Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
The Pocahontas County Board of Education office was filled with a celebratory glee during the March 12 board meeting. Superintendent Lynne Bostic introduced and recognized the Pocahontas County High School Lady Warriors basketball team and coaches, as well as the County Spelling Bee winners.
The Lady Warriors made it to the state playoffs – the first time in four years – as the #8 ranked team, and put up a hard fight against the #1 ranked Cameron High School Dragons. Although the Lady Warriors fell to the Dragons, they still deserved recognition for a well-played season.
The team was joined by coaches Mike Kane, Tim McClung and Shannon Arbogast. Coach Chloe Schaffner was not in attendance.
Bostic also announced the winners of the County Spelling Bee – first place, Ethan Jones, of Green Bank Elementary-Middle School and second place, Bailey Goodwin, of Marlinton Elementary School.
During her report, Bostic shared the news that Governor Jim Justice directed the West Virginia School Building Authority to approve all the Needs applications that were submitted and denied last year. This included the Pocahontas County application for PCHS, to replace the gym floor and for electrical upgrades.
Bostic explained that the funding will be used to refinish the gym floor instead of replacing it, as well as make electrical upgrades. The Lady Warriors coaches were still in attendance during this discussion and all implored the board to consider going ahead with plans to replace the floor due to its age and wear and tear.
The coaches said there are several dead spots in the floor that, if landed on incorrectly, could cause a student to injure themselves. Bostic said the evaluation of the gym floor did not include information about this issue, but said it would be looked into further.
In financial management, the board approved payment of vendor listing, payment of local government purchasing card, employee payroll, extra duty pay, grant awards and budget adjustments.
In miscellaneous management, the board approved:
• Crist Consulting to provide support, technical assistance, and coaching to High School Career Technical Education (CTE) instructors and administrators for an additional five days.
• Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Pocahontas County Board of Education and the Pocahontas County Extension Service Committee.
• Sample Plan Document Section 125 Flexible Benefit Plan.
• Facility Analysis, Planning and Architectural and Engineering Services with Wendel Architecture for potential improvement projects at Pocahontas County High School.
• Contract between Karen B. Haines M.S., CCC/SLP to provide AAC Evaluation Services for Pocahontas County Board of Education.
• Bid from Frontier Communications for Wide Area Network.
• Major Improvement Plan (MIP) application between the School Building Authority and the Pocahontas County Board of Education for electrical upgrades including electrical panels at Pocahontas County High School.
• Schedule of Proposed Levy Rates, as listed, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025: Class I – $19.40; Class II – $38.80; Class III – $77.60; Class IV – $77.60.
In personnel management, the board approved:
• Shane Jones and Jacob Jones as volunteer basketball coaches for the fourth and fifth grade basketball team at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective for the 2023-2024 athletic season.
• Retirement of Maria L. Hall, Pre-K teacher at Hillsboro Elementary School, effective June 30.
• Retirement of Barbara L. Beard, kindergarten teacher at Marlinton Elementary School, effective August 20.
• Creation of position extra-curricular bus operator, Marlinton to Pocahontas County High School, mid-day run, $60 per day, as needed, for the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year.
• Resignation of Tomma Johnson as supervisory/ classroom and bus aide for Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, retroactive to February 26.
The next board meet will begin with a local school improvement council meeting at 3 p.m., followed by the regular board member at 4:15 p.m., at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.