Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
At the April 29 Pocahontas County Board of Education meeting, Hillsboro Elementary School principal Becky Spencer informed the board that Pocahontas County Schools has once again been recognized as a Purple Star District.
To be a Purple Star District, every school in the county must participate in the Purple Star program which provides support for students who have family members who are now serving in the armed service or are veterans.
Pocahontas County first became a Purple Star District in 2020, and the recognition is renewed every four years.
“The partnership between the military and the West Virginia Department of [Education] is called common ground,” Spencer explained. “Its purpose is to not only support the students, but the families, as well, and any veterans on the next steps coming home.”
Each school has a Purple Star coordinator who organizes activities for military families and veterans throughout the school year.
“One of the biggest things for us as a school is to identify, recognize and support all military children,” Spencer said. “The purpose to this is that we keep tabs on these kids. Whether their parents are deployed, or we have a lot of National Guard, so they are back and forth. We just take a little extra time to make sure these students are supported and helped.”
The school system has links on all the schools’ websites, as well as the county website to ensure deployed parents have at least one good connection to their children when needed.
The Purple Star program also supports active military members who are Pocahontas County High School graduates.
“We have the Christmas boxes which are the biggest undertaking through the high school,” Spencer said. “All [graduates] who are active service duty members receive a box from our community and all the things that go in the box are donated from our community.
“It’s just a nice little touch of ‘you’re still ours’ and ‘we’re still thinking of you.’”
The schools also honor local veterans with programs during Veterans Day and at both football and basketball games.
“It’s a pretty significant honor that we take the time to connect these families and connect these resources to these families,” Spencer said.
The board thanked her for the report and her efforts with the Purple Star program.
Superintendent Lynne Bostic had several recognitions during her report. She shared that the Education Alliance awarded Pocahontas County Schools a regional award for its partnership with Nature’s Mountain Classroom.
With the award, the district received $2,000 and is in the running to win the state award. This award will be announced in May at the Education Alliance Award Ceremony. The winner will receive $25,000.
Bostic also recognized the Marlinton Middle School and PCHS bands which both received excellent ratings, as well as the math field day county and regional winners. Those results were printed in an earlier edition of The Pocahontas Times.
As for staff, Bostic recognized PCHS social studies teacher Staci Dunn, who is one of 25 teachers selected to attend a summer residential program at Mount Vernon. The focus of the program will be on George Washington and the economy of a new nation.
In financial management, the board approved: payment of vendor listing; payment of local government purchasing card; employee payroll, grant awards, summary of schedule of revenues and expenditures on a cash basis; and budget adjustments.
In miscellaneous management, the board approved the following:
• Adoption of high school math textbooks Math I, Math II, Math III and Algebra II, all Image IM Integrated; Transition Math for Seniors – Beginning and Intermediate Algebra with P.O.W.E.R.; and Introduction to Mathematical Application – Math in Our World.
• Adoption of high school social studies textbooks McGraw Hill’s World History, U.S. Studies, Contemporary Studies, Civics, U.S. Comprehensive and Geography.
• Adoption of middle school history textbooks McGraw Hill Social Studies, Grade 6 West Virginia Edition and Gibbs M. Smith, Inc., The West Virginia Journey.
• Contract between Impact Learning Services, represented by Carrie Bowers, and Pocahontas County Schools to provide Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) support services to a designated student at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.
• To place Policy 5460 Graduation Requirements on 30-day public comment.
• High School course standards for the following courses: Academic Enrichment, Algebra 3, Anthropology, Appalachian Literature, Creative Writing I, Film History of the 20th Century U.S., History of the Holocaust, Journalism Photographic, Learning Skills, Music in Films, Myths and Legends, Shakespeare, Test Strategies, Weight Training and World Religions.
• 2025-2026 School Calendar for Pocahontas County Schools.
• Justin and Laurel Dilley to take approximately eight students to Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, on May 9. Transportation by private vehicle.
• Scott Garber to take six to eight students to Mountain Gateway Community College Forestry Department in Clifton Forge, Virginia, on April 23. Transportation provided by forestry van.
• Jonathan Taylor and one student to attend the National SkillsUSA conference and commercial roofing competition in Atlanta, George, June 23 through June 28. Transportation provided by private vehicle.
• Andy Friel, Greg Hamons and Luci Mosesso to take approximately 31 students to the Pocahontas Producers Stockyards in Marlinton, April 28. Transportation provided by bus.
In personnel management, the board approved the following:
• Unpaid medical leave of Devan Gum at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective April 22, for a period of up to 12 weeks.
• Resignation of D. Julian Rittenhouse as part-time Communities in Schools, effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
• Resignation of Mark Walton as head custodian at Marlinton Elementary School, effective May 2.
• Creation of position special education/elementary teacher at Hillsboro Elementary School, for the 2025-2026 school year.
• Abolishment of position half-time physical education teacher at Hillsboro Elementary School, at the end of the 2024-2025 school. year.
• Abolishment of position special education teacher at Hillsboro Elementary School, at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
• Resignation of Chasity Taylor as athletic director at Pocahontas County High School, effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
• Resignation of Sherry Radcliff as director of finance/treasurer of Pocahontas County Schools, due to retirement, effective June 30.
• Abolishment of position music/band instructor at Marlinton Middle School and Pocahontas County High School, effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
• Abolishment of position music teacher at Marlinton Elementary School and Hillsboro Elementary School, effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
• Creation of position full-time music/band instructor at Pocahontas County High School, effective at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year.
• Creation of position music teacher at Marlinton Elementary School and Marlinton Middle School, effective at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year.
• Employment of the following service personnel on a probationary contract:
– Diane Arbogast, secretary II/accountant II, at Marlinton Elementary School.
– Stephanie Ames, cook IV cafeteria manager, at Marlinton Elementary School.
– Dawn Brewster, ECCA/special education/ classroom/bus aide, at Marlinton Elementary School.
– Carrie Curry, special education/classroom/bus aide, at Marlinton Elementary School.
– Ashli Diller, special education/classroom/bus aide, at Marlinton Elementary School.
– Jacob Dunbrack, school bus operator.
– Amy Hefner, Cook IV, at Hillsboro Elementary School.
– Lisa Johnson, special education/classroom/bus aide, at Pocahontas County High School.
– Teresa Kloeker, special education/classroom/bus aide, at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.
– Victoria Lawson, custodian III, at Pocahontas County High School.
– Mason Owens, school bus mechanic, at Pocahontas County High School bus garage.
– Noah Pugh, school bus operator.
– Jamie Robertson, custodian IV, at Marlinton Middle School.
– Paulena Schoolcraft, special education/classroom/ bus aide, at Hillsboro Elementary School.
– Daryl Shinaberry, school bus operator.
– Tiffany Wayne, special education/classroom/bus aide, at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.
• Employment of the following service personnel on a continuing contract:
– Haley Cummins, special education/classroom/bus aide, at Marlinton Middle School.
– Tabatha J. Ellis, licensed practical nurse/aide, at Marlinton Elementary School.
– Christopher Irvine, general maintenance/truck driver/groundsman/sanitation plant operator/heating and air conditioning mechanic II.
– Kimberly Jordan, secretary II/accountant, at Marlinton Middle School.
– Forest Mullenax, school bus operator.
– Arthur J. Sharp, custodian IV/sanitation plant operator, at Pocahontas County High School.
• Employment of the following professional personnel, on a probationary contract:
– Sarah Brown, teacher, at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.
– William Brown, teacher of driver’s education, at Pocahontas County High School.
– Casondra Griffith, dean of students, at Pocahontas County High School.
– Sarah Hamilton, professional accountant, at central office.
– Alexandyr Hummel, teacher of music/band director, at Pocahontas County High School.
– Jillian Lacasse, Communities in Schools, at Marlinton Elementary School.
– Karen Lockhart, teacher of preschool, at Hillsboro Elementary School.
– Brianna Morgan, teacher of science, at Pocahontas County High School.
– Peggy Owens, teacher of fifth grade, at Marlinton Elementary School.
– Brittany Place, teacher of third grade, at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.
– Melissa Robinson, teacher of multi-subjects, at Marlinton Middle School.
– Jennifer Stewart, teacher of special education, at Pocahontas County High School.
– Emily Trail, teacher of fifth grade, at Marlinton Elementary School.
– Jonathan Taylor, teacher of carpentry, at Pocahontas County High School.
– Owen Vogelsong, teacher of physical education/health, at Pocahontas County High School.
• Employment of the following professional personnel, on a continuing contract:
– Kristin Baer, teacher of multi-subjects, at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.
– Eleanor Bell, teacher of science, at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.
– Amanda Buzzard, teacher of multi-subjects, at Hillsboro Elementary School.
– Melissa Jordan, principal, at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School.
– Krystal Lewis, teacher of special education, at Marlinton Middle School.
– William Meehan, teacher of English/language arts, at Pocahontas County High School.
– Wendy Kirk-Picarella, teacher of art/CTE, at Marlinton Middle School.
The next board meeting will be Tuesday, May 6, at 6 p.m. at the board conference room at 404 Old Buckeye Road.
