Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
The Pocahontas County Board of Education heard a report from superintendent Dr. Leatha Williams at its September 2 meeting. The report was related to the state department of education’s monitoring of special education services in Pocahontas County Schools.
When the five Pocahontas County Schools were monitored last year and many areas of concern were discovered.
During the monitoring period, 18 service verifications were completed, meaning the state pulled 18 files –four from Green Bank Elementary-Middle School; four from Hillsboro Elementary School; four from Marlinton Elementary School; three from Marlinton Middle School; and three from Pocahontas County High School.
In reviewing those 18 files – each belonging to a student with an IEP [Individualized Education Plan] – the state looked at the services that are required and evaluated if those services were indeed being provided to the students.
It was found that 16 of the 18 files were not in compliance with state regulation.
Williams said that one of the fixes is to adjust teachers’ schedules. Prior to this, teachers were providing services four days a week, with one day a week going to planning.
Not only did that schedule not fit with state regulations, it may have also been the result of students being absent on the planning day because they were not getting the services they needed.
Williams said the principals and teachers have been through a training to make corrections to the way students with IEPs were being served and there are changes being made to ensure all services needed are provided.
“The staff trainings were phase one of the plan that we have implemented,” she said. “If we look at addressing systemic findings that were below eighty percent prior to the West Virginia verification, we have some areas that we have to address next.”
After giving a presentation on the plans for phase two, Williams said the original timeline was to have all the non-compliant items fixed by October 3, but she went to the state board and was able to get an extension to December 3.
“We get monitored again next year and we’re going to be the best in the state next year,” she said. “I’m confident that we are going to pull together, and we are going to rise to the top.”
Williams also gave an update on the progress with the state of emergency at PCHS. A lot of progress has been made, including with the staff and student handbooks and with beautification at the school.
The gym has been painted to look nice; there is a new gym floor and issues in the bathrooms have been corrected. The special education room has been relocated to the main building.
Personnel and miscellaneous management will be published in the next edition of The Pocahontas Times.
The next board meeting will be Tuesday, September 16, at 6 p.m. at the board of education conference room in Buckeye.
