Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
Career opportunities was the focus of this year’s SOLE – Summer Opportunities for Learning and Engagement – summer school program in Pocahontas County. Coordinator Cammy Kesterson gave a report on the program at the Pocahontas County Board of Education meeting June 6.
Kesterson said this year, the four-week program was centered around the many career opportunities students may seek in the county.
“We do a lot of literature, arts and crafts, songs, movement, science and more,” she said. “We just want kids to have a good experience, that they’re not just sitting in their seats, doing worksheets all day long.”
Each week had a theme and with that theme came field trips. The first week, the students traveled to Cass Scenic Railroad State Park and learned about all the jobs and departments there – from the company store, to the train shop, to hospitality.
Kesterson said the students were given a very special tour of the train shop, where the maintenance workers ensure the steam locomotives are running smoothly.
The second week was about the resources in the ground, so the students went to Appalachian Aggregates and Lost World Caverns. During the tour of Appalachian Aggregates, they learned there are 29 full-time employees at the business, but roughly 250 indirect employees, including contract drivers who transport the gravel.
In the third week, the students went to the Green Bank Observatory and got a special tour, including secret parts of the facility that most visitors never see. They learned about the scientists and engineers who work on the telescopes, as well as the employees in the machine shop who manufacture parts for the telescopes.
The final week was all about farming and agriculture. The students learned about the types of farms in Pocahontas County and visited Fort Warwick, Homegrown Harvest and Wilfong Farms.
Kesterson said by the end of summer school, the students had amassed 16 books each which they got to take home and keep in their collection. She said overall, the program was a great success and she and the teachers are already working on plans for next summer’s program.
Summer SOLE teachers were Vada Boback and Penny Beam. Jessica Oxier and Tina Tracy were the aides. Serving as cafeteria manger was Lora Miller; Tomma Johnson was custodian; and Corey Rexrode was the bus driver. The program serves children in kindergarten through fifth grade.
The board thanked Kesterson for the report and her dedication to making summer school a fun program for the students.
The board also heard from Green Bank Elementary-Middle School parent Melia Thompson, who spoke on behalf of several parents from the school who wanted to share their concern about a new dress code policy at the school. Thompson explained that the parents received an email from principal Missy Jordan, who said the school’s policy had changed in regard to jackets, coats and hoodies.
The policy states that students may wear jackets, coats and hoodies to school, but must store the clothing items in their lockers or cubbies for the school day.
Thompson said several parents met with Jordan at the school to express their concern and Jordan explained the policy is to keep children safe due to an influx of vaping and possible drug use.
Thompson said the parents did not feel the policy was well thought out and wanted the board to know of their displeasure. She also shared a petition with more than 200 signatures from parents against the policy.
Because neither Thompson nor the policy was on the agenda, the board could not respond or vote on the issue. It did thank Thompson and the parents for sharing their concerns.
In financial management, the board approved the following:
• Supplements – chief mechanic, $2,500; technology coordinators, $3,000; and the supervisor of maintenance HVAC, $2,500.
In personnel management, the board approved the following:
• Employment of Kay Blackshire as athletic director for Green Bank Elementary-Middle School effective September 18, at a supplement of $750 for the 2023-2024 school year.
• Employment of Virginia Shaw as academic interventionist for Hillsboro Elementary School at $25 per hour, not to exceed $5,460. Holidays are not part of this contract. Effective date of employment is August 28, 2023 through June 5, 2024.
• Employment of Jennifer Stewart as teacher of special education (multi-categorical) autism at Hillsboro Elementary School, at state minimum salary based on degree and experience plus equity. Term of employment is 173 days for the 2023-2024 school year and shall be 200 days each year thereafter.
• Employment of Trista Robinson as cafeteria manager, extracurricular, for the fresh fruit and vegetables program at Hillsboro Elementary School, at daily rate of pay, effective August 30, through the end of the 2023-2024 school year, or upon exhaustion of grant funds, shift being up to two hours per day, up to three days per week. Wages are contingent upon actually working the fresh fruit and vegetable program.
• Employment of Katherine Workman as academic interventionist for Marlinton Elementary School at $25 per hour, not to exceed $5,400. Effective date of employment is August 28, 2023 through June 5, 2024.
• Employment of Steph-anie Ames as cafeteria manager, extracurricular, for the fresh fruit and vegetable program at Marlinton Elementary School, at daily rate of pay, effective August 30, through the end of the 2023-2024 school year, or upon exhaustion of grants funds, shift being up to two hours per day, up to three days per week. Wages are contingent upon actually working the fresh fruit and vegetable program.
• Employment of Sabrina Jordan as cook III, extracurricular, for the fresh fruit and vegetable program at Marlinton Elementary School, at daily rate of pay, effective August 30, through end of the 2023-2024 school year, or upon exhaustion of grant funds, shift being up to two hours per day, up to three days per week. Wages are contingent upon actually working the fresh fruit and vegetable program.
• Employment of Charlie Hughes, as PERTS Communities of Practice facilitator for Marlinton Middle School, for the 2023-2024 school year. Effective September 1, at $25 per hour not to exceed $2,340 for the year, funded by Project for Education Research That Scales (PERTS).
• Unpaid medical leave of Jessica McLaughlin as teacher of special education at Marlinton Middle School, effective August 17, or upon exhaustion of personal leave, for a period of up to 12 weeks as needed, retroactive to August 17.
• Employment of Cory McNabb as head girls basketball coach at Marlinton Middle School for the 2023-2024 season at a supplement of $1,125.
• Employment of William Meeham as PERTS Communities of Practice facilitator for Pocahontas County High School for the 2023-2024 school year, effective September 1, at $25 per hour, not to exceed $2,340 for the year, funded by Project for Education Research That Scales (PERTS).
• Employment of Chastity Taylor as athletic director at Pocahontas County High School, effective September 12, at a supplement of $4,156.96 for the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year and a $5,000 supplement each year thereafter.
• Employment of Logan Davis as volunteer football coach for Pocahontas County High School for the 2023-2024 season.
• Employment of Mary Sue Burns as itinerant K-2 classroom instructional support coach for Pocahontas County Schools at $325 per day, not to exceed $25,000, per coach funded by K-2 classroom instructional support project grant. Effective for the 2023-2024 school year.
• Employment of Shannon Rittenhouse as itinerant K-2 classroom instructional support coach for Pocahontas County Schools at $325 per day, not to exceed $25,000, per coach funded by K-2 classroom instructional support project grant. Effective for the 2023-2024 school year.
• Employment of Kristi Hammons as technology coordinator for the Pocahontas County Schools. Term of employment shall be 217 days for the remainder of 2023-2024 school year, retroactive to September 5. Term of employment shall be 261 days each year thereafter.
• Christine Campbell as PERTS district lead, for Pocahontas County Schools, for the 2023-2024 school year, effective September, at $25 per hour, not to exceed $2,840 for the year, funded by Project for Education Research That Scales (PERTS).
• Employment of Kristi Hammons as PERTS data lead, for Pocahontas County Schools, for the 2023-2024 school year, effective September 1, at $25 per hour, not to exceed $1,590 for the year, funded by Project for Education Research That Scales (PERTS).
• Employment of the following as substitute aides for the Pocahontas County Schools, at state minimum service personnel salary for the 2023-2024 school year: Ashli Diller, Hannah Jordan, Olivia Kesling, Brianna Morgan, Teresa Rhea and Natasha Trainer.
• Employment of Whitney Beverage and Mike Scadalis as substitute cooks for Pocahontas County Schools, at state minimum service personnel salary for the 2023-2024 school year.
• Employment of Mike Scandalis as substitute custodian for Pocahontas County Schools, at state minimum service personnel salary for the 2023-2024 school year.
• Employment of Logan Davis, Carleigh West and Roseanne Zeni 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.
• Employment of Ruth Bland as substitute professional for Pocahontas County Schools, at state basic professional salary, based on degree and experience for the 2023-2024 school year, as needed, in the following areas: administrator, speech/ language pathologist and technology integration specialist.
• Holly Beverage has requested to be removed from the substitute custodian list, retroactive to August 30.
• Rebecca Peteete has requested to be removed from the substitute aide list, effective August 30.
• Dawn Brewster has requested to be removed from the substitute aide and substitute teacher list, effective September 11.
