001I think we've got two more away games. >> We've only got three. >> I did learn. >> Is that for middle school? >> Yeah. >> Daddy, >> we only have three. >> We got three for all this year. Bad. The high school only has four. Middle school only have three. >> That'd be a good one. shoes. [Music] It gets cold in the evening. I need to go. >> It's 5:30. I'll call the meeting to order if you'll stand for the pledge. >> Pledge allegiance to the flag. of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right, real quick, I'll go ahead and address everyone. We are aware of the recent arrest of the um classroom teacher Jacumbers. Uh
002Mccumbers as required by state law was immediately removed from the classroom when the law enforcement initiated the investigation. Appropriate person personnel action will continue to be taken regarding Cumber's employment. But please understand personal laws at this time prevent administration from being specific as to what the next step is. as as employees are entitled to the due process. However, McCumbr is not in the classroom and the West Virginia Department of Education has also been notified. It is anticipated that the West Virginia Department of Education will also take appropriate steps steps such as immediately suspending the Cumber's teaching license given the pending criminal action. The school system would uh would not be making any further comments given pending this is still a criminal investigation. >> Mr. Mox, were there any delegating things? >> No, none. >> Um
003the first thing on the agenda is boarding knowledge. Mr. Mox, you have any comments? No, just uh you knowformational uh you know it's always of concern when something happens but uh um you know the county has been uh always forthcoming and you know I do appreciate uh you know all the people that uh you know are upright and uh forthcoming and any u any help you know from anybody. We're always, you know, we always look for people to come to the meetings if they have a concern, you know, if anything is going on, you know, if you have a concern to present, you know, something that we can do, uh maybe not at that particular meeting, maybe at another meeting, uh, you know, it's always good to hear from a person instead of on Facebook.
004So that's basically all I would say. Uh you know otherwise uh you know as a county uh you know we're still strong. You know as long as we keep together you know we can accomplish a lot and I do appreciate everybody that's here today. Thank you. >> I I have to I say the same as Mr. about that the situation, but I also have to acknowledge the good that's going on within our football team at its first round. We have the homecoming court that's been nominated and all that stuff. So, >> I'm into this volleyball. I've been watching the middle school girls play volleyball. I'm really proud of them. I think we've only lost one game. >> All right. Not like that. Appreciate everybody coming. >> I appreciate all of you coming out. Um it
005is a very difficult thing to set in this position when uh things go wrong and we are bound by certain stipulations and I hope that all of you all can appreciate that because no one sitting here uh wants anything but the best for any of these kids. And I hope that you will bear with us as we go through this all of us together. And um I just ask that you would uh be patient and keep us as a board in your prayers. The next item on the agenda is the approval of the August board uh special and the August 11th uh regular meeting minutes. Do I have a motion for that? >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Is there any discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor say I. >>
006I opposed. >> That motion carried. Um that brings us to discussion and reports having Gilmore career center report. Mr. Knots. >> Uh yeah, I gave you all a handout a couple of items, you know, as far as the attendance at the the career center and the breakdown of, you know, which classroom has there are three I think that are full which is a good thing and you know so many other ones uh you know sometimes when you look at the uh the enrollment uh because students uh maybe it's a physical conflict with what they want to do and they can't go to the career center. So that's one area that's got to be addressed now to later and both superintendents and also union uh principles are aware of that and they're trying to accommodate the
007students that are actually interested in going to the career center. Uh the other thing is that one other item uh on there is uh work orders. Uh they've uh the curator has initiated uh work order requests. If you want something done and uh they do uh do oil changes, they do grape vines. They do a lot of good things for the community, for the customers. And uh uh all they would require is a work order. You know that they um have something to show and you know it gives the students an opportunity to actually uh you know improve their skills and also learn about various projects that you know might be going on and uh you know all in all the uh attendance is about the same as last year. you know, Carol County uh
008is always at a higher rate than Gilmer and u the superintendent from Gilmer doesn't quite understand why, but they're trying to actually improve that, you know, just make it more make them more aware of uh you know, what the opportunities are, you know, for the students because you know, some of our students really performed a lot better in that type of environment. You know, education is great. Uh and some students just don't do well in a classroom where they sit and listen to an instructor or listen to the teacher for 45 minutes. You know, if they get bored or they get disinterested, but in the C career center, you know, they actually are active. You know, they come in and they have to perform. So it's not like they're just there to sit and not
009do anything. So everybody that attends the career center has to apply which is also something of interest because prior to that you know kids that uh may have not you know maybe uh they were disrespectful you would send them to the vort and get away from put them away some but now it's more about It's totally different. You know, the students that go there are interested in being there and that shows by the attendance and also, you know, just the performance. We've got some outstanding students that graduated. Our health education over there have been phenomenal. you know, a lot of the students that either graduated or are still in school have part-time employment at Mini Hamilton and uh you know, the welders that we've graduated from the Curtis Center have gone on and being gone
010to pipelines and so there's good things going on in there and I can't express uh some doubt that anybody that's interested, parents that uh want their children, you know, and I'm not advocating for them not to go to college, you know, this is not one that says, oh, you got to go to the center or whatever. They just go get a good education and that's something that a lot of folks don't realize that there are educational benefits. The other thing that I want to acknowledge that hope gas has been one of the sponsors or one of the you know the company that actually has also taken part in the career center and they provided I think a vehicle and uh so you know some of our you know companies that are here even the commissioners
011uh you know from uh police department from sheriffs where they've offered that vehicle. So, there's a lot of good things going on. So, don't hesitate if you have another chance to do or if you have something else a lot closer than Parkersburg or somewhere else. So, so all you have to do is put a work test in. All right. Thank you. >> You don't have any questions? >> Say one of these people wanted to do that. Where do they get the work like a degree? >> Uh that would be from the career center >> or they can actually go online. I think there's a have a link on their Facebook to support. >> We have a question. >> Um the next item on the agenda is superintendent of reports. >> Um yes, you guys have
012your directors and school reports um in your folders. We'll touch real quick on attendance. Um as of um right now, our attendance rate is sitting at 94.4%. And chronic attendance is 18.72%. Um so um still below the 20% chronic dependence rate. So that's where we want to be. Um last year we finished the year at out at 12.2%. So we're a little higher right now in chronic attendance whether that's just bugs or some going around. Um instructional and benchmarks. Um so as everybody aware the um they released the scores um for the balance scorecard. Um and some good news. Um so we made some gains this year um this past year academically. Um which is what we wanted to see. Um each each school shows some growth. Um as a county um last year we
013were 39th out of 55. Um this year we are 29th out of 55. So we it went up 10 spots. Um so in a small county um spots you know is a huge jump from last year. So that work goes to our staff, our students who have put in the hard work um and prepping students and getting them ready. I think what we're doing is working and with that they've already so one of the policies is we have to take a benchmark within the first 30 days. So we have taken our benchmark um math and reading um and then Pleasant Hill and started are starting in in middle high school starting their GSA modules um and prepping for those um and and our benchmarks um you know we're are not where we want them to
014be beginning of the year but um they the slide in it isn't as bad as what was what it had been put in the past um so which is good um so we have room to grow with our winter benchmark than our our last benchmark. Um, so we're all aware that part of this is when they do uh grade us for the scorecard, there's a lot of details and factors that go into that. Um, and it is a very complex um thing. So, you know, they're they're going they're they're looking at um students that are English lang language learners. if they're homeless, if they're white, if we're black, if we're female to guys. It breaks down in every single category. Um, you know, is there areas that we're proficient? Absolutely. Is there areas where we're
015efficient? Of course, there is. And, you know, as a team, we will continue to use this data, break it down, and then, you know, give that information to parents and um and families and and work with small groups um especially the elementary levels to get where we need to be. Um, I was excited to see some growth at in our middle school and high school. Um, not the growth I wanted at the high school, but you know, we moved up one spot, so it's not last this year. Uh, middle school is about midpack for middle school. Um, which is good for there's usually a bad transition from the elementary to middle school and that gap is closing. Um, as we aware last year, our fifth grade, for some reason, there's a big drop off. And
016last year, there was no drop off for fifth grade. Um, they excelled extremely well um in their testings last year with fifth grade. Um, and I was really impressed um with those scores. So we will continue to um you know motivate students and work with students and staff with that and and their testing and benchmarks and um you know push our students in the right way. So it's you know like Mr. Mottz alluded to the career center you know you know we're trying to make sure the students are ready. Um so when they're elementary students we want to make sure they're ready for middle school and middle school students. make sure they're ready for high school. They went to high school. We hope they're ready for whatever career path that is, whether it's college, workforce,
017military, whatever it might be. We just hope that, you know, they're they're as ready as they can be. Um, so still a lot of life lessons for them even when they graduate. So, any questions on on the instrument base construction before I move on? Okay. Um, SBA. Um, so we are wrapping up that project. Um I think we're getting ready to do the final walk through. The doors are um in. Um so for most of you have walked through the front doors of the high school. Um we have a new man trap office uh and which has been really nice to have. We have all new exterior doors um for the school and those were all the original doors from 1998. Um so those have been replaced and um of course we added safe school
018interest so it would help with the security of the school. Now we're getting ready to stop or stop start um a new SBA project with heating and air conditioning at Calman High School students and staff out there. It's been it's been hard in the last few years. Um trying to keep the building cool and uh and we we've had several issues with moisture. Um and that's been a problem from day one. So we're working with ZMM, our architects to um to solve that issue with do a unit on top of the roof, take some of that moisture um out of the um building. So I think there I think and Mr. Frack you can add on I think it was a four month lead time for the chillers and boilers. >> Yeah, I think the
019the goal uh the preliminary meeting we had was uh sometime in early winter uh they'll start with replacing the chiller chill. That's something we won't meet during the winter time. Transition over in late spring to the heating units and hopefully have everything finished at the time. >> Then we'll start it starts in the fall. Yeah, then we'll start with the uh the boilers uh hopefully this spring or summer. That project will be a little bit more difficult. So when they built and build the boilers, those rooms weren't around it. So the size they are now can't come out as they are. So allow to deconstruct the boilers and get them uh out of that room. So, and hopefully they'll be more um efficient than the than the original boilers. Um and we can have better
020air and heat regulations in the school. So, it's been a problem since um the beginning. Hopefully, we can get some of that stuff fixed. One one question that I have, I know we have the safe entry, but you know, one of the concerns that uh came up was they have all those windows and it's right there where the cafeteria where the lunchroom is. Uh are we doing anything with that with that section, you know, in regards to safety? Yeah. So, we can't take those doors out. Um, and that that goes with fire code. So, um, we have to have as many exits as the building is built for. So, the building I believe was built for,200 students. So, we have to run the building reverse fire code as if there were,200 students in the building.
021Um, so as of right now, we all know there's money, 1200 students in the whole county. The school was built with,200 students. So we have to occupy it for fire code like it was. Um we have we have talked about tending those front windows um so you can see out not necessarily in um I think there are some ballistics to those windows um and Mr. Pax could answer that better than I could but I think that they're they're not shatter um with glass so they they they will spider web. So kind kind like a car. Yeah. Um but we can't take take the doors out. We we talked about it the first time the fire market shuts down but we have to occupy it. We have to pretend like schools is completely full ball games
022whatever it is. So we have to we have to run the um the building as it's meant that so we have to have all those tasks in case you're at the fire drill or emergency whenever we ask to get out. >> Yep. And um so it there was a and of course with all new projects there are some glitches and I think we worked through those glitches um especially with ASAP with our swiping in and swiping out. So there for a while we the back swipe wasn't working so we had to use your keys to get in the back door but that problem's fixed. Um, we have a Did they Did they fix the other issue with >> the front entrance? The part is order should be here in the next day or two. >>
023So, and and that those doors and windows, they do have a level of tinninging to them automatically. And all new SBA projects, they have to have a certain level of ricochet resistance to them um for safety reasons, >> right? And the man trap entrance is is bulletproof as well as the window glass behind it. >> There's one other concern. It's at ball games, right? You know, I know there's, you know, the back parking lot and you come in through the back door, is there somebody there that monitors that during the ball games? Because when I come in, there has been nobody there. You know, the doors open. just walk in. >> Yeah. And and that that's hard um because of the way school's built. So we have we have two parking lots. We have one
024in the back, one in the front. And usually for either a football game or basketball game, easier to park out back because that's closer to the gyms. Um so the way we have right now, the doors will be unlocked um after hours for extracurricular activities. So people will be getting in and out of buildings for practices and games. So, um I mean if you go to pretty much any basketball game or volleyball game, any other high school, you just walk through the front doors. Um it's I don't unless you but no there at each door. I don't know how you stop that. I mean I'd rather So right now the doors are open and that's just so we don't drop the doors. So they're all unlocked from four o'clock to 9:00. Um, but I don't
025know Monday through Friday, I don't know how often that door that that the gyms aren't being used, whether practices or ball games and whatnot. So, you know, right now we just just have them open and once volleyball season ends, then basketball season starts. So um the contractor did tell us that you know with the way the doors are and the hinges or the oil in the hinges and if leak is propped open and the spring starts to leak then in 30 40 days your your springs. So that's why it's important to keep them closed and not prop them open unlock them after hours. Hopefully with the new FBA project that we have some heat in there for the students feels more consistent. Um it won't be likeburg each classroom has their own individual unit. These
026will still run like um will still run um wings at a time. So three degrees they can change their classroom. They don't individual. So um professional development um we that will be so we we have a a PL day on the October 13th with faculty senate um each each school will have um their own designated things. I am taking a group um to Carsburg South and meet with BS Rice. We go over a training and new policies um that's set forth on the 13th. Um and we will continue to you know provide all the professional development for our staff um whether it's um for for those days. Um our next one is October 13th. So students will not be in school on the 13th of October, sorry, October. That is all I have for my
027update. Does anybody else have any question? >> Next item on the agenda is old business. Could I have a motion for item A? Do you have a second? >> Is there any discussion? Yeah, this is just a uh county parent family engagement policy which is what we're entitled to have. There was no comments on this policy but it's just correct to follow up for federal funds for family engagement. >> All those in favor say I. >> The next item is new business. Do I have a motion for items A through D? >> Exit US. >> Yeah. Um, we just added some things to our countywide handbook. So, we're So, we went to this approach last year. Instead of having each school have their own handbook, we went to countywide handbook. So, it's more universal and
028we're we're trying to keep the same language across all counties um at at the end of the year. Teachers and admin have input to um the handbook and then we update it um each year. Then C is um just all the the parent volunteers. So, every year um we you know we have to go through the training for all the parents be volunteer. Um and and you you should have a copy of the um countywide handbook for student handbook. It's also online. You can look at it. Um and these are just areusing virt. I Y >> um the next item is personnel items A and B. Do I have a motion? >> Do I have a second? >> Miss. >> Uh yeah. So, um two hirements here. So, Mr. White, congratulations um on being the
029high school math teacher um and filling that voy. Yeah, we will have a new uh math teacher. No, sorry, Matt. You are the math teacher now. Usually teacher at Arnold and Pleasant Hill. Um that would be going back and forth. Um there going to be some substitute um aids. We're hiring Jason Swearen as our mechanic take over for Jaden. So same family, a little bit more experience um and Jason. So, that would be a good fit for there. And, uh, Robert Pennington, I don't know if you met him yet, but he is a our new middle school wrestling coach. He also teaches, uh, social studies on the middle school side. So, it's a nice fresh light um, for the middle school side. Um and that and um whereas coach uh Joseph Helm will be the
030new middle school basketball coach um for the middle school. >> So Amy um is this much like what she's doing during the >> Yeah. So when we have some students who need to take certain program um she will work um work with those kind Do I have any other questions? >> All those in favor say I. >> I would need a motion to go into executive session for sponsor review 2024-25- oz. All those in favor say I. I executive session of 557. What's that mean? All right. Um, so my recommendation for exposure review 24-25-01, um, you will return to school on October 1st. will placed in a small classroom sele. You will be expected to follow all rules. Any level three or level four offenses will be brought back and forth in front of the
031board for expulsion. That is my recommendation. >> You've heard the recommendation of the superintendent. Do I have a motion for that recommendation? >> Do I have a second? >> Second. Is there any other discussion hearing? None. All those in favor say I. I. Oppos. That motion car. That brings us to the end of our agenda. So I will adjourn at 6:20. >> Okay. Our next meeting is October 14th session at Arnold Elementary. And then the board meetings will start right after that. So we will start LSIC meetings next month. I >> need to call you and ask you where is that next meeting? >> Arnoldsburg in a room now just Arnold Elementary. So Jimmy, you can drive by 11.