Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
At the Pocahontas County Board of Education meeting Monday night, Superintendent Terrence Beam gave a report on a proposed adult welding class which Sheriff David Jonese is interested in organizing.
“This is all in the early stages, but he’s interested in starting an adult welding class,” Beam said. “He’s running into a lot of former students in our community who are wishing they had learned a trade of some type. He has an interest in welding as it is, so he’s wanting to coordinate an effort between the high school and the sheriff’s department to possibly use the welding room for this class.”
Beam met with Pocahontas County High School principal Michael Adkins and welding teacher Justin Kerr to discuss the proposal. They will also meet with Jonese to iron out details about the class and use of the welding classroom.
“Mr. Kerr has some concerns – rightly so – it’s his classroom and it’s his materials,” Beam said. “Sheriff Jonese has indicated that he would not mind at all if Justin wanted to be part of that program – either for the duration of this class or at least until they got the class started and he felt more secure with leaving the materials in their hands.”
Jonese informed Beam that he had several community members in mind as instructors – all of whom are certified in welding. The class would be at least two days a week for approximately two hours a day, depending on the interest from the community.
“[Jonese] sounded really enthusiastic about it, and the high school – Mr. Adkins in particular – was very receptive to the idea,” Beam said. “He thinks it will be a good working partnership, and we need to work together with the Sheriff’s department to help our citizens.”
Beam said he would update the board as Jonese provided more details on the program.
Beam also gave updates on several programs in progress in the schools. Maintenance director Ron Hall is working on renovations to the PCHS bathrooms. The stalls will be replaced by cinder block stalls and construction will begin soon.
In an effort to provide more information to the community concerning the proposed school levy, Beam said he met with Marlinton Mayor Sam Felton and the Marlinton Woman’s Club. He continues to encourage other organizations in the county to schedule meetings with him.
Beam added that the school calendar public hearings will be held prior to board meetings in March. The March 14 meeting will be at 6 p.m. at Hillsboro Elementary School and the March 28 meeting, 6 p.m. at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School. The regular board meetings will begin at 7 p.m. on those evenings.
In miscellaneous management, the board approved the following:
• Ira “Buck” Turner to remove snow at Marlinton Elementary School and Marlinton Middle School, at the rate of $100 per location, per day, as necessary.
• Lesa McCarty to travel to Dallas, Texas, March 8-11 to attend SPLASH conference. All expenses, except substitute, will be paid by SPLASH funding. Substitute cost will be paid with Title I funds.
• Laura M. Pritt and Devan E. Simmons as volunteer cheerleading coaches at Hillsboro Elementary School.
• Jessie Sharp as volunteer basketball coach at Marlinton Elementary School, effective for the 2015-2016 season.
• Don’s Auction Service to conduct an auction of excess board of education property on Saturday, April 9, at a cost not to exceed $1,000.
• P. Erwin Berry, IV, to transport six agriculture students, by rental van, to Louisville, Kentucky, departing Pocahontas County High School February 10 and returning to PCHS on February 11. All expenses will be paid with vocational funds.
Personnel management will be in next week’s edition of The Pocahontas Times.
The next board meeting is Monday, February 22, at 7 p.m., at the board of education conference room.
