, effective June 18 through July 26, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Monday through Thursday, at state minimum salary.

ﾕ Creation of position itinerant teacher of special education, multi-categorical/autism, grades kindergarten through eighth, at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective for the 2012-2013 school year. Term of employment is 200 days.

ﾕ Resignation of Gary L. Pillow, due to retirement, as itinerant speech/language pathologist/teacher of hearing impaired, half-time and itinerant speech pathologist/teacher of deaf/hard of hearing/audiologist, half-time, for Pocahontas County Schools, effective August 9.

In miscellaneous management, the board approved the following:

ﾕ Travel requests for June 11.

ﾕ Entering into a memorandum of understanding with Community Care of West Virginia for the following three schools: Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, Marlinton Elementary School and Pocahontas County High School.

ﾕﾠ2012-2013 fiscal year board of education meeting schedule.

ﾕ Permission to secure quotes for both a one-ton truck with a box and a three-quarter ton truck with a ladder rack and a maintenance trailer for the maintenance staff.

ﾕ Permission to use the following as unpaid volunteer summer basketball coaches: Green Bank Elementary-Middle School: Shane Jones, Allen Taylor, Kenneth Lehman and Richie Bennett. Marlinton Middle School: Shannon Arbogast.

The next board meeting will be Monday, July 2, at 7 p.m. in the board of education conference room.