In 1976, a district map was drafted to determine what school children are to attend in the county, depending on where they live. Over the years, those lines have blurred and have caused concern in the board of education office.

At the board meeting Monday night, Superintendent C.C. Lester voiced his concern about students attending schools outside their districts.

“The problem I have with it is when all of a sudden a parent gets mad at the principal and they want to take their child to another school or they say they’ll homeschool,” he said. “That’s not fair to the child and then you end up with an overload.”

The source of his concern is the fifth grade at Hillsboro Elementary School. Last year, the class had 14 students and this year, there are only five. The rest of the fifth grade aged students are traveling to Marlinton Middle School.

“Here’s something they’re going to have to realize, if you get down to five children in the fifth grade, they’re going to lose the fifth grade because we can’t afford to pay staff for five children,” board president Emery Grimes said. “The community down there needs to know that they need to get together and get behind that school.

“Lord knows, this board has fought for that school to be there and keep it there, but we need help from that community in doing that,” Grimes continued. “If they’re going to do that because it’s convenient or because they’re upset with a teacher or the principal, the consequence is not going to be good.”

A policy was in place concerning district lines, but it was abolished in 2010 on the recommendation of the board’s lawyers, who are revamping the policy manual.

The board agreed that a new policy should be drafted and enforced. Members added that if a parent wishes to move his/her child to a different school, the board needs to be addressed and asked permission.
In updates:

• Lester announced that Pocahontas County High School received an $85,000 grant for the welding program. Principal Tom Sanders said they will purchase supplies and equipment, as well as pay the salary of an instructor for this school year.
Lester added that all storm relief work is complete at Hillsboro Elementary School and Green Bank Elementary-Middle School. Both schools suffered damage from the derecho storm June 29 and the school system and communities scrambled to ready the schools for the new year.

• Melodie Wilson, Read Aloud site coordinator for Hillsboro Elementary School, explained the Read Aloud program and asked the board to offer support to the volunteers who work in the schools.

Read Aloud is a program that utilizes volunteer readers in classrooms to get children excited about reading. Wilson said it is a proven fact that children who read outside of school have better test scores than children who do not.
Wilson said the Read Aloud board hopes to enter GBEMS and PCHS, and have volunteers at all the schools.

The board thanked Wilson for her presentation and shared its support for the program. Grimes told Wilson the Read Aloud board should coordinate with the principals to have volunteers approved.

• Associate Superintendent for Operations and Treasurer Alice Irvine said the trees at GBEMS have been completely removed with the help of Clay and Laura Hise, and Varner Trucking. Eight loads of lumber were removed from the school and smaller limbs and scraps were moved to NRAO land for disposal.

Irvine said six loads of logs were taken to Ricottilli Rustic Fence Inc., and two loads went to Judy’s Fencecraft. She estimated that the logs would bring the school system $8,000. Once expenses to remove the trees were paid, the remaining balance will go to GBEMS.

Irvine added that Laura Hise offered assistance in getting saplings to plant in the vacant area if the school chose to replace the trees. A committee of teachers and community members will be organized by GBEMS principal Sara McClintic to discuss a restoration project for that area.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory will provide posts to repair the tennis court fence which was damaged by tress falling from NRAO property. Irvine said the insurance company will pay for the main fence where other trees fell.

• Sanders and PCHS librarian/media specialist Susan Chappell gave a presentation on virtual classes offered at the high school. Chappell said there are three agencies offering classes: Odysseyware, West Virginia Virtual Schools and New River Community and Technical College.

Chappell said each program has its ups and downs, but there has been some success in the online education. The students are given an opportunity to take classes that are not offered in the regular curriculum, but Chappell said it is difficult for them to focus on the work because there isn’t a teacher directly prompting them.

Although Chappell oversees and facilitates the classes, she also has duties that take her away from the computer lab. Chappell said it would be best if there was a teacher specifically for the virtual classes.

The success rate has been low, due in part, in Chappell’s opinion, to there not being a live teacher guiding the students.

“They are more successful now than they were seven years ago, but they still do better with a live teacher,” she said.

In financial management, the board approved the following:

• Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $35,311.07.

• Payment of vendor listing of claims in the amount of $14,126.67.

• Payment to United Bank, government purchasing card, in the amount of $1,993.

In miscellaneous management, the board approved the following:

• Travel requests for August 13.

• Accept quote for diesel, gasoline and #2 heating oil from Woodford Oil Company.

• Contract between Pocahontas County Board of Education and Alpha Architects Engineers for the cafeteria project at Hillsboro Elementary School.

• Accept bid from Reliable Roofing to replace the wind-damaged portion of the roof on Hillsboro Elementary School for $59,000.

• Accept bid from Cornerstone Interior, Inc. to repair/replace water damaged drywall at Hillsboro Elementary School for $40,530.

• Request of Trista L. Bennett, county resident, for her child to attend Randolph County Schools, effective for the 2012-2013 school year.

• Accept bid from Broughton Foods, LLC to provide dairy products to Pocahontas County Schools.

• Accept bids from Flower Baking Company of West Virginia, Inc. to provide bakery products to Pocahontas County Schools.

• Agreement between Pocahontas County Board of Education and School Days Child Care, LLC, to provide preschool services to eligible students per WVDE Policy 2525 (Universal Pre-K Program) at a reimbursement not to exceed $2,500 for supplies/curriculum materials, $56,000 for personnel costs and utilities, and $1.48 for breakfast and $2.74 for lunch per student as reflected in “monthly meal record detail report.”

• Contract between Pocahontas County Board of Education and Erin Lash, to provide speech/language pathology and other evaluation services to students enrolled with Pocahontas County Schools, effective August 20 through June 30, 2013, not to exceed $12,000.

• Contract between Pocahontas County Board of Education and Nancy T. Martin, to provide technology support services, at a rate of $200 per day, not to exceed $28,000.

• Pocahontas County High School to have freshman orientation on August 20. Tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade students will begin on August 21.

• Continuing Education schedule for August 15 and 16.

• Permit Varner Trucking to remove debris and haul logs to mill, due to storm damage, from Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.

• To sell logs from storm damage at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School to Judy’s Fencecraft and Ricottilli Rustic Fence Inc. Proceeds from the sale of logs will go to pay expenses with any remaining balance to be used at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.

• Abolishment of policies JCDAA - Student Smoking; JCDAB/JADAC/JDD - Substance Abuse Policy; GBRL-A/JCDAA/KC-A - Tobacco Control; JDD - Student Code of Conduct; JDD-A - Bullying, Harassment and Intimidation; and IDGH - Alternative Education Program.

In personnel management, the board approved the following:

• Employment of Shane Jones as head boys basketball coach at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective for the 2012-2013 season, at a supplement of $1,500.

• Employment of Allen R. Taylor as assistant boys basketball coach at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective for the 2012-2013 season, at a supplement of $1,500.

• Employment of Thomas Dennison as assistant girls basketball coach at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective for the 2012-2013 season, at a supplement of $1,000.

• Employment of Sara C. Brown as Title I reading specialist, half-time, at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective for the 2012-2013 school year, at state minimum salary based on degree and experience plus equity. Term of employment is 200 one-half days.

• Employment of Sara C. Brown as academic interventionist at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, 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 May 3, 2013.

• Resignation of Sylvia Walton, due to retirement, as supervisory aide IV/paraprofessional at Hillsboro Elementary School, effective August 31.

• Requested transfer of Sabrina Jordan from cook II at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School to cook II at Marlinton Elementary School, effective for the 2012-2013.

• Employment of Ellen Fortney as librarian/media specialist, half-time, at Marlinton Middle School, effective for the 2012-2013 school year at state minimum salary based on degree and experience plus equity. Term of employment 200 one-half days.

• Employment of Kay Wiley as athletic director for Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2012-2013 season, at a supplement of $4,000.

• Employment of Kay Wiley as athletic season coordinator for football, at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2012-2013 season, at a supplement of $1,00.

• Employment of Cynthia Pritt as athletic season coordinator for soccer, at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2012-2013 season, at a supplement of $500.

• Employment of Damian Elliot as assistant varsity football coach at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2012-2013 season at a supplement of $2,000.

• Employment of Kenneth Lehman as volleyball coach at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2012-2013 season at a supplement of $1,500.

• Requested transfer of Jessica R. McLaughlin from itinerant teacher of special education (LD, MI, BD)/Autism at Pocahontas County High School, to itinerant teacher of special education (LD, MI, BD)/Autism at Marlinton Middle School, effective for the 2012-2013 school year.

• Employment of substitute teachers for Pocahontas County Schools, effective for the 2012-2013 school year, as needed.

• Removal from substitute list of the following, per requirements of county policy GCC-C: Michael F. Hudson, Aide; Susan R. Morrison, Aide, Cook; Michael J. Shisler, Bus Operator; and Julia L. Williams, Aide.

• Employment of the following as substitute aides for Pocahontas County Schools, effective for the 2012-2013 school year, as needed: Lesa A. Allen, Michelle L. Arbogast, Tonja S. Armstrong, Janet L. Cole, Melissa Ervine, Donna F. Gragg, Diane R. Hoover, Debora J. Johnson, Sandra K. Perdue and Heather D. Simmons. Emergency use only, Valerie H. Lambert.

• Employment of the following as substitute school bus operators for Pocahontas County Schools, effective for the 2012-2013 fiscal year, as needed: Freddie L. Greer, Leffort M. Kidd, Jr., Mark W. Mengele, Larry D. Sharp, Daryl A. Shianberry and Kenneth H. Varner. Emergency use only: Daniel E. Arbogast, II, Patrick D. Gibson and Darin W. McKenney.

• Employment of the following as substitute cooks for Pocahontas County Schools, effective for the 2012-2013 school year, as needed: Ollie C. Barkley, Lois Ann Beverage, Janet L. Cole, Sarah J. Hedrick, Suanne F. Moats, Sandra K. Perdue and Heather D. Simmons. Emergency use only: Valerie H. Lambert.

• Employment of the following as substitute custodians for Pocahontas County Schools, effective for the 2012-2013 fiscal year, as needed: C. Loy Burgess, Sara J. Hedrick, Roger D. Irvine, Sandra K. Perdue, Heather D. Simmons and Gary B. Taylor.

• Employment of the following as substitute maintenance for Pocahontas County Schools, effective for the 2012-2013 fiscal year, as needed: Gregory L. Irvine and Roger D. Irvine.

• Employment of the following as substitute mechanics for Pocahontas County Schools, effective for the 2012-2013 fiscal year, as needed: Ian B. Bennett and Gregory L. Irvine. Emergency use only: Jamie C. Walker.

• Employment of the following as substitute secretary/accountant for Pocahontas County Schools, effective for the 2012-2013 school year, as needed: Stephanie L. Barkley, Janet L. Cole, Melissa Ervine, Sarah E. Hamilton, Vicki L. Rose, Dorthie I. Shamblin and Brenda F. Williams.

• Abolishment of position Technology integration specialist/special assignment, one-year assignment, Marlinton Elementary School and Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective for the 2012-2013 school year.

• Unpaid leave of absence of Denise M. Elliott, itinerant teacher of visually impaired/special education (autism) for Pocahontas County Schools, from August 13 until November 9, to complete internship for orientation and mobility certification.

• Employment of Samantha J. McClure as itinerant teacher of special education/autism, half-time, at Hillsboro Elementary School, effective for the 2012-2013 school year, at state minimum salary based on degree and experience plus equity. Term of employment is 200 one-half days.

The next board meeting will be Monday, August 20, at 7 p.m. in the board of education conference room.