Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
It was a short and sweet Valentine’s Day at the February 14 Pocahontas County Board of Education meeting, which Superintendent Terrence Beam kicked off with the proposed 2023-2024 school calendar:
• First day for employees – August 10
• First day for students – August 16
• Holiday – November 10 for Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving Break – November 20 through 24
• End of first semester – December 20
• Christmas Break – December 20 through January 3
• Holiday – January 15 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Professional Learning Day/Faculty Senate Day – February 26
• Professional Learning Day – March 29
• Spring Break – April 1 through 5, unless school needs to be made up due to missed days
• Professional Learning Day – April 26
• Graduation – May 26
• Last day for students – May 23
• Continuing Education Day – May 24
• Last day for employees – June 7
The calendar is available for review on the Pocahontas County Schools website, where individuals can take a survey regarding the calendar. There will be a second calendar hearing at the next board of education meeting, after which the board will vote to implement the school calendar.
In miscellaneous management, the board approved the following:
• resignation of Morgan G. McComb as the Pocahontas County Board of Education representative on the Day Report Committee for the remainder of the 2022-2023 fiscal year, effective February 14.
• appointment of Rebecca L. Campbell as the Pocahontas County Board of Education representative on the Day Report Committee for the remainder of the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
• Jay Johnston of Johnston Logging Company to volunteer his time and equipment to reclaim the old logging roads and wood lot at Pocahontas County High School in order to make them more accessible for the high school forestry program.
• Cookbook fundraiser for Marlinton Elementary School.
• Parent and community volunteers for the 2022-2023 school year.
In personnel management, the board approved the following:
• unpaid medical leave of Joyce A. McLaughlin as cafeteria manager at Pocahontas County High School, retroactive to January 4, 2023, for a period of up to 12 weeks, as needed.
• employment of Stephen T. Simmons as assistant girls track coach at a supplement of $562.50 and assistant boys track coach at a supplement of $562.50, for the 2022-2023 athletic season.
• employment of David L. Moore and Maxine A. Solliday as substitute teachers for Pocahontas County Schools, at state basic pay, based on degree and experience, for the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year, as needed.
• employment of Sharon A. Owens, Priscilla L. Shoemaker and Maxine A. Solliday as substitute aides for Pocahontas County Schools, at state basic pay, for the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year, as needed.
• employment of Sharon A. Owens as substitute secretary/accountant for Pocahontas County Schools, at state basic pay, for the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year, as needed.
• resignation of Thomas J. Madison as substitute school bus operator for Pocahontas County Schools, effective January 30.
• resignation of Kathleen Holzman-Henry as substitute aide for Pocahontas County Schools, effective January 31.
The next board meeting will be Tuesday, March 7, beginning with a calendar hearing at 5:30 p.m., immediately followed by the regular meeting, at the board of education conference room at 404 Old Buckeye Road.
