Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
At the Pocahontas County Board of Education meeting Monday, the board discussed several ideas and plans concerning the athletic department at Pocahontas County High School.
Athletic director Kristy Tritapoe told the board that students have approached her with an interest in running cross country track.
“I’ve had some people express some interest in that,” she said. “[Principal Joe Riley] and I met with [track coach Abe Rittenhouse] and we’ve talked about it. The only thing that we would ask for is, we don’t have a cross country team right now, but they would have to have about $2,000 to start up.”
Tritapoe said Rittenhouse is willing to help get the team started and that both high school and middle school students have shown an interest in participating.
“We live in Pocahontas County – there’s plenty of trails they can run on,” she said. “We think it would be a huge program, and we think they could do very well and be very successful. We don’t have any money to give them. They just need a start-up fund.”
Board members suggested to Tritapoe that she look into a few grant opportunities to help the team get started.
Because it was not a voting item on the agenda, the board could not take action on funding the team.
Tritapoe added that she plans to post a volunteer golf coach position for next season. She said several upcoming freshmen have shown interest, as well as high school students. There was not a team last year due to lack of interest.
Baseball coach Randy Irvine addressed the board with concerns about the condition of the baseball and softball field. Irvine said the field needs a lot of work, including drains, fence repair and permanent restroom facilities.
Irvine added that he has looked into supplies from local businesses, but he was hoping the board could help fund some of the repairs.
The board thanked Irvine for the information and was unable to take action on the request because it was not on the agenda.
In miscellaneous management, the board approved the following:
• To adopt the following mathematics textbooks, effective for the 2018-2019 school year: Kindergarten – My Math; first through fifth grade – Eureka Math; first through fifth grade supplement – Zearn; sixth through eighth grade – Illustrative Math; and ninth through 11th – Mathematics Vision Project (subject to approval of waiver).
• Submit waivers for Mathematics Vision Project for Math I, II and II to WVDE.
• Policy IE – School Calendar.
• Submit a wavier for Non-traditional instruction time to WVDE.
• Superintendent’s annual evaluation.
At the April 9 meeting, the board approved the following:
Employment of the following, probationary contract, service personnel, 2018-2019:
• Ryan C. Alderman, 200 days, school bus operator for Pocahontas County Schools.
• Pamela Bennett, 261 days, custodian IV at Pocahontas County High School.
• James D. Chestnut, 220 days, custodian III at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.
• Martha Friel, 200 days, cook II at Pocahontas County High School.
• Stephen D. Mick, Jr., 220 days, custodian III at Pocahontas County High School.
• Gary T. Rose, 200 days, school bus operator for Pocahontas County Schools.
• Jeanette Sharp, 220 one-half days, custodian III at Hillsboro Elementary School.
• Vickie Vrable, 220 days, custodian III at Pocahontas County High School.
Employment of the following, continuing contract, service personnel, 2018-2019:
• Ollie C. Barkley, 261 days, custodian IV at Marlinton Middle School.
• Stephen D. McCarty, 200 days, school bus operator for Pocahontas County Schools.
• Kenneth J. Samples, 200 days, school bus operator for Pocahontas County Schools.
Employment of the following, probationary contract, professional personnel, 2018-2019:
• Erin M. Baldwin, 200 days, teacher of English/language arts at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.
• Chloe L. Bland, 200 days, teacher of science at Pocahontas County High School.
• Shonda Carr, 200 days, teacher of preschool/ preschool special needs at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.
• Holly N. Cunningham, 200 days, teacher of health/social studies at Pocahontas County High School.
• Lori A. Doolittle, 200 days, truancy diversion specialist for Pocahontas County Schools.
• Susan Grant, 200 days, teacher of elementary education at Marlinton Elementary School.
• Stacy E. Landis, 200 days, teacher of science at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.
• Emily McLaughlin, 200 days, teacher of Option Pathway (GED) at Pocahontas County High School.
• Krystal Sharek-Beers, 200 days, itinerant teacher of special education at Marlinton Elementary School.
Employment of the following, continuing contract, professional personnel, 2018-2019:
• Jared S. Bennett, 200 days, teacher of social studies at Marlinton Middle School.
• Samantha J. Feather, 200 days, teacher of elementary education at Marlinton Elementary School.
• Alison C. Flegel, 200 one-half days, teacher of art at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.
• Jessica A. Hays, 200 days, teacher of health and physical education at Marlinton Middle School.
• Justin M. Kerr, 200 days, teacher of welding at Pocahontas County High School.
• Richard F. McLaughlin, 205 days, teacher of music at Marlinton Elementary and Marlinton Middle schools.
• Amanda Ryder, 200 days, teacher of multi-subjects/social studies at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.
• Sharla Sherman, 200 one-half days, librarian/ media specialist at Marlinton Middle School.
• Jeanette D. Wagner, 200 days, itinerant teacher of special education at Pocahontas County High School.
• Michelle Wilfong, 200 days, librarian/media specialist at Pocahontas County High School.
• Kaitlyn Wratchford, 200 days, itinerant teacher of special education at Marlinton Elementary School.
The next board meeting will be Monday, May 7, at 3:45 p.m., at Marlinton Elementary School, beginning with a work session with the MES staff, immediately followed by the regular meeting.