Board Meeting Regular Session - 10/13/2025

001[Music] [Laughter] [Music] Good evening everybody. The Mer County Board of Education is back in session. We had some earlier uh hearings and we are back in regular session now. It is October 13, 2025 and it is just a little past 6:00 pm. All board members are present except for except for Justinda S. Smith and we knew she wasn't going to be able to make it this evening. So with that, let's stand and recite the pledge, please. I 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. >> I'm way ahead of you. Way ahead of you. Before we proceed forward, I wanted to take a moment to remember one of our own who has left

002us. Unfortunately, Miss Miller, after a very valiant and difficult fight, Kim Miller struggled with uh with cancer, the bane of our all all of our existence. Uh she did it uh with her head up and and as positively as she could. She was a she was like what I like to describe as a as a u a warrior when it came to public schools. She she fought the good battle. She wasn't afraid to go in to the tough places. She wasn't afraid of the challenges. Uh she met them headon. She did it with integrity. She did it with honor. uh she did it with the single goal of trying to make sure that all children got the best possible education they could get from from her and the people that were that reported to her

003and Mercer County schools generally. Uh it's been a while since I'd spoken to her, but she the last time I spoke to her, she was intent on battling and succeeding and she was going to do her best. Uh and she did. uh she's uh not with us anymore and uh but she has moved on to to a better place and I'd like to take a moment for everybody to uh to take a a prayer or your thoughts whatever your preference is to just think about her and and uh her family. Uh they need our support and uh we should offer it whenever in whatever way we can. But, uh, she was a she was a good public school educator and administrator, and they're they're hard to find now, as we all know. It's getting challenging

004to get new people in, and when you lose someone that's so good and still young, uh, it's just it's just awful. So, on on behalf of Mercer County Schools, we express our deepest sympathies to the family. Um, to to anyone that's affected by cancer in any way. uh continue to fight your battles uh and we will uh pray for you. So let's have a moment of silence, please. Thank you. >> We're on to board recognitions. >> Yes, sir. Our favorite part of any board meeting is when we get the opportunity to recognize um staff, students or community members uh for their service or outstanding accomplishments within our school system. Our first uh board recognition this evening is 110% club. Melrose Elementary School is proud to recognize Trish Long, a grandparent volunteer who is an essential

005member of the Melrose Elementary School community. Miss Long is always helping to ensure that cars in the parent loop are moved to areas where there is no traffic holding up Eid's Mill Road traffic. By doing this, when students go out for pickup, they're able to safely load into cars all at once without worrying about moving vehicles. She arrives early to be able to help ensure student safety. She has done this for multiple years. We appreciate her for helping us have a safe and successful pickup each day at Melrose Elementary School. Trish Long, grandparent, volunteer at Melrose. [Applause] We're together. You never know, right? She has always been >> really [Applause] Okay, we are now going to move on to certificates of achievement for Mercer County 4. The following Mercer County 4 youth participated in the

006Mercer County 4 visual presentation, a public speaking contest and then competed in one at the state level. And we're going to call them up as a group. Benjamin Wamsley, Graceland Turner, Paige Fox, Marshall Fox, Olivia Brown, and Luke Brown. [Applause] Turn around. >> All right, come on up and get it. While we're taking pictures, show me what you got like about What's your favorite part? What's your favorite? You got a favorite? Any other such a great program would love to support it so much for our students to take the opportunity because the ones that don't do it miss an opportunity. We want everybody to particip It helps you grow. It enriches you and it does all the wonderful things that we want our young people to do. So you go some may not know yet

007and that's okay. What you want to do when you get older like you >> Okay. Okay. Well, it's all right. You got a lot of time. We'll figure it out. But we are so here tonight and we want to congratulate you for all you do and all your efforts. Keep having fun and keep going for us. Okay. >> All right. [Applause] And if we can get Luke Brown and Paige Fox to come back up, they um were invited to participate in the Northeast Region SpeakUp virtual presentation contest hosted by Cornell University. So, Luke Brown and Paige Fox. >> She owes you as a Oh, that's awesome. region includes New York and Boston. >> Congratulations. [Applause] The following Mercer County 4H youth were recognized for their photography being selected for display in the West Virginia State

0084 photography contest at the state fair of West Virginia. Laura Mitchum and Isabella Mitchum. We have him. They're not here. >> Yes. [Applause] The following Mercer County Youth Livestock Club members have also achieved great success this year for their hard work in showing their animals at both the Mercer County Fair and the State Fair of West Virginia. Emerson Pew, Colton How and Benjamin Blamsley. [Applause] I can >> what kind of livestock >> and sheep awesome milk today. >> So when somebody asks you guys where hamburger comes from, you don't look at them and go to the grocery store, do >> you? >> All right, guys. Congratulations. [Applause] The runner up to the reserve grand champion at the state fair of West Virginia is Emerson Pew. So, come back up. Emerson Pew. [Applause] [Laughter] for your

009hard work. Keep going. Keep going. >> The highest honor that can be achieved in the West Virginia 4 program is the West Virginia 4 Allstars. The following were inducted in that program this year. Abby Hedrickk, Isabella Mitchum, and Kathy Easley. [Applause] >> What do you want to be when you grow up? We really appreciate you taking >> West Virginia. real, >> but I've been here over 30 years. >> Yes. >> The Western Virginia 4 program recognized several exceptional adult volunteers for their dedication and service. We have Tracy Richmond, West Virginia State 4 leader of the year. Sandra Fox, outstanding Western Union 4 club leader. and Carol Bailey, exceptional civic engagement. [Applause] And you're doing this volunteer, right? very highly of your charact. I would like to present I'd like to present a 4 certificate to

010Mercer County schools for your continued support of the total 4 program through funding space access program and also to Mr. [Applause] Thank you. >> It's such a meaningful program. We really appreciate everybody involved. and we're glad that the students are doing so well. So, I always say it at this point of the meeting, we would love to have you stay. You're welcome to stay. If you want to watch how local government works, you can stay. But if you're going to leave, now's the time to go. So, we'll take a brief recess. Good. >> Yeah. At least >> Anybody know that before that Emerson goes to school? >> I don't I don't think we said where she went to school. >> No, we didn't. She looks like the girl I read to >> her dad's detective

011for police department. >> Oh, cool. >> Pew. Detective Pew. >> You going to catch her? >> Let me see if I can catch her real quick. Yes, sir. >> There you go. We ready to come back >> after a brief recess to allow people to go home and do their things because kids got to get baths and go to school tomorrow. So, we'll move on with our agenda. Um, superintendent's opening remarks. >> Yes, sir. President Purich and members of the board. There's several documents that I put in um in your packet that I laid on your on your desk there that um Dr. Atkins and Mrs. Mitchell will go over also, but superintendent Blad on October 3rd sent a letter of the system systematic approach to tiered instruction support for the 202526 school year and

012that's for through the generative uh summitive assessment and the West Virginia balance scorecard and it includes all the names of Mercy County that are either a CSI school ATSI ATS and ex exiting the um CSI schools. Now, follow me for a minute. If you want, you got Dr. or Miss Michelle Blat's letter that you and then Dr. Rakkins and Miss Mitch will go over that later, >> right? >> But here's your schools. We put this together for you right here, which schools are what and a definition of those. And then you have the State Department email after that page that has every list of every school that's on there. So that gives you an idea of where we're at, where we need to go and what we're working on. So again, the exiting schools, if

013you look at that, you have Blue Well, you have Mercer, um, Princeton Middle, and Straley. And remember, they've been on u the watch through the state department on that CSI and doing some things there. So after the three years, they're on their way being out doing well. Yeah. >> So I wanted to show you that. So that document there and we'll go in more detail also. This here I sent an email to you. This document wasn't sent to us. I saw it in the Parkersburg news and we got a general letter from the state superintendent about where we were. And this is the whole uh office accountability, the county status and accreditation. And again, if you look at that through the balance scorecard indicator, do you remember not long ago we had personnel where they

014said they really didn't know why we had personnel? I look back to Dr. Philipek, it was a little different. Correct. And then we had before that we had transportation and again >> don't know why and got some questions there. So, right now we have just the only thing that we're uh on watch indicator is our attendance did go up. Uh uh Russell Lipincot and uh Mandy and Miss Donna Brown uh Miss Aliff uh sorry, but uh they're here. Russell cannot be here tonight, but we will give you monthly updates on attendance at every board meeting to do those things there so we can show you where we're making our gains and doing some things there. If uh Mrs. Mitchell has some information she'll show you where we're already ahead of a schedule of last year

015of through documentation and doing some things there. So, I just wanted to share that a high county and Hampshire were the only ones with no finding. Remember, we were close to that each year. And I think uh again, we're one of 19 with that on watch. And if you look at that, I just wanted to share that gives you some other ideas of what uh what's out there. And I thought that was a valuable tool to go over through my information and also touch again through 2322 that's documented in the minutes where the office accountability is watching our board meetings and doing all those things there. Sure. >> This covers all that and also part of my goals that you guys set forth to me also. Yes. >> Uh I want to let you know

016Mike Mlanahan we are starting uh session four uh Friday or Wednesday and then we do the follow-ups and we have a total of six sessions there. Those have been uh very uh good and interesting. If you're more than welcome to come by and they're 9 to 11 uh and that' be Wednesday. We have a student discipline hearing on um hearings at the seminar center uh special board meeting for employee discipline on October 16th at 11. Administrative meeting has changed to Friday uh October 17th at 8:30. And also u I had Mr. uh pretty signed my goals and we approved those just over uh I don't know less than a month ago maybe and I wanted to go over those and you got some updates that I can be able to give to you along with

017u all the employee goals out of our office have to be uh signed and mutual agreed upon before November 1st. So we're finalizing those of uh I know I can say out loud Mrs. Mitchell and Dr. Atkins we're working on those. I got them in hand. Just a matter of reviewing. Several of the other staff were working on those and uh I will get those in the next few days. So I just want to share that information with you. And uh I believe that's it, Mr. Kich, unless you have any other questions with me. But those those guys will go into that a little deeper if you need. And uh again, we put 2322 on the agenda since I came here to Mercer County. And again, it's a part of uh that documentation that the

018state's looking at making sure we're working on school improvement and teaching and learning. So, got you. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> We have some citizens input this evening. Uh Daniel Hodgers. Hello board members. My name is Jesus. I'm the president of education West Virginia Mercer County. I'm speaking tonight to reiterate our request for a work session to resolve the issues that Delhi and others have spoken about numerous times to this board. And we would like to ask that a date for that be set in the very near future. Thank you. >> Thank you. We're going to be scheduling a work session later this evening once we get a date for everybody. >> Um, okay. >> Policy 2322. >> Mr. Mitchell or Dr. Atkins, either one. Okay. The first thing that um we have

019is Dr. um Atkins and I both have our um comparison of the Where is my paper? Hold on a minute. Amber asked me what I was doing while ago when I was putting all this stuff all over the place. There it is. Back page. We've got our uh balance scorecard uh comparison. And of course, mine would be for the middle and high schools. And um if you look at that, you can see what the like the top the very first one, the ELA achievement, you can see that um we had 48.2% 2% um proficient in middle school last year at Bluefield Middle and this year it's we've made a little progress. We're at 40.3. Each of those um that were in the yellow have remained in the yellow um for the English language arts. If

020you look at the math, you can see where we have made some improvement and and while we still have red and and colors we don't necessarily want, we are at least making some progress with it. Um, we our attendance is much better and I've got that to show you too than what we first had thought it might be for the first month report. But with this balance scorecard, this is what we've looked at to compare the English language arts and math from the um two years or from the the back last year and then what we've got this year from our state and I think Dr. has the elementary part of of that. Um, too many questions about it. I have it broken down better even than that with that's what these are and these

021are the beginning of the year results for um I Ready in the middle schools and U mastery prep in the high schools so that you can see better individually of the schools where we are right now. Dr. Atkins is going to give that to you all as well. um we are making some improvements, but we've also used this data to figure out what we need to do next and where we're going with it. In saying that, as he's passing those out, um I can tell you that on the um I Ready and the Mastery Prep, we've already been visiting in schools. We're doing instructional rounds as a pilot and that's where you go in and instead of observing and and coming up with um information on the teacher and their part in it, we go

022in and look at the student and exactly what the student is doing. Are they engaged? Are you know are they asking questions? I think that's going to be a big plus for us this year. Uh we will actually go to Oakill on the 28th of this month. We're piloting with them. So they will give us some tips. They did it last year. This is their second year in it. But it really I went over to Bluefield with them when they did the Bluefield High School. And an administrator goes with you and you walk around to the classes and you honestly go in and look at what the kids are doing. And we kind of have a um a rubric to look at, you know, what their involvement is. Some of them may be doing different

023things, but are they still engaged because they're doing something different in the class? Are they sleeping? Are we having to wake them up? And I think that's very beneficial as well. Thank you, Dr. Atkins. Um, we have already had a FAFSA night, um, which has been a big plus. We're doing SAT meetings through Gear Up. Um, and along with the Mastery Prep, we've had boot camps at each of the high schools where we brought in a trainer. Uh, I I went over to Pike View one of the days they were over there and uh, the kids were very engaged. They had about 30 kids in the classroom or in the media center. They were working along with the presenter and it was great to see them being interested in what they were doing. Um I

024can also tell you that because of attendance we tried to do um some little incentives. Miss Webb, who's been very very essential for us with the gear up, had it the kids knew if they came every day, their name went in for a drawing to win prizes. If they were participating, they could win prizes. So, we were trying to do things to get them excited about being there, but also to participate in what we were doing. Um so you've got the beginning of the year of course for math and um reading language arts and again one's for I ready which is the middle schools and the other one is for um the high schools with mastery prep and of course with mastery prep we don't have anything to go on with it. So um we'll

025start um doing our baseline for it from last year forward. Excuse me. The other thing that I have that I'd like to share >> I'm sorry. Yes. >> No. Um, what is a realistic goal on benchmark countywide? >> I'm not talking about what would be great if I mean everybody get 1600. It's not happening. >> Right. Right. >> What I'm asking is what is a reasonable goal countywide for MLA for us to look at and go we're getting where we need to be. I think a two and a half% increase each year. That's what the state is looking for in the math and reading language arts. Um, and I think we can do that. I mean, I think with what we're doing, we can achieve that. I'd like to say we can do even higher,

026but I think, you know, the reality is this mastery prep, this is just the second year of it. Um, >> so what I I get the growth model. >> Okay. What I'm asking you is let's say three years from now, what should what should the number be? What should our goal be? A thousand, 950, 900. What it what's the number we're shooting for? >> Okay, I gotcha. Um >> I would say I'm going to look back at my people because they they've kept their >> do what? >> Yeah, Ashley can tell you probably exactly where we are now. Anyway, >> I think if we can if when we're able to disagregate this by grade level, which um Mrs. Mitchell and Mr. Toman will tell you, we've had some growing pains with Mastery Prep the past

027month as far as the way they've changed their platform. We thought it was going to be more user friendly. It really hasn't been more user friendly >> because the numbers we're getting are I had to hand do everything today. And when I say hand do, I'm not saying a calculator. I used Excel to do it. But um I think a logical uh goal really depends on the grade level. Um I think if we can look at somewhere around 8 900 for our 9th graders moving up at least 50 points every year. I think that would be logical. Um, I'd love for all of our schools to be at a thousand or more in 11th grade. Um, we were very close to that with with two of our high schools last year, even on the actual

028SAT. So, I do think that's doable. Um, I just think we have to use all of the things that are being brought to the table, the instructional rounds, um, the strategies from Mr. Kishnik and and everything and put those all together to make this action. >> And we had Weston Kishnik here today. He was at Princeton High School with the cohort um doing activities and um each of the high schools sent so many of their people that have started out with the cohort and he's got some wonderful ideas. I mean the things he's he's saying if they're going back and doing these things then they're going to see they're going to see improvement. And I think they are. I mean, Gail Gail probably is Gail there. She's There she is. Gail and Jenny have done

029a lot with um this Weston Kishnik. I didn't know who he was when we first started this back last spring, but um he gives very realistic examples of what things they can do to keep kids engaged and to increase test scores and to show them how to um if they're taking a test, how to eliminate certain things. I mean, it's it's practical information. Gail, do you want to say anything about it? Gail's who first got us started as far as looking into Weston. All I can add is that he offers 21 strategies to increase student engagement and today the teachers uh participated in Socratic seminar and problem solving. Last month we did reciprocal teaching and his strategies are phenomenal. In fact, it makes me want to go back into the classroom. Um, tomorrow we are

030going to actually spend the day observing Blue High School and Montcom High School and he observes for 10 for 20 minutes. He um debriefs for 10 minutes with the team that goes in with him and then he coaches for 10 minutes with the teachers. So they received that immediate feedback and honestly today they were so excited because we're going to Bluefield and Montcom tomorrow and Pike View raised their hand. They're all like when can you come with us? It's the first time I've seen teachers excited about being observed >> because they >> Well, we had a teacher that exceptional teacher who's retiring this year who we hate to see leave us, but they've been planning this for a while and they've built a home in another state and she said to me today, "If we

031hadn't already built that home, >> we wouldn't be going anywhere. I would stay." She said, "He's got me so excited about new ideas and new ways of doing things." And it's just a different way of thinking of how they're presenting. Don't you think more than anything teaching the teachers how >> there I I told Mr. Bailey, Mr. Bailey came by today and I told Mr. Bailey and we had I had a teacher say this to me. He said, "This is the first time I've ever received professional development that I can go into my classroom tomorrow and implement this." So, I it's >> it's great. That's all I can say. It's just I think that if if the teachers will learn this and the goal is for these cohort teachers to be able to coach other

032teachers in the county on the strategies and all the teachers receive the strategies. We bought those pocket PDS and the book for all the teachers. So yeah, I think it will definitely help if they implement it with fidelity. And I think just the things since last year when I first started in this position to now that we've added that, you know, I think we're going to see more growth because of that. The mastery prep, um, I know they've been doing our ready, but we're hitting that harder. We've got these boot camps, we're doing, you know, parent nights for engagement with them, these instructional rounds. All of those things are new within the last year. So when we do the I Ready benchmark at the beginning of the year, which these are these numbers, right? >>

033Yes. >> If you're a fifth grader, is that a beginning of fifth grade test? >> Yes. >> Okay. So it's what we would expect a fifth grader to know at the beginning of the year, >> right? It's what we would expect them to know. >> And so a lot of that is fourth grade material. A lot of it's in it is it's you know that kind of review of what you had the year before and then moving you into >> and and Dr. Vaughn probably can answer this better because she's the data guru. It looks like we have a ton in yellow like we did last year. >> Uh >> yes, >> not as many in green but actually quite a few in green. uh particularly in the LA, but it looks like we're doing

034that thing again last year where we we start uh call it learning loss. Summertime's over, kids take a little while to get back in things. And I mean, the goal is to get them in the green. the goal at at the beginning of the year if they are school scoring early on grade level they are where a student should be >> you know starting fifth grade or whatever grade level to move forward >> right >> um you know what I have in front of me is just the sixth through eight and um you know as soon as we can see as soon as the data is reported one two or three grade levels below. We see that um you I'm sure you have what um my information is or something similar. Um what is alarming

035is the number of students in red. um especially in math because um you look at you know basic facts and being able to apply that information to um algebra and higher order thinking and um it's hard to move forward in the content when they're that far behind. So, um we are looking at ways to not necessarily catch up, but you know, teachers used to have a a very, um hard line on using calculators if you didn't know your facts. Well, guess what? You can use a calculator on the the state test now. So, people have relaxed about that. I mean, you're always going to have a calculator with you. We talked about that today with uh Mr. Kishnik. you know, we're one of the only countries that we don't allow the students to use the

036tools. You know, he gave us an assignment this morning and he said, "Well, why didn't you all Google it?" Didn't think about it. You know, you you gave us a task. We started in on it. So, um that is definitely a concern for us in secondary just um especially looking at sixth grade, how many are coming in um two to three grade levels below because we don't have those interventionists um at the secondary level the way they do in elementary. >> And I one of the things that we've done that's been interesting in in going around to these schools um is one of the things we're looking for now is the depth of knowledge where kids are. And I think most all of us would agree that when we see where we are right now

037at the beginning of the year in classrooms, um we're looking at the depth of knowledge as a one, some twos, and we've got to get these kids bumped up to three. So we're telling the teachers this is where they are and this is what they need to be so that we're providing them some instructional strategies on how to get the kids there so that we're not just >> recruited to ask Miss Vaughn um about about these numbers and and we I remember last year's beginning of the year and then end of the year and it we saw an improvement all the time but when he asked her about this one here that talks about where what number should we trying to achieve. >> Um, and I think they're, as she said, we we hope, we

038think, we pray that they're they're doable. >> But when you've got in in um reading, you've got anywhere from 24 to 49% of students behind in what three or more grade levels in math. Anywhere from 16 to 45% are in that same number. How do how do we do we have do you teachers people have the resources to help get even if you move a kid from red to yellow I mean that's a home run. >> Yes. >> And to move on from yellow to green I mean that's a grand slam. But do we do you have the resources and and the the training and and everything to help those kids get there? I mean, we spend lots of money. >> I believe we have the resources. It's it's having the buy in from everybody

039and have having that cohesiveness. Um, that of course is always the hard part. We can we can't just throw money at it and expect it to get better. >> Um, we have we do have resources and we do we did see growth last year, right? Um, but it's not necessarily going to be the growth to catch them up to on grade level or, you know, master. >> Not somebody that's three or four grade levels behind. >> No. But, um, at the same time with sixth through 8th grade, we do, you know, we get points, per se. We get credit for moving them up incrementally. Um, you know, we only test one time in high school, so we we don't have that same measurement. But, um, I I think going back, I was very pleased with

040the growth we saw with SAT um, and Mastery Prep last year. The biggest thing was the boot camps. People love those. People loved using the bell ringers that we purchased inside the platform. Um so ju just taking a different pro approach and I think that is what we're trying to do but the entire secondary team is not only are we changing our mindset we're encouraging everybody to go along. We we had a question today about the walkthrough form. Um Mr. Kishnik thought it was going to be a little bit of push back and I said wait a minute let's talk about this. We're changing the way we come in do walkthroughs. So, we need you to change your mindset about when we do come in because a lot of times people think it's a gotcha

041or, you know, they have all of these tools thrown at them. Um, we're just trying to use them in the most effective ways. >> So, yes, the tools are there. >> I hate to be a broken record this way, but I'm going to go ahead and do it anyway because I truly believe it's true. So it looks to me like sixth grade, maybe fifth grade, sixth grade, seventh grade, eighth grade, nth grade, 10th grade are suffering the bad choices made during CO when it comes to math. Those fundamental they should have been getting in those years. >> That's that group of kids. >> That group of kids, we got to find a way to reach them with the math skills that they need >> u to function in society. And and I and and with

042all due respect to algebra teachers, which I think is very important, uh, as the twins like to say, I didn't use any algebra today, Dad. Um, they need to be able to do basic functions and understand money and be able to do estimates in your head real quick when you're thinking, I think they charged me too much. Um, so because the reality of it is, and we have to live in the world we live in and not the one we want to live in, is if you're in the 11th grade and you're three years behind, we got to get you some skills that you can use when you graduate because we're not going to catch you up. >> Not with the resources we have available. If it was if they changed the rules for us

043and let us do what we wanted, we probably could catch them up, but they're not going to let us do that. Um, they being Charleston and Washington. Uh so we have to figure out a way in my opinion to get them the skills they need to function in society and not worry so much in that cohort about their scores because the reality of it is is that's going to work itself out as we get away from COVID and we our kids are back in school and they're in school all day and they're in the real school, not the the the fake school that we had in CO. Um, so one of the things I would suggest and and the state department probably wouldn't like it and that is is is focusing on on the math

044that the the these people are going to need to function. And if we take a ding because they don't rocket in algebra 2, but they understand math and life better, then we succeeded because I still think the best measure of success is how do they function when they leave school. >> I agree. And I will tell you, having been at the tech center, you know, I always go back to my beloved tech center, but I learned very quickly that we have kids here at the tech center that will never have to worry about the algebra or geometry because they either have the technology for what they're using and and that'll take care of it for them. Or they know the basic facts and if we don't get back to some of those basics, I mean,

045we can't expect a kid to do algebra if they can't do basic math. So I think I mean I think that is very true. I think these walkthroughs that we're doing now and telling them where these kids are is going to give them some insight too as to each child what you know we everybody that need the exact same thing. We're not >> Dr. Bond's comment about calculator is so very true. It is >> the mindset that I grew up with was you need to be able to say 8* 7 56 just like that. >> You don't have to do that. >> I look at young people and they go wow thank you. Now, let me show you. 8 * 7 is 56 and show me on the phone. It's like, I understand how math

046works, but I don't need to do that in my head anymore. >> Well, and we're seeing them use that Desimos calculator that was purchased, and that's it's a mathemat it's for math, and they know how to plug those numbers in, and it was neat to watch them when we're doing that. So, I think we're on the right track. I think, Jim, going back to what you said, I think a lot of it is that we take what we've got. I think we have plenty of resources, but that we're taking them and that we're providing some direction and guidance and then the teachers are using that and not just putting it >> Greg's point too, you know, we're all this stuff that we're getting is is is accumulated and then we're we're we as a county

047and educational system are graded on that and and I understand all that, but you've got you've got 49% of kids that are three or more grade levels behind in English >> and that kid gets promoted up. >> Well, now that's one Don't make it sound like it's a whole county. That's just one. >> No, that's just that's just one one class. I understand, but regard >> it's an accumulation of those schools kind of like an average. But regardless of what it is, wouldn't it be better to if you identify those kids to be able to kind of pull them out and work with them? I know that. But then the teacher still has the curriculum that the state requires and Mr. Tolman requires you all to require your your administrators and your teachers. I mean,

048how >> that's one of the things that every single middle school is doing. Um, we started doing that last year and everybody to some level, but this level or this year, every single middle school is doing some type of response to intervention. Um, the walk to intervention, all of those things you've heard. Um, they're looking at how the students are scoring on um, I Ready, like at this beginning of the year diagnostic, they're grouping kids. If I already will tell you instructional groupings, it will tell you this group of kids, they are missing this block. So that's what they're doing. They're putting some strong teachers in to do some reteing in those specific skill sets. And um like I said, that's that's countywide at every single middle school. >> Good. >> Okay, let's move on.

049Go ahead. I could I I'm the educator here, but help me defi on a balanced scorecard define or differentiate achievement versus progress. >> Achievement is looking at your proficiency, >> where you are. >> Okay, where you are. The um progress is your growth from year to year. It's a growth measurement. >> When they're measuring progress, are they looking at a group of kids and staying with that same group of kids, or are they talking about ninth grade this year versus ninth grade next year? >> We're talking about last year's fourth graders to them as fifth graders. >> So, it's an actual >> Yeah. following that those cohorts. >> Okay. That's Thank you, Ashley. I mean, I like like I said, I'm the one that should know that. >> Dr. >> Just what I have >>

050the other thing I think points to Greg's point. If you look at our English for a lot of for the most part, it's kind of steady. When you look at math, and I think it's exactly what Greg's pointing out, it's not steady and it starts and I I kind of agree that I feel like a lot of our students, parents, um, and others probably think that the math that like you're talking about is important and probably what they're being tested on here for how many kids we have in VOTE? Now, >> those kids may not think some of those things are so important and it's it's like raising your level of concern. Just throwing that out there. I think >> Oh, I I definitely think that the fact that we're testing junior year is not

051helping, >> right? >> Kids have gotten out of that. They've not tested since they were in middle school. So the kid who really doesn't necessarily want to go to college or it's important to them, you know, they've got nth grade and up through spring and 11th grade, they're not worrying about it. They don't care. And so I do think it's a different not only they don't care because it's not re they don't feel like it's relevant. I I mean I'm an educator and and I I love teaching math woven with science, >> but let's face it now. I kind of disagree on the trigonometry. I always thought that was useful. But but uh the algebra and some of those things, I mean, I took them all, but but I I I go to YouTube sometimes

052and just see if I can still do some of it. And most of it I can't. >> I still struggle with the some of the I'll do the same thing. I'll see a an algebraic equation and I'll go, I'm supposed to know how to do this. >> But when you read and most of us read, we can still understand what we're reading. That's not that's that's not the case with mathematics. >> Well, but you know, math does teach the argument I always make is it math helps with ma with logic and reasoning and thinking through problems. I mean, there's a lot of things that are secondary in math that are beneficial regardless. Uh but again, we always have to be mindful, particularly in elementary school, that the math part of the test is reading problems,

053not math problems. They're two different things. 368 times 425 is a math problem. John rode down the road at 40 miles an hour. Da da da is a reasoning English language math problem. They're two entirely different things, but our scores are coming from word problems, not math problems. So, it's not even really a good judgment of whether we actually know how to do math or not. >> To me, that's the part that's the most important. >> Well, I don't disagree with you, but if you if you're testing and saying this is how proficient your kid is in math, that's not actually what you're measuring. If you want to have a section that's for reasoning and and and problem solving, then have a section for that. But don't call it math. >> But it well maybe

054need a different name. But isn't that the way >> and I I think rightly so that we're going is moving to more of the thinking, the reasoning to be able to solve problems. In fact, math should be going to where they're asking the questions and trying to solve the problems rather than just doing multiplication and math and those type. >> The mathematics was all is a foundational uh experience. You have to have the basement before you put the first floor on versus the third floor. So, so in other words, you have to have it all to be to to reach the level of critical thinking you're talking about. You just have to know the basics and added things. >> That's why. >> So, I'm sorry we've got on a philosophical debate. That was my fault.

055I'm just looking at these test scores and I always look at this red. And keep in mind the test that we're using in high school is geared towards students that's going to college, not necessarily your plumbers or your HBAC guys and women or whatever. Just pointing that out when the public looks at this. >> Right. Mr. Tyr, >> cert. And I just wanted to also announce on Mrs. Mitchell that uh Drew Mlanahan from the office of uh accountability and support. We're looking to pilot two schools. That would be Bluefield Middle School and Princeton Middle School and they're coming uh going to work on uh Superintendent asked if we'd be interested in that. We said absolutely talked to both principles. So they'll be down to support that we'll have continued meetings and that support could be

056anything from leadership scheduling, student behavior, professional development, uh academic achievement and uh it'd be on-site visits to give us support. >> We never turn away support and resources. >> So I just want it to >> Okay. >> Let's go on to Dr. Atkins so we can >> Let me ask one more question. >> I'm not gonna stop you. Go ahead. Yeah, you made the comment earlier and and I heard it and I looked over across the room. If you've got if you've got people students that are three to four grade levels behind and they're in the ninth or tth grade and you know there's no way on God's green earth that we're going to get them up to grade level in a year to a year and a half. Is anything like this being looked

057at to really kind of suggest in a strong way that they look at the program the 32 programs that we have here at MCT? I mean, you know, you can't profile them, but at the same time, we want to do I think we need to do the best thing that that our judgment is to really help these kids. I mean, is that something that can even be thought? To me, those are conversations counselors need to have with with students when they come in. They need to say, you know, John, I love you, man. You're a great kid. You're smart, but you're not really going to go to college and be successful. And, you know, it that's I I I've heard people tell me, you can't say that. Well, I just did because we need to

058have those conversations. Yeah, >> we need to look at people and say, you know, this at the current situation you're in right now and on the glide path you're on, you need to really thinking about a career now that's in something other than than higher ed because uh what's the retention rate in higher ed these days? It's not great. >> No. Okay. >> I just one comment on that. Let's don't I agree with you pretty much. Let's don't go back to the days like when my wife was in high school and the guidance counselor told her, "You need to go into business. You're you're not going to be a college person." She made only one B. Everything else is straight A in college. So, we need to be careful about telling kids you can't do

059stuff. >> There's a difference between telling someone that's on grade level that and telling someone that's in the ninth grade and they're three grade levels behind that. There are two different situations entirely. You don't ever foreclose a kid being able to go far beyond what you think they might. But we also have an obligation to make sure when they graduate high school that they have some skills to make out in the world. >> Also going back 20 years like pushing people really smart people that could go to college. Like I I'll pick on one of the famous guys. He came to our advisor. He's very intelligent. He could have easily went to college and probably been very successful, but he chose a career in the trades because that's what he enjoyed. So getting away from

060that stigma, oh, you don't do well in school. You must do a trade. That that's not >> that's kind of >> that's not good either. That's putting us back 20 years ago when we're the votech and only the kids that are not doing good. We're trying to break that. >> Well, and and thank you for thank you for correcting me because you're right. break. >> You're right. But we still have a cohort of students that we need to >> we need to offer some we need to offer some hope to >> we don't want we don't want them >> dropping out being successful. >> There are other options. That's I guess the way best way to put it. If you're not being successful, let's look at where you can be. >> I know we used

061to we do the ASFAB >> and some of these other things. It's not just your mental abilities. It may be where your interests lie. remember we had we had a test I remember in school that cuz I was lost did not have a clue when the kids up here said they didn't know what they were I I hadn't a clue so guidance counselor pulled me in gave me the test and I never will forget it is this big round thing and had all these careers look like and guess where I was at dead center that dead center >> yeah you do whatever you want to do basically not it didn't point out anything so >> then you chose this Yes. Well, no, it chose me. I didn't choose it because of my eyes, but uh

062>> but I like Daniel what you're pointing out. >> You can be successful in a lot of different things. >> Well, we talked about it last meeting. The the next group of millionaires are going to be trades people. >> That's going to be the ones. I mean, that's already you already see it in Mercer County. You're already seeing the people in the HBAC and the plumbing and electrical and construction. They're the ones that are doing well. >> Um Dr. Atkins. So, let's move over to Dr. Atkins. Now, >> thanks. >> I will start with the the balance scorecard. I didn't do a year-over-year um comparison, but I did give you a chart of this year for all the elementarymentaries and included that comparison to district and state and and overall we are pleased. And Mr.

063Godfrey, you're right. I mean, it's with achievement and progress. It is almost an algebraic equation to determine those things. and it is um above the percentage of proficient, but we're we're pleased with the growth that they that they've had. And as you can see there, there's not much red and the the situations where we have red. We're providing additional assistance and support. Um and some of that is in the form of CSI that I'll talk about just in in a few minutes. But any questions about the balance scorecard? I just would note that there's a lot of asterisks that say higher than the state. >> Yes, sir. That >> lot there's a lot of asterisks. Um that is true and uh I appreciate Amy Harrison made this chart and she added that asterisk and we

064do have you know that is our goal and I think I mentioned last meeting we had a round table with those schools that were you know at or above state and just shared some best practices and then we've shared that across all schools and uh a lot of common sense type things but sometimes it's good to share those ideas and we have a lot of things we're trying to do consistently across all all elementaryaries. Mr. Atkins, >> I'm think I already know this, but on the balance scorecard sheet on the other side, the Mercer County is that is a combination of what grade levels? >> All of them. All measured. >> Huh? >> It's all It's all measured. So 38 38 and 11. 3 through eight and 11. >> Three through eight. >> Yeah, because

065that's the Yes, sir. Yeah, that's the the tested grades. So that would be for that's our district score. And again, our overall balance scorecard, as Mr. Toman said, is excellent. We uh you know, if if we didn't have the little ding on attendance, we'd be one of three out of 55. >> Can I ask something that Yes, sir. It's kind of obvious when I'm looking at this, the state's in the red on attendance. Why are we on watch? Shouldn't the state be on watch? >> We we are in on watch together. >> Yeah, that's one of the state schools also. I mean, that's the biggest problem with attendance is is >> we can't walk into houses and drag kids out and put them in a classroom. >> We have to have help with the parents

066and the >> right and I'm sure that uh that Mrs. AF and Miss Brown are going to talk some about that at some point, but I think they have some really good ideas. And um if you look at the comparison sheet like this first year, first month this year compared to first month last year is much much improved. Um, you know, I think there's a variety of things there, but I do think we're on the right track and they have some really good ideas and that'll obvious that's for attendance for elementary. You know, they've they've done the principles and teachers have done a good job, but you know, it's about climate and culture more than anything. It's about children wanting to come to school. Uh, you know, the the punitive part really isn't that successful.

067and they they've done a nice job, but we still when I met with each principal, they included that in their uh leadership goal is, you know, continue to focus on reducing chronic attendance. You know, we don't want that to become on the back burner and every student in grades K through five have their own individual data notebook um where they keep up with their own I Ready, their own GSA if they have that. And also, uh attendance and the attendance is simple as having 18 squares on a piece of paper because that's how many days you can miss. without being chronic. >> For people listening, what is the definition of attendance? >> That's that's a great question. Um, we are measured on chronic attendance, which means a student cannot miss more than 10% of the

068school year, which is 18 days more greater than 18 days because there's 180 days in the school year. So that means that 20.4% means we had that percentage of students that missed more than 18 days in the school year. And that is how we are measured on the balance scorecard. and and the the state doesn't care if they're chronically absent because of >> medical issues. >> It doesn't matter if it's excused or unexcused. It's just days out >> and what's considered a attended school day at this point? I thought didn't they just change it about three or four years ago? In other words, how are you marked? >> They they only they only do half days and full days. >> Mhm. They had talked about Russell and I think we were thankful because it'd be

069so difficult to manage quarter days and three/4er days and things like that and they're not. Yeah. >> Yes sir. >> Okay. >> On the I Ready data um I do and again this is you know this is just baseline. This is BOI. Um, you know, we're we're happy with the amount of yellow that you can see there. And, you know, they are correct that the the middle school cohort right now is largely a co affected group, but we are continuing to see stronger groups as we move up. And, you know, we're not benefiting that, getting the benefit of that. But, uh, the middle schools had great growth, um, last year, you know, in on, um, I Ready and on on GSA. you know, they they've done a lot with a group that's hard to to

070have that growth. Um, I will point out the the percentages of yellow. Those are kids that are only one grade level behind, and that's not a bad place to be. You know, that's somewhere where you can get caught up. Um, within this school year, and last year, one thing we found was particularly on the math side, we had very, very large swats of yellow on the GSA. And when the principles and the teachers looked at that more closely, they were one or two points away from being on grade level. So, we really feel like that we have a a large uh group of potential there. Um, you know, just remember that we do have a new math curriculum and Mr. Hodgees is correct. You know, we've been working with mathematical mindsets for three years, I

071think, and the building thinking classrooms and the new math program aligns directly with that. We have that same program K8 and last year was the first year of implementation. Really expect to see um you know some ongrade level performance this year. We had large groups of yellow last year and each year the the groups are getting stronger. The third grade success act has has really made a difference and it's really improved our student performance and this year our bi third grade and I hear this from teachers the data says it and I hear it from principles strongest group we've had in a very very long time and so in those kids were only under those strategies for first and second next year it'll be the first group that has had that since they were in

072school and uh we really feel like that it'll be producing a stronger foundation for moving forward and then they're not walking into um you know the upper grades being that far behind and of course you know students that are two or more grade levels behind you know that includes all students that includes some students that have learning disabilities and things like that but we are measuring incremental growth each one of those colors I think Dr. Von alluded to that is you know each one of those colors it's a step there's divided in three we don't have to move from red to yellow or yellow to green there you can move up an increment within and I'm talking about the GSA now I bounced around a little bit there I'm sorry but that we count for

073our growth and our progress on the balance scorecard >> well when you when we looked at the balance scorecard some of those are literally a student or two away from being in the next level >> sure >> in some of those schools you're looking at you're like wow that that that yellow bar is almost completely full which means they were just >> you're getting there >> just barely away so we are on the right glide path >> lot lot of potential there for sure questions on I already >> I'm just making sure you're all good >> no I just I just want to answer any questions that I can um no no Amy I'm on uh I'm going to go to CSI and talk about that just a little bit for for everyone. And um

074we did make a little definition of what those are and that's in that's somewhere you all have that. But anyway, the uh true red CSI schools, that's the uh comprehensive improvement schools. Um I will note that to be identified as a a CSI school, you have to be title one. So that would be only elementary and then um this year we do have bluefield middle but they were not title one during this designation period and the reason that is is the supporting funds are ran through title one and federal programs. So, our two identified schools are Mountain Valley for the subgroup of special ed, special ed, and Bluefield Intermediate School for the subgroup of multi-racial. And it explains, I won't read all of this to you, but it explains there how how that is looked

075at. It's if they do not make progress in that subgroup um in certain areas over time. And I won't read it and I will let you read that and we can talk about that a little bit more. The ATS guys, those are ATSI schools are um the additional target support schools and we have one there which is Montcom high school for special education and if what that means orange means that if they were a title one funded school they would be a CSI school. So, um I know that Miss Mitchell is going to plan to do additional supports >> um for that school. And then the third group, the ATS schools, that's additional target supports. If you look at the top there, it talks about the others are red in multiple years in ELA or

076math achievement and not making adequate progress. When you got to the yellow, they even included uh or a yellow on the student's success. So what the feds require is that you have to have 5% of your schools identified. So to get to that number, they had to move up to a yellow designation. We do have make sure I have a seven schools that are on that designation and uh some of them may surprise you because they're the highest achieving schools in the district. But again, these are looking at subgroups of students. If there are 20 or more students uh in that subgroup, then they they are looked at in that way. So for Athens Elementary, it would be for special education. For Mercer, which is an exiting CSI school currently, that's just been on a

077three-year designation. um looking at special education and then also the black or African-American subgroup for Montcom Elementary special education for excuse me Bluefield Middle is black or African-American with and special education need to wear glasses I'm holding out Melrose Elementary is special education Mercer is special education and multi-racial and that was what I was referring to the school that's on exiting ing school. Pike View Middle School is special education. Princeton Senior High School is special education and Spanishburg Elementary or special education. So the yellow designation means warning. That means that if those schools don't see improvement, measurable improvement in that subgroup within the next three years when they do the DEX designation in 2028, then they will likely be a C a fullon CSI school. So the last time 3 years ago when we had

078this, they basically told us that we need to um work with those principles, make sure it's um identified and designated in their strategic plans and then uh we'll work with the special education department because this is largely a special education issue and providing some more targeted um support and with professional development and other things. And I we've talked to all these principles. I'd like to do another round table discussion and you know we had one school on the that's an exiting school now Straley that um the principal and staff have done an incredible job with um they were identified for special education subgroup and in three years they went from a school that was identified for that subgroup to being um number 12 on school digger for achievement in that subgroup in the state. So,

079you know, I'm going to pull that principal in as well and and she's agreed to have those conversations just, you know, what are some strategies to use? So, just ways to proactive ways for those seven schools to get them in. So, those are yellow warning. Um, we did just have our first state level CSI meeting last Tuesday, so we don't have a tremendous amount of information yet. We'll have more information when we go back December 2nd and 3rd. But I am very happy to share that our um designated support person from the state department is Michelle Moore Lewwich and she is incredible and uh she's worked in this district before and I've worked with her in many different capacities and I really think that she can help us and um not just with our two

080schools mountain valley and blue intermediate but you know we can apply those anywhere but we do we do feel feel good about that questions about CSI. Uh and um two more quick things. We do have an I Ready math uh PD. Tomorrow is Title One Tuesday in different locations. We have um kindergarten and first grade together here. Title One Tuesday is always 3:30 to 5:30. These are trainers from the company and the the title of the training is unpacking a lesson. That's what the teachers have been asking for is like a a lesson demonstration. We have second and third second and third at uh Princeton Primary and fourth and fifth at Mountain Valley. And we will also provide something for middle school at Bluefield Middle. We had that scheduled for tomorrow, but there was a

081trainer issue, so it'll be rescheduled. Um again, they're a title one school this year, so they they get those same benefits. And the three trainers will be in the afternoon spending that time with the teachers in schools that the data shows need additional support. So, so those are some of the things we're doing. to help them uh with that achievement because again it's a new program. We saw really really good things last year and we think we're going to bear the fruit this year at the end of the year with that. So excited about that. Tomorrow you all are always welcome to attend. >> Is that it? >> I'm good. >> All right. How's that? >> Anybody else from finance or special personnel? I know Miss Huddle's not here tonight but Mr. I can do

082anything with 2322. I think that covers it all. >> Thank you. >> All right. Then we'll move on to approval of the minutes. >> Yes. Very thorough. Uh approval of minutes is September 22, September 26, and October 3rd of 25. There a motion to approve? >> Is there a second? >> Motion and a second. Questions, comments, discussion? And on the motion, all in favor signify by saying I. I that motion carries four in opposed likewise. I'm sorry that motion carries four in favor and none opposed. Under old business, we have several policies on second reading. Or amendment number 65 is second reading of policy G11 supplement for coaches and leaders. Uh the shoot here that here we go. There was one comment received. Superintendent recommends approval. Is there a motion to approve? >> Is there

083a second? >> Second. >> Motion and a second. Questions, comments, or discussion. What was the comment? Does anybody know? >> Oh, okay. >> Good. All right. Then on the motion, all in favor signify by saying I. Oppose. Likewise. That motion carries. Four in favor and none opposed. Board amendment number 66 is second reading of policy G28 seniority rights and reduction in force professional ser professional personnel. Uh no comments were received. The superintendent recommend approval. Is there a motion to approve? >> Move to approve. >> Is there a second? Motion and a second. Questions, comments, or discussion? And on the motion, all in favor signify by saying I. I >> oppose. Likewise. That motion carries. Four in favor and none opposed. Board memo number 67 is second reading of policy G9 substitute procedures. Uh no comments

084were received. Superintendent recommends approval. Is there a motion to approve? >> Is there a second? >> Questions, comments, or discussion? There appearing to be none on the motion. All in favor signify by saying I. I opposed. Likewise, that motion carries. Four in favor, none opposed. I would just comment to people listening on these second readings. We've already we pounded this on the first reading before we sent it out. So, we've discussed them pretty good before. Um, policy G board amendment number 68 is policy G23, retirees as professional substitutes on second reading. No comments received. Superintendent recommends approval. Is there a motion to approve? >> Move to approve. Is there a second and a second? Any discussion? There appearing to be none on the motion. All in favor sign by saying I. I. Opposed. Likewise. That

085motion carries. Four in favor and none opposed. Board memo number 69 is policy G40 critical need and shortage substitute bus operators on second reading. Uh no comments were received and superintendent recommends approval. Is there a motion to approve? >> Is there a second? Second >> motion and a second. Any discussion? There appearing to be none on the motion. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Oppose. Likewise. That motion carries. Four in favor and none opposed. Consent agenda. Board amendment number 139 is Career Connections business partners. Attached to the memo are additions to the Career Connection business partners for the 2526 school year. These are local businesses uh and out of county businesses at times in which students participate in work-based learning experiences. Board approval is required for insurance purposes for the West Virginia Board

086of Risk. Superintendent recommends approval. Board amendment number 140 is a request for approval to host a book of Palooa event using gear up southern West Virginia funds. In compliance with our policy, they're requesting approval to host one. hosted this book of Palooa event for the ninth and tth grade students at Concord University on February the 19th, 2026. Students will present a novel of their choice to their peers to try to convince them to read the book. Each student who attends will have opportunity to choose one book to take home based on which presentation piques their interest. The cost is $20,000 fully funded through Gear Up Southern West Virginia. Superintendent recommends approval. Board memo number nine or 141 is a request for from ACDS for observation. That's the West Virginia apprenticeship for child development specialists uh

087are requesting an apprenticeship program uh a registered apprenticeship program is requesting that Dr. Pamela Wadell, an instructor observe students for one hour during the fall semester as part of the course requirements. They must be employed in the field of early childhood education and working directly with children for a minimum of 12 hours or 20 hours per week. Superintendent recommends approval. Board moment number 142 is bid number 980 for propane for the school's lash meetcom high the bus garage chem lab at MCT. Biders were asked to build their markup and delivery fee per gallon. We advertised we got one bid feral gas. Total cost of propane is established by adding the markup and delivery fee per gallon to the average price per gallon. Superintendent recommends award to Feral Gas Princeton, West Virginia for propane fuel for

088an additional for for the coming year and the bid has an option to renew for an additional two years. Board amendment number 143 is the power school renewal of schooly. The director of technology is seeing authorization to renew the scription of a schooly from power school. This is using a cooperative contract. Cost for renewal is 53,76164 which is approximately which is exactly a 3,51712 increase over the previous year. Uh funding sources 21st century grant or 21st century technology. The cost is for all users. Superintendent recommends approval. Board a memo number 144 is a request from Bluefield State University to place students for uh ED 110. The placements are attached and they're contingent upon the appropriate forms, background check, and the university naming a site supervisor. The superintendent recommends approval. Board member 145 is a request

089from New River Community and Technical to place a student to complete 10 hours of classroom observations. The individual will be placed at Glenwood and Australia Elementary during the fall 2025 semester. Placements are contingent upon the appropriate forms acceptable background check and site supervisor being named. Uh superintendent recommends approval. Board a memo 146 is the listing of student per placement from Bluefield State for SPED 110 fall semester. They're requesting the individual uh complete 15 hours. Uh they will be placed at Spanishburg Elementary School. Placements are contingent upon the appropriate forms acceptable background check and site supervisor. Superintendent recommends approval. Board memo number 147 is the placement of student from Bluefield University. Well, that's not what I wanted you to do there. Don't do that. Uh they're requesting an individual be placed in Merch County Schools during

090the fall 25 semester to complete five hours for a course that be placed at Pike View Middle School. Placements contingent upon forms, background check, and site supervisor. Superintendent recommends approval. Board a memo number 148 is a source quote for bleacher repair at Bluefield Intermediate. pricing from RM Huffman utiling this contract which is a cooperative contract um for repair of bleachers at Bluefield Intermediate. The price for repairs is 16,59. Superintendent recommends approval to RM Huffman for that amount to to repair the bleachers at Bluefield Intermediate. Excess levy funds will be used. RFQ board member number 149 is RFQ875 which is lean six sigma training and certifi certification program. Uh we sought quotes uh for the lean six sigma training program for high school students. The goal is to equip them with yellow and green belt certifications

091through a structured program. Uh we advertise as appropriate received one bid. Superintendent recommends approval of purchase of the LSS training and certification program to maximum potential for $24,950. A Perkins grant Perkins grant will be used for this purchase. Board a memo number 150 is the roof system silicone coating Bluefield High School. Maintenance department requested pricing uh for a silicone coating of the roof above the auditorium and loading dock at Bluefield High School. A 15-year warranty is included. The price is $36,17124 which includes bonds. Uh this is also through a uh legit legitimate government purchasing cooperative so competitive bidding was not required. Supernet recommends approval of the silicone coding of the auditorium uh bid to tecta America Carolina's excess levy funds will be utilized for this project in the amount of 36,17124. Board amendment number 151

092is a request from the maintenance department for the purchase and installation of an ADA compliant platform lift to be installed at MCT. The price is $120,187.92 which include bonds. This was through a legitimate government purchasing cooperative so it didn't require bidding. Superintendent recommends approval to TK Elevator Corp. in the in the amount of 120,18792 uh to install the platform lift and excess levy funds are being used. Board member 152 is army skills program for individual internship. Um the department of defense has a skillbridge initiative which offers transitioning service members the opportunity to gain civilian work experience during their final 180 days of active duty. If an individual is qualified to complete an internship uh with that uh in the 202526 school year, they're requesting the internship internship hours at Pike View High School in the

093JOTC program. Placement will run from November 3, 25 to January 2, 26. Uh placement is contingent upon forms except background check and site supervisor. Superintendent recommends approval. Or amendment number 153 is the auction of surplus textbooks that we no longer need. They are declared surplus or they the superintendent recommends we declare them surplus and sell them at public auction. Board a memo number 154 which is the last action item on the consent agenda which is the payment of invoices. These checks have been written or being held pending in the office of the treasury pending consideration by the school board. you have those checks available to you on your uh computer. Questions about the consent agenda? >> Yeah, I got a couple. 149 lean six segment training. What is that? >> Same question. >> Yeah. So,

094at the Jason conference, um, I wasn't there, but Brent listened to a presentation on Lean Six Sigma certification for students. So, he came back with me. We met about it. We had a couple calls. It is an actual um, certification that students can get while they're in high school. Anybody can get it, though. Like, you and I could go get one. But like Toyota requires my auto tech teacher has all of his belts all the way up because Toyota required him to get those. They're like efficiency training, problem solving, cooperation. And so the students will be um this this contract is for my teachers to get trained to be able to offer that certification to all of our students. We're going to open it up to business and JOTC also. They can offer it to

095their students as well. Um, but it's basically problem solving, how to be a good employee, like things that we use every day that maybe we don't think about, ways to become more efficient. Um, and it's it's recognized worldwide. So, it's something that we wanted to offer. Perkins money will pay for it. Um, so >> just a certification. >> It's not karate. >> No, it's not karate. No, >> no. Just something we want to offer our kids. And then when we when when we came back from the Jason conference, Mr. Murphy presented about that was one of the things that was pretty impressive that he he thought and he was anxious to bring to Mrs. Farmer and and get that information if you if you remember back that uh in late July. So >> and when

096I talked to my staff about it, they all knew exactly what it was because coming from industry, it is things that are required. Like my auto tech instructor was telling everybody exactly what he had to do. And as you take the course, you you have like a problem that you have to come up with a solution to. So that's something my students will do. They'll pick a campus project or a local community project and part of them um receiving their belts and and leveling up is they they solve those problems. So >> I just I found it kind of interesting that sorry lean six sigma institute curriculum experts didn't even bid and it's their program any idea why >> that I don't know it >> then is this um software what is this >> it's

097training for my teachers and then my teachers it's like a professional development for them. They get certified kind of like orange frog >> trainer. >> Yeah. Kind of like a train the trainer. So my my employees will actually deliver the content to our students like Dr. Philip did to >> So how are they getting trained? They going somewhere? Someone someone coming in? >> Someone comes in. That's part of the $24,000. >> Is there going to be additional cost to pay for this person to Okay. >> Then how long does that last? the license or whatever the 24,000 train. >> Yeah. Is it one year or is is this perpetual? >> No, once you have your belt, you have your belt. So my teachers will get their belts through this train the trainer model and then

098they can give the belts to the students. >> Teach the teach the students, >> right? >> I guess what I'm asking >> kind of like a forklift certification. like my my instructor is going to be certified to do forklift training. Once the students pass those credentials, then they get their forklift certification under his license. >> So the next year, >> we don't have to be a discipline. >> So we have to do the so that once they're trained, >> right? Once they're trained, that's the $24,000. And then next year it's like $2,300 or $2,400, I don't remember, right? Off for us to have like the the curriculum and the portal. That's all. But it won't have to be bid every year. >> And how many students you think will benefit? >> We're going to try

099to get every student to at least get their green belt by the time they graduate. >> We mean every student. Every >> like every student on our campus and business and JTC. >> It's a lot of kids. >> Sounds like there's winner. >> So >> pretty aggressive. >> Is this a separate class or is it integrated into the class? >> It's integrated into what they already do. >> What they're teaching, right? That's awesome. That's that's good. So, is there a black belt? >> Better make yourself >> There is, but that's >> that's working. >> You're not getting that in BCH. Okay. >> We're We're going to be happy if we can get everybody through at least the green belt. And then the more um aggressive kids, the more not aggressive, but um >> assertive, dedicated,

100>> determined, right? >> Mike can get their their yellow bell. Ambitious. That's a better word. >> Yeah. >> Great. Sounds like a great program. Never 152. >> First of all, I don't know if it's official or not, but I did hear our president this morning make a big thing that it's Department of War now, not Department of Defense. Is that a problem? And yeah, I didn't really understand. I'd like to have that explained a little bit. >> 152 >> 15. >> Yeah, the Army Sker Skills Program. >> So, speak on this. She worked in all appreciate her understand. Next step invest some of our That's kind of like a student teaching internship. >> Okay. Next. >> Number 151. Danielle, a lift platform lift. Is that replacing that thing you've got in there now? >> Doesn't

101work. >> Yeah. That's what I thought. That's a lot of money. We So the chance of getting an elevator anytime. >> What's that mean? >> We decided we wanted to elevator. We have to build shaft. We have to do all that separately. >> It's in the project >> in our new I thought it was. Do you know have any idea what the cost would be? >> I know it's crazy, but >> it's in our SBA project. >> That's what I'm wondering. That's what I was doing. >> elevator is in it. >> So, if we were awarded the And is it in phase one? Do we know? >> Yeah. >> So, do we want to spend $120,000? >> I think we have to. We were the people that looked at the project >> on campus who

102has been here since the beginning of the year and she has an issue with her leg and she's in a wheelchair. She's actually on a little motor scooter and her class is upstairs. So, we've had to be pretty creative. >> Understand? >> We have to do this. Okay. >> I answer. >> We've made it work so far, but >> not a problem. >> That's all I had. >> Okay. Mark >> Cena motor on the Now the lost >> your invoices. >> Yeah, the invoices. >> Wasn't that a truck that >> is that the buses? >> Buses. Okay. >> I was thinking Bluebird. But >> what's Thomas? Remember Thomas? >> Yeah. Is that it for everybody? >> Gregory. I think that's it, brother. >> All right. Then I'll entertain a motion on the consent agenda. >>

103So move. >> Is there a second? >> Second. It's a motion and a second. Any further discussion? And on the motion, all in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Opposed. Likewise. That motion carries. Four in favor and none opposed. >> You should have a paper memo. Board member number 155, which is the first reading of embedded credit. Mr. Tomman, >> the embedded credit I will miss. Farmer go over any of that. Correct. you're you're updating us on that. You put that together if you don't mind. Thank you. >> So, the state department once again has made changes to embedded credits. So, this policy just replaces some old language that was in our old um policy. Our old policy still had block schedule in it. Um just just some old language in it that needed

104taken out. And then we actually have to give this policy to the state board as proof that we, you know, made these changes. They have changed several embedded credits. So, >> questions, comments, thoughts? It does look like it's just cleaning up language and >> Yeah, that's really what it's doing. >> Well, I mean, we certainly now's the time to if you have any comments that you want to dig into, now's the time to do it before it goes out. I mean it looks again it's it's uh getting rid of block instruction as you mentioned uh the how the grade determined which is that a state department change >> no um the the state department changes the last little excerpt and I don't have the policy in front of me I don't have a packet but

105>> CTE academic >> yeah like if a teacher yeah if a teacher's not employed then then they can do a virtual class. The state has um created a virtual platform because a lot of counties are having a hard time filling the math and English positions where they get rifted every year. A lot of people, you know, that's kind of nervous. You don't want to take that job. So, they don't have um certified people in them >> and this gives them the ability to still offer those kids embedded credits, but they um did require everybody to put that in their policy. So, Which number? >> 3.4. only >> well if you have let's say for instance a student took um I'm trying to think one right off the top of my head that'd be a good

106example transmath for seniors they got that embedded in auto tech and it's a factor of their four auto tech grades and let's say they made an 87 but then their counselors also scheduled them in transmath for seniors at the high school and they got a 61. For class rank, it would go by the higher of the two grades. But both of the grades because they actually physically took the class have to be factored in. And that's an Alicia Lester State Department thing. She said we had to do it that way. >> Well, the counselor's already weighed through that because our policy for class rank is your top 28 credits. So they now do that by hand anyway. So >> they already they already do that for counselors, but yeah. >> Okay. If there's nothing else

107on that, we will go to uh I'll go out to the public for comment and we'll see it back in the future on second reading. personnel agenda which is board member 156. Is >> there a motion to approve? >> Is there a second? >> Motion and a second. Questions, comments, or discussion? Any need to go into executive session? Then >> right then on the motion, all in favor sign. >> I oppose. Likewise. That motion carries. Four in favor and none opposed. I was an I. So, we're going to skip the the disciplinary hearing just for a minute to get through the rest of our uh non-action items on the agenda. Mr. Tyman, >> sir, you have discussion, attendance, absenteeism, and uh related discussion. Anything you want to go over more on that? I do have

108uh Mrs. Haleiff and uh her staff minus uh Russell Lipicott with the tennis director, but uh he he plans to we plan to schedule to have u a report out once a month and uh since that notice just came out uh just trying to get everybody together. But >> you have the first month from last year and the first month from this year. So what I'd like to know is >> you shared that also earlier in the 2322 >> what's different because some of these numbers are dramatically different. >> So what what are we doing? >> Well I think part of it is everybody has a little more >> I'm sorry >> you mic. >> Yeah I was actually talking to Miss back there. Sorry. One of the things that we did is we changed

109the the uh policy for exams and I feel like that'll make a huge difference in um student attendance for high schools. >> Um I think that we'll we'll see a real uptick because they really will not want to take take those end of course exams. >> Mr. and Daniel.8 this year when he sat down with her and how long did it take you quite a bit more than that. But yeah, we we're down to 6% right now. >> State that again. >> What did you do? >> Well, um, a lot of the attendance issues are not actually absences. What happens is if a student is at Princeton for Mastery Prep and we don't know about it, we count the student absent here because they're not physically in our building. But when we went back and

110and Mr. Libincclott, he spent two and a half hours with me. We looked at our chronic attendance rate and we looked at the students individually and then we pulled a kid's name and we looked at that kid's attendance at MCTech and then at their home high school and then we cross reference that with days that they would have it took a long time um two and a half hours with him and then Mr. Dr. Simon and I have spent a good portion of the past week on it, but we've been able to really lower our chronic attendance rate and right now the majority of our chronic attendance students are option pathway students, which is kind of the nature of the program. You kind of see that. So, but Mr. Living was very, very, very helpful.

111Yes. One of the >> not ready yet. >> One of the things that that we well especially Russell has been in touch with the state department about is the fact that you know that there's no way for the tech center to know what's happening at the high school and those students are held back for whatever reason and so attendance became an issue here um when really it shouldn't have. So the state department has been working on a process to where uh the students that uh their attendance will show at both schools. So uh the tech center will get a an email that says these students uh were counted absent at Princeton High School or these students were at Princeton High School for this reason. So the the codes will show up both places and hopefully

112be able to make that a lot more cohesive to where the communication between MCT and four high schools is not so arduous like she's been talking about. You know to sit and go student by student is almost impossible. And that's what Russell and I were doing before he came down. We were looking student by student and trying to figure out why this student was found absent here and not here and how to translate that to make it better. But I'm hoping with what the state is putting together that that's going to solve a lot of it. >> So the reality of it is is the number that was reported last year is is false >> because of because of failure to a failure to communicate between the schools. >> Basically that's that that's >> you

113look at physical attendance. No, they were not in our building. But was it a college student? No, something was going on. >> Yeah. And there's vastly different if you look at this. That's not true for elementary. And elementary is down dramatically, too. >> But I have seen a lot of social media posts where I know last week Moka >> that are putting things on there, you know, attendance matters and that, you know, it's that's true. Um, it also I don't know how the individual schools are doing their attendance. I know uh when Mr. Atkins and myself are on a team, he could he could turn around and he could tell you the kids and Mr. Browning was was great at this too. The kids that were there a half a day, they would not maybe

114didn't show up till 10:00 and then they were from there from 10 till the dismissal. So attendance is something that somebody in the building needs to deal with daily. If you want to if you want to slay this dragon, then it has to be worked on. You can't wait two weeks later. And I I've seen reports where we've had kids that were um here that sitting on this board where their attendance didn't match their suspensions. That can't be. If they're suspended, they can't still be present. And I've seen that myself. But so it's again it's something that you have to look at constantly and uh >> and hopefully that long time. >> Well, I I just would note uh Bluefield High School dropped they improved by more than 50%. They really took a swing at

115it. Yeah. In fact, Russell said to me yesterday question that much >> emphasis on on every >> we've also um had some training ing from the state department. They've been uh working with uh safe and civil schools, an entity I think is in Seattle, but anyway, they bring um a lady named Jessica Spriick in and uh bring a lot of people usually to Morgantown or Charleston for training. And so I've worked hard to try to get as many people in that training as possible because I it's a very positive way uh to look at attendance. It's not punitive. Uh it's just working with kids and trying to figure out what works for those those particular kids. There's a MTSS system universal um what's my word? >> It's a universal approach. It's more individualized and then

116it becomes uh more of a community resources type thing uh for the student. They're looking at things more holistically with the family. What are the barriers? How can we help? One of the things that u Mr. Guthrie is seeing on social media. That's part of the Jessica uh model where they're actually trying to uh be more receptive, you know, getting the children in and, you know, making it a very welcome because when you're dealing with attendance is usually very punitive and, you know, that pushes parents back a little bit. So, um, I've been able to meet with a lot of parents and look at what the barriers are and try to find solutions to get that kid back in school. And I've seen some a lot of, uh, success in the high schools with that.

117However, you know, I'm one person. So, trying to meet with 2500 students is really hard to do. So, the Jessica Sprick model is a very good model and they're training uh, counties across the state with that. And and what we've seen is is that we can bring a team together from each school which goes along with our policy that says that we have an attendance team at each school. They have an action plan that they are supposed to be putting together that is all about attendance. And so um we the schools that we've been able to get people trained, we have have those schools up and running. And you might have noticed a couple years ago we started with strive for five which is our uh motto for students to be at school five days

118a week. Uh and we have that in the calendar. So there there have been it's been baby steps but we have been been working hard to make sure that people are trained. Right now we have um Mcom Elementary in Spanishburg are in a um race for attendance pretty much. They are competing against one another. So they've brought back a lot of strategies and ideas from this training and and are working together even across the county to to make attendance better at each of the schools. >> General's better kick it up because Spanishber's kick is kicking their butt right now. >> Well, and they're both doing much better. They're both improved dramatically. >> Yeah, they both have two of the best social workers. They're just awesome, both of them. So I wouldn't be surprised to see

119is that you know kids coming to school when they don't have to be. >> Um actually one of them had 100% the other day. >> There you go. It's working%. >> So that training has been has been very instrumental in in helping with strategies to to get kids to school. >> Wonderful. >> You know, one of the things >> you can't teach kids that aren't in school. So to me, attendance is step number one. Yep. >> I believe that 100%. Step number one, you got to be there. >> Well, it is all over social media. I know that everybody's doing it. You walk into a building, there's a sign in the front. Uh it's Yeah, it's it matters a lot. And then and the numbers reflect something good is happening and that's we just need

120to keep pushing that. >> We've also sent letters out to doctor's offices talking to them. At the more I think about the the things that we've done, we've done several things. you know that you know you we've had those letters go out to doctor's offices about how important it is for students to be at school that you know um for some some reason and I think co had a lot to do with it they they might put a student out uh for five days for strep well you know right two days and if you're fever free you should be able to come back to school and so we've we've been working with with doctor's offices on those sorts of things. Our school nurses have been working on that. And so we're just really trying to

121be community-minded. Um we really want to get some information out into grocery stores and places where parents are so that they can be reminded about how important attendance is. >> Good ideas. It's wonderful. Congratulations. >> This this is the bright bright spot as far as I'm concerned. This is great. >> Yeah. Really good. >> Appreciate the work. Okay, >> next got update on progress towards superintendent goals. I think we hit a lot of them. If anything, you got a question on that. I got Mr. Prudich uh we have them signed and again from these we'll build off from the staff that we have and I think Dr. Atkins is prepared to give updates from tenants giving updates. or any of those facilities things. I'll try to give you again updates that I'm able to give

122you during certain issues that come through. So, we'll keep going. But, uh I know you got monthly and quarterly and I'll try to monitor that and give you a chart of something I can do that way. >> That's great. That's great. Vape detectors and data. >> Well, we are still installing it. But, I can tell you and I know it doesn't feel like it. like we're doing all we have seen in the number of and I actually had that as well to see it's kind of leveled off now but drastically >> like this >> when we got each of the meth a whole lot right now. It has slowed down and according to the resource officers that are at the school now that the kids are learning that they are you know they're actually I

123think that help the other is in terms of receiving this and they are making it every day twice a daycal they make that announcement every morning announcement at lunch and then their advisor so they're hearing that years. So hopefully we're seeing kids in trouble. >> Okay. Thank you. keep in mind or I I know that it's going down but our real goal is to change the kids behaviors >> because of healthy >> concerns and so >> that's the >> your training today Miss Zaleiff that uh you had today >> catch my breath today >> the sale >> yeah we had catch my breath training today uh that's a statewide initiative they uh came in and trained our health teachers PE teachers school nurses and middle school counselors on catch my breath. Um there are four

124modules that the they can integrate into their curriculum in school and of course the nurses are and um counselors are there for support to help make sure that that stuff gets integrated and taught. And um the uh response was very good. We had a lot of people at the training. Everybody was turning in their stuff to get started on this. And the the icing on the cake is if they if they train so many students, they get money for the school for wellness initiatives. So if they teach 10 to 100 students, they get $1,000. And but our goal, of course, is to teach everybody uh regardless of the amount of money. And so that that was a really good um uh training today and and really proud of our people for for being so receptive.

125Um I am still looking at the possibility of of maybe a program in in place of expulsion if you all are still on board with that. I've I found a I found a program that Stanford University does that I've got some people kind of looking at it to see what their thoughts are on it. I want to make sure it it would meet the the level of rigor that we would want for for a program like that. So >> I'm looking we're going to we're going to put that on our work session. Definitely don't high list on high on the list. >> Okay. Would you want me to bring some of that information to that work session so she could take a look at it? I think also talk with the principles in your breakout

126too and we'll figure that out first step before we do that also. So >> I asked for it to be put on the agenda today. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. >> All right. So let's get a work session date >> while we're here. Time to do it. Yeah, it it's it'll be November. We got to give everybody time to do what they need to do. So, let's see. First board meeting in November the 10th. Uh plus SBA. Yes, sir. Yeah, it's not primary. >> Not a primary. So, we're >> seventh. >> Friday the 7th. >> What's the face? If it won't work, tell us >> or down. >> Anything on Mondays? morning. Monday mornings >> better Monday mornings. Well, the 10th is a is the third would be there and that gives

127everybody three weeks. Gives Mr. Toman and I a chance to figure out what we want to have on it and then three weeks to to prepare. So is the third. How's everybody on the third? >> I'm okay. >> 10th is a board day. Can we can we are we tentative on the seventh? >> Is that all right? Is that okay with you? I mean >> I don't know. Do I go I'm looking at my paper calendar? >> Okay. >> All right. So, let's say tentatively the 11th. >> I'm sorry. The seventh. >> What time of day? >> Um nine. >> The 11th is no school. >> Seventh. I meant I I know I said the 11th but 7th uh 9:00 tip we did about three hours last time we'll have less subject items on it

128this time explosion is going to be a big one and of course you guys need to send me anything that you'd want to add to it so I can talk to Mr. time and we can figure out what uh Okay, I haven't heard any objection. So, we'll do tentatively the 7th at 9:00 a.m. >> soon as I talk to Descendant. >> No, we're not going to do that. >> We can do it at central office. We're not going to move you out of here. We'll go central office. >> The propulsions worked well up there. We'll go central office. It's just it's just the board members and the fact this >> No, no, we No, you've got it. >> It's pre-planned. We'll move it. >> Right. We're good. Right. >> Okay. All right. Tably the 7th

129at 9:00 a.m. If you see one of the twins, but between now and the time you go to bed, wish them a happy birthday. They haven't quite hit the big 40 yet, but they're really close now. >> Grandson's birthdays today. Awesome. >> Birthday. >> Awesome. That's awesome. All right. So, that's all the action items. We do have a personnel matter on the agenda, so those of you that don't need to stick around for that can head out. Personnel hearing, I'm sorry. Thanks everybody. We're going to take a recess. >> Do you want me stay here or you want me to sit down there? >> Would you sit down there? It just looks better. >> Whatever you need. >> Yeah, it just looks better. >> Good night. We went by your advice. >> Oh, okay. >>

130We'll just just monitor. I mean, I I got to rely on your thoughts and they were good thoughts. I didn't >> Well, thank you. I will talk to you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Good night. We are back out of session. Uh it is now that's 9:14. All right. Uh, you have before you the recommendation of the superintendent in his letter of September 26, 2025 recommending a three-day suspension without pay. Is there a motion? >> We didn't talk about it. Do we have to make a motion or make a >> We do not. >> Okay. I move that we give him one day suspension without pay a letter reprimand and we think he should have his truck because it's needed for it. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> All right. There's a motion

131and a second discussion. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I opposed. >> Motion carries. Three in favor and one opposed. All right. So, it's left to me to discuss our reasoning. And I'm not going to get into great detail, but I'm going to say that this this believe we believe this to be a reasonable compromise between the two positions. Uh we thought that it recognizes the violation and the the uh issues uh that exist and we thought that three days was more than probably appropriate. So that's what the board came to. Am I correct, gentlemen? Is that is that what we had talked about? >> Okay. >> Oh, I'm sorry. You're correct. So So Mr. Thomas Atkins board uh determined based upon a violation of policy E10 that uh you should be granted

132a one-day suspension without pay that you were to be given a letter of reprimand that you violated policy E10 and the use personal use of vehicle not operating it used it and uh that uh you be given your vehicle because you need it to work. And with that, is there a >> move? A second. All in favor?