Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
At the August 8 Pocahontas County Board of Education meeting, English/language arts coach Stephanie Burns gave a report on the two reading programs that took place this summer.
The first was a four-session summer literacy camp held at Marlinton Elementary, Green Bank Elementary-Middle and Hillsboro Elementary schools.
“We focused toward ages three through six,” Burns said. “Our main goals were to introduce nursery rhymes, to show them, physically, nursery rhymes, to provide Read Aloud activities and craft and art activities that also connected to Read Aloud and nursery rhymes. They each received a book related to what they addressed each day. If the child came all four days, they received four books.”
The second program was Battle of the Books, which was open to elementary and middle school students. There are six books for each grade level and all five county libraries will receive the books so the students can have access to them.
“We chose the same list as Greenbrier County because, in the spring, we’re hoping to also compete with Greenbrier County,” Burns said. “We tried to do this during the year of COVID and everything kind of fell apart. We’ve never competed outside our county level. This year is the first year we’re going to try to carry through with that plan.”
The board thanked Burns for the update and for organizing the summer programs.
In updates:
• Superintendent Lynne Bostic provided several pieces of information to the board, including the updated dress code for all schools and an update on the number of homeschooled students in the county.
At the time of the meeting, Bostic said there were 75 students being homeschooled. She added that she is working with the staff to reach out to families of homeschooled children to let them know about the virtual school option offered through Pocahontas County Schools at no charge to the families.
Bostic said the school system is working with Proximity to provide virtual school and is in its third year of the collaboration between the program and Pocahontas County Schools. In addition to sending out postcards to families about Proximity, Bostic said she plans to follow up with phone calls to ensure the families know about their options.
In financial management, the board approved the following:
• Payment of vendor listing, payment of local government purchasing card, employee payroll, bank reconciliation of the month of June 2023 and grant awards.
• School support organizations for fundraisers and school based fundraisers for 2023-2024.
• To allow parents an opportunity to purchase insurance through School Device Coverage (SDC) a division of U-PIC Insurance Services to cover the Surface GO2 or Surface GO 3 devices at $34 per year, effective for the 2023-2024 school year.
In miscellaneous management, the board approved the following:
• Memorandum of Understanding between Pocahontas County Board of Education and Community Care of West Virginia, Inc., to provide healthcare services in the School Based Health Care Center facilities at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, Marlinton Elementary School, Marlinton Middle School and Pocahontas County High School for the 2023-2024 school year.
• Memorandum of Understanding between West Virginia Department of Edu- cation Office of Child Nutrition and Pocahontas County Schools, effective for the 2023-2024 school year.
• WVDE National School Lunch Program (NSLP) – Snack Agreement Addendum with Pocahontas Coun-ty Schools for the 2023-2024 school year.
• Memorandum of Understanding between Pocahontas County Schools and West Virginia’s Family Nutrition Program to provide nutrition and physical activity programs for low-income families and/or children for the 2023-2024 school year.
• Accepted the bid from United Dairy, for purchasing dairy products for the schools, per the terms of the contract for the 2023-2024 school year.
• Accepted the bid from Tri-County Wholesale Produce, for purchasing produce products for the schools, per the terms of the contract for the 2023-2024 school year.
• Accepted the bid from Flowers Bakery Co. of Jamestown, LLC., for purchasing bakery products for the schools, per the terms of the contract for the 2023-2024 school year.
• Contract between Pocahontas County Schools and Diana Smith, Certified School Psychologist, effective for the 2023-2024 school year, per the terms of the contract.
• Contract between Pocahontas County Board of Education and Melanie Mason, Physical Therapy, effective August 16 through December 31, per the terms of the contract.
• Contract between Pocahontas County Board of Education and Leslie Goodall, Occupational Therapy, effective August 16 through June 39, 2024, per the terms of the contract.
• Memorandum of Understanding between Pocahontas County Board of Edu- cation and North Central West Virginia Community Action Association, Inc. – Head Start Program, (NCWVCAA HS), retroactive to July 1 through June 30, 2024.
• Memorandum of Understanding between Southern Educational Services Cooperative (SESC) and Pocahontas County Schools for bus operator/examining ser-vices retroactive to July 1 through June 30, 2024, trainers being Donald McNeel, Charles McQuain and Jimmie Ryder, Jr.
• Enter into an independent contract with Jeff Wayne as Water Operator at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School at $50 per hour, one hour per week, or as needed, retroactive to July 1 until June 30, 2024.
• Contract between Pocahontas County Board of Education and Diamond J. Heating and Cooling, LLC to provide HVAC repair services to school buildings, as needed, at $65 per hour, up to $5,000, retroactive to July 1 until June 30, 2024.
• Dr. Sue E. Hollandsworth to continue as the Pocahontas County Board of Education representative on the Southern Educational Services Cooperative (SESC) Committee for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
• H. Samuel Gibson to continue as the Pocahontas County Board of Education representative on the West Virginia Extension Office Committee for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
• Rebecca Campbell to continue as the Pocahontas County Board of Education representative on the Day Report Committee for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
• The following AP courses offered at Pocahontas County High School for the 2023-2024 school year: AP Calculus, AP Computer Science Applications, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Language and Composition, AP Physics and AP Spanish.
• The following Dual Credit courses offered at Pocahontas County High School for the 2023-2024 school year: College Algebra, College Statistics, College English 101, College English 201, Introduction to Surveying, College Communications, College Psychology, College Micro Eco- nomics, College Sociology, Anatomy, Computer Applications 1 and 2, Digital Imagining and Desktop Publishing.
• The following 2023-2024 sports gender classifications, per West Virginia Department of Education: Boys Sports – baseball, basketball, soccer and track and field. Girls Sports – softball, basketball, soccer and track and field. Co-ed Sports – band, cheerleading, football and golf.
In personnel management, the board approved the following:
• Unpaid medical leave of Amanda Buzzard as teacher of multi-subjects at Hillsboro Elementary School, effective August 10, or upon exhaustion of personal leave, for a period of up to 12 weeks, as needed.
• Employment of Trista Robinson, as cafeteria manager at Hillsboro Elementary School, at state minimum service personnel salary, effective for the 2023-2024 school year. Term of employment is 200 days, pending certification.
• Employment of Tiffany Wayne as special education classroom aide/bus aide at Hillsboro Elementary School, at state minimum service personnel salary, effective for the 2023-2024 school year. Term of employment is 200 days pending certification.
• Requested transfer of Charlie M. Hughes as teacher of mathematics at Marlinton Middle School to teacher of English/language arts at Marlinton Middle School, at state minimum salary based on degree and experience plus equity, effective for the 2023-2024 school year. Term of employment is 200 days.
• Abolishment of [one] position teacher of mathematics at Marlinton Middle School, effective August 10.
• Employment of Jonathan Taylor as teacher of carpentry at Pocahontas County High School, at state minimum salary based on degree and experience plus equity, effective for the 2023-2024 school year. Term of employment is 200 days, pending certification.
• Abolishment of position librarian/media specialist at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2023-2024 school year.
• Abolishment of position teacher of alternative education at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2023-2024 school year.
• Creation of position teacher of alternative education/virtual program at Pocahontas County High School, at state minimum salary based on degree and experience plus equity, effective for the 2023-2024 school year. Term of employment is 200 days.
• Requested transfer of Ollie C. Barkley as executive secretary/accountant III to executive secretary/coordinator of personnel, at state minimum service personnel salary, retroactive to July 18, for the 2023-2024 school year. Term of employment is 248 days. Term of employment shall be 261 days each year thereafter.
• Abolishment of position executive secretary/accountant III for Pocahontas County Schools, effective August 10.
• Creation of position of itinerant teacher of gifted program for Pocahontas County Schools, extracurricular, at $25 per hour based on gifted hour requirements, anticipated no more than eight hours per week, subject to change based on needs, effective for the 2023-2024 school year.
• Requested transfer of Cory L. Rexrode as school bus operator for Pocahontas County Schools from his current run to a new run, at state minimum service personnel salary, effective for the 2023-2024 school year. Term of employment is 200 days.
• Requested transfer of Joseph M. Judy as school bus operator for Pocahontas County Schools from his current run to a new run, at state minimum service personnel salary, effective for the 2023-2024 school year. Term of employment is 200 days.
• Annual classification of the following as supervisory aides, effective for the 2023-2024 school year, in alphabetical order: Amber R. Arbogast, Susan M. Armstrong, Tonja S. Armstrong, Kimberly Beverage, Katie Broce, Dottie Chestnut, Sarah Cover, Haley Cummins, Rebecca A. Davis, Tabatha Ellis, Carrie L. Hickman, Renee Hill, Karrie B. Jack, Tomma Johnson, Cynthia Landis, TaBeatha McCoy, Jessica Oxier, Carolyn Pennington, Tammy Rider, Heather D. Simmons, Felicia L. Smith and Tina M. Tracy.
• Employment of the following as substitute aide for Pocahontas County Schools, at state basic service personnel salary, for the 2023-2024 school. year, as needed, in order of seniority: Sommer Hickman, Elizabeth Hefner, Rebecca Peteete, Whitney Beverage, Dawn Brewster, Billie Haymond, Priscilla Shoemaker, Deborah Miller, Maxine Solliday and Sharon Owens.
• Employment of the following as substitute cook for Pocahontas County Schools, at state basic service personnel salary, for the 2023-2024 school year, as needed, in order of seniority: Laurie Corbin, Sandra McCarty, Holly Beverage, Billie Haymond, Pippi Miller and Rebecca Evans.
• Employment of the following as substitute custodian for Pocahontas County Schools, at state basic personnel salary, for the 2023-2024 school year, as needed, in order of seniority: Roger D. Irvine, Timothy Wade, Greg Rich, Holly Beverage and Billie Haymond.
• Employment of the following as substitute school bus operator for Pocahontas County Schools, at state basic service personnel salary, for the 2023-2024 school year, as needed, in order of seniority: Daryl Shinaberry, Shawn Ervine, Kevin Thompson, Donald McNeel, Kenneth “Buster” Varner, Jimmie Ryder, Jr. and Michael Murphy. Emergency use only: Jamie Walker, Justin Taylor and James Chaney.
• Employment of the following as substitute secretary/accountant for Poc- ahontas County Schools, at state basic service personnel salary, for the 2023-2024 school year, as needed, in order of seniority: Staci Jo Keffer, Joann V. Estep, Susan Ray, Teresa Rhea, Lisa Rich, Billie Haymond, Sharon Owens and Deborah Miller.
• Employment of the following as substitute maintenance for Pocahontas County Schools, at state basic service personnel salary, for the 2023-2024 school year, as needed, in order of seniority: Roger D. Irvine, Timothy Wade, Greg Rich and Shawn Ervine.
• Employment of Jamie Walker, emergency use only, as substitute mechanic for Pocahontas County Schools, at state basic service personnel salary, for the 2023-2024 school year, as needed.
• Employment of the following as substitute teachers for Pocahontas County Schools, at state basic professional salary, based on degree and experience, for the 2023-2024 school year, as needed: Daniel Ahern, Susan M. Arbogast, Shannon G. Arbogast, Kenneth E. Beezley, P. Erwin Berry IV, Kay Blackshire, Thomas W. Boothe, Dawn G. Brewster, Staci Jo Keffer Dunn, Lisa M. Dennison, Patricia A. Heineman, David T. Holcomb, Deborah A. Irvine, Kathy M. Irvine, Jan R. Jonese, Judith A. Kane, Summer R. Martin, Emily K. McLaughlin, Jay V. Miller, David L. Moore, Jr., Karen R. Murphy, Alyssa Nottingham, Susan Ray, Teresa Rhea, Lucy M. Rittenhouse, Shannon L. Rittenhouse, Nicole Rose-Taylor, Dottie Shamblin, Virginia Shaw, Elaine Sheets, Robert A. Sheets, Sharla Sherman, Stephen T. Simmons, Shenda Smith, Maxine A. Solliday, Susan K. Streisel, Jessica N. Taylor, June A. Taylor, Tracey L. Valach, Alesia Wayne, Michelle D. Wilfong, Katherine Workman and Christina O. Young. Emergency use only: Shannon Barkley-Bircher, Sarah E. Hamilton and Kristi A. Hamons.
• Resignation of Stephen T. Simmons as assistant boys basketball coach at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2023-2024 season.
• Resignation of Derek Taylor as assistant boys basketball coach at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, retroactive to July 14.
• Resignation of Chasity Taylor as assistant boys basketball coach at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, retroactive to July 14.
• Resignation of Kendra Taylor as volunteer coach for fourth and fifth grade basketball at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, retroactive to July 27.
• Employment of the following coaches at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2023-2024 season, at the supplement indicated. Note: All positions are contingent upon proper certification and/or licensure and sufficient number of players to make a team.
– Kathy Mason, athletic director, $5,000
– Bradley Carpenter, head football coach, $3,000
– Nevin Lucabaugh, football coach, volunteer
– Douglas Lantz, athletic trainer, $3,750
– Kyle Graae, seventh and eighth grade football coach, $1,125
– Shannon Arbogast, head girls soccer coach, $2,250
– Justin Dilley, head boys soccer coach, $2,250
– J. Michael Kane, III, head girls basketball coach, $2,475
– Scott Garber, head boys basketball coach, $2,475
– Kathy Mason, head softball coach, $1,125
– Shonda Carr, head baseball coach, $1,125
– William Meehan, baseball coach, volunteer
– Stephen Simmons, assistant girls and boys track coach, $1,125
– Aaron Pugh, assistant girls and boys track coach, volunteer
– Devan Gum, assistant girls and boys track coach, volunteer
– Darlene Arbogast, head cheerleading coach, $1,500
– Devan Gum, assistant cheerleading coach, volunteer
– David Moore, Jr., head golf coach, volunteer
– E. Douglas Friel, assistant golf coach, volunteer
– Nebraska Scotchie, MMS athletic director, $750
– Shannon Arbogast, MMS head girls basketball coach, $1,125
– Nevin Lucabaugh, MMS assistant girls basketball coach, volunteer
– Kenneth Beezley, MMS assistant boys basketball coach, volunteer
– Rick McLaughlin, GBEMS band director, $750
– Scott Kelley, athletic and extracurricular driver of northern activity run at a supplement based on daily rate of pay for actual days worked prior to the school calendar, plus $60 per day, based on 180 days of operation for days that activity runs are required.
– Charles McQuain, III, athletic and extracurricular driver of southern activity run at a supplement based on daily rate of pay for actual days worked prior to the school calendar, plus $60 per day, based on 180 days of operation for days that activity runs are required.
– Scott Kelley, enrichment run, daily rate of pay for actual days worked prior to the school calendar plus $60 per day based on 180 days of operation for days that activity runs are required.