Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
At the April 1 Pocahontas County Board of Education meeting, advisor Deirdre Cline wasn’t fooling when she gave a report on the progress made at Pocahontas County High School and the central office regarding the school’s recent state of emergency designation.
Cline has been working at both locations for the past month to make corrections to the protocol and procedures that were not being properly followed.
Cline highlighted several items that have been corrected or put in place to make things go more smoothly at PCHS.
First, Cline said the SAT school day test is scheduled for April 9, but PCHS doesn’t stop with just testing the juniors. It also provides a PSAT test for the freshmen and sophomores.
“I don’t know of another school that puts that effort in it and pulls those kids together – all for one, one for all,” she said. “That’s huge. I didn’t know that until I went there and I’m very impressed with that.”
Cline added that interim principal Chris Campbell and dean of students Casey Griffith are meeting with all students who have a D or F in one or more of their classes.
“They meet with them, they talk about the child’s efforts, they talk about what the child needs to do to bring that grade up,” she said. “They help the child with credit recovery if it’s needed and then they go the extra step and they make contact with every family.”
Cline concluded that she has set up a meeting with Clinton Birch, who is the assistant superintendent of PreK, adult instruction and career development for the West Virginia Department of Education.
Birch will meet with Cline, Campbell and Griffith to work on ways to beef up the Career and Technical Education – CTE – department.
“We’ve got to grow that CTE,” she said. “We’ve got to grow their numbers and even the offerings to be in line with how we can get those kids in line to get jobs that are impactful, meaningful and well paid, and would be suited for them.”
The board thanked Cline for her update and efforts in helping the school system with the state of emergency issues.
The board also received updates from director of elementary education, preschool and special education Kristy Tritapoe and treasurer Sherry Radcliff.
Superintendent Lynne Bostic used her time to recognize students for their achievements in the Young Writer’s Contest, Science Fair and middle school honor band.
In miscellaneous management, the board approved the following:
• Contract between Pocahontas County Schools and Development Advantage, LLC for consultation services of Functional Behavior Assessments.
• Daily Living Skills Standards for grades 9-12.
• Changes to board of education meetings due to approval of the meeting policy on March 11.
• Policy Extracurricular/ Interscholastic physical education.
• Alexandyr Hummel to take seven students from PCHS and 23 students from MMS to Philip Barbour High School, April 11, for the Region VIII Ratings Festival.
• Charlie Hughes and Kristi Hamons to take the Pocahontas County High School Theater Club to Staunton, Virginia, April 17, for a performance of Shakespeare at the American Shakespeare Center.
• Andrew Friel to transport six students to Cedar Lakes Conference Center, for the WV Envirothon Contest, April 16-17. Transportation provided by private vehicle.
• MIP Grant at Marlinton Middle School to replace the roof and possibly boilers and water heaters. Grant application for $1 million with board of education share being tentatively $275,000.
• Extra fundraiser at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.
• Superintendent of Schools vacancy posting date of Wednesday, April 2, until Monday, April 14, as the deadline for submission of applications.
In personnel management, the board approved the following:
• Abolishment of position of Title I teacher at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
• Creation of position Title I/gifted teacher at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year.
• Creation of position third grade ECCAT/aide at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.
• Abolishment of position of special education teacher at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School at the end of the 2024-2025 school year due to lack of need.
• Grade level reassignment of Brittany Place, from teacher of third grade to teacher of fifth grade at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.
• Retirement of Cindy Himelrick as first grade teacher at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective June 6.
• Creation of position third grade ECCAT/aide at Hillsboro Elementary School.
• Reduction in force of Paulena Schoolcraft as second grade ECCAT/aide at Hillsboro Elementary School, due to lack of need, effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
• Abolishment of position second grade ECCAT/aide position at Hillsboro Elementary School, due to lack of need, effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
• Grade level reassignment of Gina Hardesty, from teacher of second grade to teacher of fourth grade at Hillsboro Elementary School, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.
• Reduction in force of Carrie Curry as special education aide at Hillsboro Elementary School, due to lack of need, effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
• Creation of position – one first grade and two third grade – ECCAT/aide positions, at Marlinton Elementary School, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.
• Reduction in force of Ashli Diller as ECCAT/special education/classroom/bus aide at Marlinton Elementary School, due to lack of need, effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
• Abolishment of position math teacher at Pocahontas County High School, due to lack of need, effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
• Employment of Victoria Lawson as custodian III at Pocahontas County High School, effective April 2, for 40 days for the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year and shall be 220 days each year thereafter.
• Removal of Sherry Radcliff as emergency substitute secretary/accountant for Pocahontas County Schools.
• Employment of Zachary Lewis as substitute custodian for Pocahontas County Schools, at state minimum professional salary for the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year.
• Employment of Gregory Irvine as substitute maintenance for Pocahontas County Schools at state minimum professional salary for the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year.