Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
At the January 28 Pocahontas County Board of Education meeting, superintendent Lynne Bostic recognized Marlinton Middle School social studies teacher Sherman Taylor, who was recently selected to represent West Virginia on a panel which will set the standards for the Praxis exam.
The Praxis is a test educators are required to pass to become teachers. The test is administered by the Educational Testing Service, for whom Taylor will be working with other state representatives.
“He will be working to establish a cut score for the required teacher licensure exam with the ETS program,” Bostic said. “Mr. Taylor will be working with others throughout the nation to recommend and appropriate passing scores for West Virginia and other states.”
Taylor was nominated by the West Virginia Department of Education to represent the state.
“We’re very proud of Mr. Taylor,” Bostic said. “He’s a teacher, leader and this is a wonderful opportunity to share all his knowledge and leadership.”
Taylor explained to the board that he will have to take the new version of the Praxis and make notes and comments for NTS to analyze.
“We have to take the new test and comment on questions, and make suggestions for changes,” he said. “Then our input for West Virginia will be used to establish the cut off score to get certified in West Virginia.
“It’s been twenty years since I took the Praxis – I hope I pass it again,” he added, laughing.
The board congratulated Taylor for the achievement.
Bostic also reported that she learned about a program Jackson County Schools is implementing called Shield. The program sees the school system working with its local sheriff’s department to get deputies in the schools two hours a week.
Unlike the PRO officer program, this will see all deputies doing a rotation of two hours a week in the schools. Bostic said she has reached out to Pocahontas County Sheriff Troy McCoy to discuss the possibility of implementing Shield in the future.
At the end of the meeting, board president Emery Grimes called for a special meeting to be held Thursday, February 13, to discuss the state education department findings concerning Pocahontas County High School.
This past semester, state education department officials have been working at PCHS to help solve several issues at the school. The officials will attend the meeting, as well as board attorney Jason Long.
Grimes said that after the meeting, the board will have an executive session on personnel. He asked that all board office directors also attend the meeting.
In financial management, the board approved payment of vendor listing, payment of local government purchasing card, employee payroll, extra duty pay, bank reconciliation, grant awards, summary of schedule of revenues and expenditures on a cash basis and budget adjustments.
In miscellaneous management, the board approved:
• Alexandyr Hummel to take four students from Marlinton Middle School to Region VIII Middle School Honor Band at Philip Barbour High School, on February 21-22. Transportation will be provided by private vehicle.
• M3T grant between Pocahontas County Schools and the Educational Consulting Team on behalf of Leading Teaching Improvement Network, Inc., effective May 2025-May 2026.
• Additional services between Pocahontas County Board of Education and the Education System Solutions, Inc. for more professional development services.
• Memorandum of Cooperative Agreement between Pocahontas County Board of Education and the Davis & Elkins College/Upward Bound Program.
• Terminate the Energy Performance Contract, Phase I, Assured Performance Contract between Pocahontas County Schools and Wendl Energy Services, LLC.
• The following policies based on technical changes and revisions: Orientation and Training; Election; Resignation or Removal; Compensation; Notice of Meetings; Meetings; WV School Board Association and The National School Board Association; Establishment/Assessment of County Goals; Evaluation of the Superintendent; Student Supervision and Welfare; Group Health Plans; County and School Improvement-Revised/Renamed; Local School Improvement Council; Adoption of Programs of Study; Program of Study Middle School; Program of Study High School; Controversial Issues; Parent and Family Member Participation in Title I Programs; Dual Credit; Class Size; Hope Scholarship Program; Guidance and Counseling; Homebound/Hospital Instruction Program; Participation in Extra-Curricular Activities; Special Education; Educational Program; Student Assessment; Employment of Substitutes; Suspension; Student Supervision and Welfare by Professional Staff; Teacher Workload/ Supplemental Duties; Grievance Procedure; Employment of Service Personnel; Food Service; Areas of Critical Need and Shortage for Substitute Bus Operators; Competency Testing for Service Personnel; Eligibility of Resident/Non-resident Students for Enrollment; Open Enrollment for Resident Students; School Choice Options; School Attendance; Student Accidents/Cardiac Arrest; Graduation Requirements; Self Harm and Eating Disorder Signs; Schools and Community Agencies; Discipline – Student Due Process Rights; Use of Restraints and Seclusion with Students; Funding Accounting; Purchases; and School Calendar
• Placing the following policies on 30-day public comment by request of the superintendent – Meetings; Attendance; and Grading.
In personnel management, the board approved the following:
• Employment of Brittany D. Place as teacher of third grade at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective February 3, for 83 days for the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year.
• Resignation of Nicole Rose-Taylor as principal at Pocahontas County High School, effective February 14.
• Employment of Teresa Barb as substitute special education/classroom/bus aide for Pocahontas County Schools, at state minimum service personnel salary for the 2024-2025 school year.
• Employment of Allen Johnson as substitute teacher for Pocahontas County Schools, at state minimum professional salary for the 2024-2025 school year.