Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
Board member Dr. Sue Hollandsworth submitted her letter of resignation to the Pocahontas County Board of Education, which led to a special session April 7 prior to the regular meeting to appoint someone to fill that vacancy.
The board interviewed candidates from the southern and northern districts who are on the ballot for the May primary election. Out of those candidates, the board appointed Karen McCoy.
McCoy was sworn in and the regular meeting commenced.
Superintendent Dr. Leatha Williams gave a presentation on funding sources and the realignment of some personnel positions for the 2026-2027 school year.
The agenda had several personnel changes, including a list of nine positions to be posted for the next school year.
Williams explained that after the board approved abolishing several positions earlier this year, she was able to look at the needs of the schools and created the new positions to address those needs.
Included in the list of positions is counselor, graduation coach and several dual credit/CTE positions for new programs at PCHS.
Williams added that in the state aid formula, Pocahontas County Schools receives money for a certain number of professional and service personnel. For professional, the school system is currently 5.82 positions under, which means there is funding available for more positions.
In service, however, the school system is 7.55 positions over, meaning there are more service personnel in the county than the state aid formula funds.
Instead of cutting positions, Williams explained that some of the service personnel will have days reduced in order to even out the funding.
The board approved posting the nine positions, which are:
• Teacher of multi-subject elementary/interventionist at Hillsboro Elementary School.
• Teacher of elementary behavior support, K-5 at Hillsboro Elementary School.
• Teacher of multi-categorical/special education/autism K-5 at Hillsboro Elementary School.
• Teacher of college and career readiness/STEM at Marlinton Elementary School.
• Part-time coordinator of multi-tiered systems of support/part-time interventionist K-4 at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.
• Itinerant counselor for Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, Pocahontas County High School and Hillsboro Elementary School.
• Graduation coach at Pocahontas County High School.
• Teacher to support criminal justice: law enforcement, criminal justice: corrections, criminal justice: forensic investigations for dual credit/CTE coursework at Pocahontas County High School.
• Teacher to support practical nursing, medical laboratory technician, phlebotomy technician and medical assisting pathway for dual credit/CTE coursework at Pocahontas County High School.
Williams also gave a report on school attendance and special education.
First, Williams shared statistics comparing the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 attendance rates, explaining that there has been an improvement.
All the schools except Pocahontas County High School have seen a decrease in chronically absent students.
Williams shared a report on the number of students in the county who are enrolled in special education. There is a total of 168 students who have medical or learning disabilities.
Williams broke the numbers down by school and explained that she wanted to board to be aware of the numbers due to her suggestions for personnel changes in the special education program.
In old business, the board approved:
• the final readings of the following policies proposed revisions: 2275: Mountaineer Challenge Academy; 2340: Field and Other County Sponsored Trips; 3139.01: Suspension; 4139.01: Suspension; 4160.02: Physical Examination/Qualifications for School Bus Operators; 5111: Eligibility or Resident/nonresident Students for Enrollment; 5113.02: School Choice Options; 5136: Personal Electronic Devices; and 5410: Promotion, Acceleration, Placement and Retention.
• the second reading of proposed policy revision 3433: Vacation.
In new business, the board approved:
• Pocahontas County Schools application for participation: Non-public school students and Hope Scholarships receipts (Policy 2371).
• Calendar I for the 2026-2027 school calendar.
In personnel management, the board approved:
• Reassignment of Phillip. Anderson, from director of special education, preschool and student support to director of special education, technology, safety and student support.
• Reassignment of Julie Dunlap from director of child nutrition, attendance, assessment and student affairs to director of child nutrition, attendance, assessment and student affairs – to now include Communities in Schools and counselors.
• Reassignment of Stephanie Burns from coordinator of federal programs, school improvement, textbooks and community engagement to coordinator of federal programs, school improvement, textbooks and community engagement – removing the responsibilities of Communities in Schools.
• Reassignment of Kristi Hamons from coordinator/technology systems specialist to assistant director of technology, increase supplement by $1,000.
• Reclassification of Arthur Sharp from a pay grade D as custodian IV back to a pay grade G for sanitation plant operator, effective April 8, due to adequate certification.
• Resignation of Melissa Taylor as interim head girls’ basketball coach at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective March 31.
• Resignation of Nebraska Scotchie as athletic director for Marlinton Middle School, effective March 27.
• Employment of Pete Monico as $1 coach for baseball, effective April 8, for the 2025-2026 athletic season.
