001board. Are you ready? >> I believe so. >> Good evening and welcome to the December 16th regular session of the Morgan County Board of Education. If you would please stand with me for the pledge at this time. I pledge algiance 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. >> Thank you very much. Welcome this evening board members. Uh you do have an agenda and agenda in front of you being any changes on the agenda need. Um the agenda does have some personnel items and then you do have a packet of checks that were processed for your approval. I entertain a motion to approve the agenda and agenda as presented. >> So moved. >> Thank you.
002>> Second. >> Thank you. Comments or concerns? All those in favor signify by saying I. I >> nay. Eyes carry. Thank you. Uh board, we are going to kick off our training for House Bill 2499 for the required special education from the West India Legislature. Miss Cooper is here to give us a synopsis, I will call it, of the training. Uh, for those of you that did attend the training at I believe Charleston in the fall would have heard some of this. >> None of us went. >> Okay, there we go. Perfect. Then sorry. Awesome. Um, so I will try to make this as simple as possible. Special education has a ton of laws and um, it's kind of confusing sometimes with a bunch of acronyms, but our state our state legislators have determined via
003the West Virginia codes on the screen there that I'm to train the board of ed and then we are to train principal I'm to train principles and they will go back and train their staff by the end of the school year. and then we will train all new hires within 30 days. So, we're working on a process to ensure that that happens. So, the reason behind this is to cover a couple different key elements. One is the federal mandate with IDA, which is a federal law. It ensures that um students are entitled to a free and appropriate public education. Part of IDA also helps determine federal funding for special education. And you know, we are policies in the state of West Virginia to be in compliance with that or we risk losing federal funding. And
004then the ultimate goal is to provide that free and appropriate public education for our students which is reasonably calculated and that's where we determine if the student requires an individual education plan and then we give them a modified curriculum that helps them get where they need to be. So the first thing is the least restrictive environment. So um students that qualify for special education are entitled to be educated in the least restrictive environment with their peers. Least restrictive environment always starts out as the gened setting with minimal assistance maybe slight accommodations maybe a co-teer. The most restrictive would be like a residential placement. So our goal is always least restrictive and then depending on the need of the student moving toward that more restrictive if needed. So that's least restrictive and then this shows the
005continuum. Here in Morgan County we've worked hard to have a full continuum which is kind of hard to do sometimes because we're small and you don't always have the need in all areas. So as need arises with different students disabilities we add to add the continuum. So you go from having that general ed classroom where maybe there's a co- teacher or maybe there's a few accommodations to more of a special class where the student might be pulled out for 45 minutes of reading or math depending on what they need or even just pulled out for speech and then they go back into the genet setting and then we move if they need it into that more restrictive environment like I said like a residential facility or even a homebound instruction if that's needed as well.
006Uh so discipline discipline with special education is um there's a lot of rules. The first thing that we have to have in place for discipline is the preventative discipline which PBIS or a PBS like program. Most of our schools have that in place. Some are still fine-tuning working on it. They're working on building on it. Um PBIS is also dictated by policy 2419. So, it's essential that we have it. We also have Senate Bill 199 that has come into play and that is discipline and removal of elementary school students and we're working through that Senate bill also. But this really plays handinhand with that because PBIS or a program such as needs to be in place in order for us to even touch that other Senate bill that we're going to cover at some point,
007I'm sure. Um strangely >> real quick on the other Senate bill, is that triggered for this coming school year or is it existing right now? >> It's existing right now. >> Okay. >> Um those are our most serious discipline issues in general. We don't have elementary school students committing crimes. Like those are your kids that are hurting people like physically hurting people. So, we're working on putting a policy in place and we have a really good foundation, but there's just a lot of um there's a lot that goes into it because in the world of special education, it is hard to have a student removed because they're entitled to that free and appropriate public education. So, we have to put everything in place, those accommodations, which is why we were lucky enough to get a
008BCBA. So, having that behavior support in place will help us prevent even getting to that level. So for a small county, we're incredibly lucky to have a BCBA. That's not a common thing across West Virginia. And so some of the bigger counties like Canawa has them, Berkeley has them, but we are really fortunate to have one. Um, so I'm thrilled and I think that will help with a lot of these sort of things so that we don't have to remove students for discipline issues. We can work and be preventative prior to that. But this um, it downloaded weird, which is why people looked at it strange. I'm sorry I had it. It looks nicer on your um little presentation, but when I sent it to Karen in a PowerPoint, it did that. But um so
009once a student with an IEP reaches 10 cumulative days, that triggers what's called manifestation determination. And we have to determine whether it's a disciplinary change of placement or a removal. And so if it's related to the student's disability, then they return back to the class or back to the school. If it's not, then we go through other steps, but we end up ultimately completing a functional behavior assessment and then a behavior plan, which is designed to help prevent those types of behaviors as well and to put protections in place for the student. So um under this bill they also talk about upholding parent and student rights which um covers like the due process dispute resolution the steps that parents can take if they aren't happy with like a discipline decision after that 10 days when
010the student is removed what the parents can do to protect themselves or to protect their students. And then it also talks about the students rights. So at age 17 all rights transfer the student. So that's something that as part of the IEP process, we make sure that we inform parents, we make sure we inform students so that they can be a bigger part of that process. >> So procedural safeguards are provided to parents every year and it's very thick and we try to make it less cumbersome so we can we've now provided a QR code where parents can access it if they want to do that or we give them a paper copy. Prior written notice is provided to parents within five days. It attached to the back of an IEP, but if we make
011a decision outside of a normal IEP, we provide a prior written notice that kind of explains everything that we went through in making that decision. Parents need to be notified within 8 days of an IEP. They can wave that. Like say you have a meeting that kind of comes up quickly because you had a behavior issue or you want to get together and the parents are um able to do it right then, you can wave that eight days. So it this part of it goes over all of the different that like I said the transfer of rights, the dispute resolution, all the different protections for parents, uh teachers. Now it's spelled out a little bit more about teacher protections and staffing and ratios of classrooms. So prek classrooms are capped at 20 kids with 10
012having IEPs. Um and then depending on the level of need of students, there's various levels of two three three being the most severe student disability one not so much um there's different ratios depending on level of need and how many kids can be in a classroom per teacher and then you start adding eight and then this breaks down the ratios it's a little bit less when it's K2 versus 35 to 612 and so for your greatest need it's a 1:4 ratio and your less need it's a 1 to eight or 1 And when you have a mixed group of students, say like bunch of different levels in a classroom, it's always your greatest level that dictates the ratio. If we exceed those ratios, we can ask for a waiver. Teachers can get paid up to
013I think it's like three over the max cap. They can get paid a little extra, but we have to apply for that waiver. And then we have to take steps in order to try to reduce that back down to the appropriate ratio. >> Um, okay. So, teacher rights are now outlined a little bit more. Teachers can request training. If they have a student placed in their classroom with an IEP and they've read over the IEP and feel like they still need additional assistance, they can request that training within 10 days. Um, teachers always have an access to the IEP because it's on weas. We have an electronic version on weas that they access and verify that they've read um but should always be invited to IEP meetings. They have the right to request an IEP
014meeting and we then need to hold that meeting and especially if they've had a student placed in their classroom and 45 days have gone by and they feel like their student is not making progress, they have the right to request a meeting. So that way we can look at the data and figure out the next step on what to do to help the teacher and student be successful. And the big thing is that teachers cannot be penalized for advocating for their students. Um, and that means that they can't be penalized for also collaborating with families and trying to inform families of their rights. Um, and then oh um, progress documentation. That was kind of a hot topic earlier on. There used to be this form inside of Weeus that teachers had to document every day
015that they provided accommodations and that took so much time. So now the form is streamlined a little bit easier and it makes it easier for the home room teacher or the general ed teacher to document when they've provided accommodations. So it's taken a little workload off of them while still ensuring that kids are getting what they need. And this is what I just talked about. says that we're going to make sure that all teachers and uh everybody is informed of their rights by day documentation the parents um informing parents of advocates. I have a list that the state department just provided to us last week that has a whole list of advocates that I'm going to upload to our county website so that parents can access. I've also given a copy of it to all
016the principles so that if they're in an IEP meeting, they can share it. An advocate is not a bad thing. Having an advocate show up to an IEP meeting usually means that you're going to come to a good agreement and it's going to be what's good for kids. So advocates are usually pretty great to work with. And then what books? So this is just the whole foundation. The whole purpose of this is to explain and make sure everybody understands what a free and appropriate public education is and all the rights afforded from that. And all of it ultimately leads to if we're not in compliance with these things, we lose our federal funding and that would be a huge problem. >> Yeah. That we don't want that to happen. >> No, we don't. >> No.
017Um because we we really rely on federal funding to help fund things like facility staff, speech pathologists, things that are expensive and we need that for our kids. So being in compliance, that's a big huge part of my job is compliance. So >> any questions? a couple um the BCBA the case load they have one BCBA or they have a couple that were they able to versus ours one are they able to handle their case load >> like our person >> ours I was just curious about Berkeley's too >> Berkeley is busy um I talked to the special ed directors at the one conference that we just went to and those BCBAs are hopping like right now ours just started last week so she has a case load she's been handed a case load. She
018knows what she's got going on. However, she's not ex She's not exhausted yet. They can't get enough BCBAs in Berkeley County. >> Okay. >> They have a lot. >> It follows my next question I was curious about. So, um I probably should know this after some years, but the IEP committees, are they tailored to each student or do we have kind of the same committee members on each one? They are tailored for each student and the goals of that education plan. >> Yes, absolutely. So, um, if Little Becky has an IEP for behaviors, then most likely you'd have a BCBA, possibly a speech pathologist if I have a speech disability, my home room teacher, my general ed teacher, my special education teacher, an administrator, perhaps a social worker if I need somebody to work with
019me for that, and maybe a counselor depending on what my level of need is at the school. So every team should be individual. The only person that should ever really be a constant is the school administrator. >> Okay. Okay. >> And if it's a small school like pleasant view, the same special ed teacher. But >> um any more questions for you were just on >> where do the uh advocates come from? >> Well, the list I have from the state department, they're all there's no place, but um West Virginia Legal Aid has a lot of advocates that are really good. Um I've had >> I mean like Martinsburg I mean they wouldn't have to be out of >> We have a couple um Martinsburg right now also who are used to be previous uh administrators
020in Berkeley County and they're really also and I also gave you a little just breaks it all down all the key elements that you're supposed to be training on >> uh in that line I think on our WB board association login portal for our training hours. >> Uh there are prior videos of meetings and the meeting from September 5th has a hour-long session regarding policy 24.99 and if you have time to watch that >> there's a PowerPoint you can download with it too. The whole the whole training is on there for a webinar to go through as well too. >> Did you Did you actually try that? >> Yes, >> I did it. >> Okay. Because I I tried this this morning and everything I clicked on said video was not available. So, I don't
021know. Maybe I was clicking the wrong place. I try again. >> Let me know if it doesn't and we'll see if Aaron can fix it for you. Not this Aaron. That one back. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Oh, it's in the form. >> It's probably the one on the top there. >> Yeah, I had it laying here for you. >> Mr. Can I ask a question about the advocate? >> Sure. >> Okay. How do we go about getting those? >> If I could interrupt you, if you could do that after the meeting, I would appreciate that very much. Please. >> Um, Mr. Douly personnel planning process, please. >> All right. So, just wanted to kind of give us give you guys an update on how this all plans out. Um, what Aeron's
022pulling up here real quick is just kind of what we look at with each building. This is just one in particular that we kind of use for trainings with our principles, our assistant principles, and so on so forth. But as you guys are aware, personnel takes up a huge huge chunk of our budget and we start personnel planning now for 2627. So we've already had several meetings. We have two left to go. And again, the the initial one is just to kind of gather information, uh figure out where we're at. As you see on this form here, we're looking at our current enrollment on the one side. We're looking at our projected enrollment for next year. Um, so again, most of these do not change because they're based on our October enrollment. We usually use
023uh Zoom WBE to get a more updated enrollment so that we can kind of work with our projected enrollments on that. Um, but we go through all that to look and see where we're going to be at. Uh, we also look at our state our staffing ratios. Um, we we want to see how many virtual students we have. This is a secondary school. So, we want to we want to really look at um policy changes to see if there's been any graduation requirements added that we need to adjust to our personnel time. Um and so then after we do all that stuff at the top, we go down to the bottom and we start looking to see how many regular program teachers we have, how many special education teachers we have, how many counselors we
024have at that building, how many service personnel, which includes our custodians, cooks, classroom aids, ECAT, so on and so forth. Uh we look at our nursing services that we have at that at that campus. Um we look at the again secondary we're looking at CTE. Um we want to see if we have any behavioral support staff at the building. And then we also want to see if we've got any upcoming retirements and resignations and see if that can play into our decision making for what next year would look like. Um but again this is just kind of a real quick version of what this looks like. This is a long process. We start now and we present our personnel to you guys at the second meeting in March. Uh the reason we do that is
025so that we can get our jobs posted for 2627 uh at the 1 of April. Uh that's always our goal is to get the April 1st. It's easy. It's my son's birthday. So it's easy to remember that to have that done on that day. Um, but again, we are generally speaking and and looking at some of the meetings I've been to in the past month or so when it comes to personnel planning, we're we're well advanced more, you know, more down the more down that path than a lot of districts are. And that helps us out too because again, personnel makes up what 80 82% 80% of our budget. So, you know, as as everyone in this room is aware, you know, our enrollment is kind of dipping a little bit and that's where if
026you're going to make some cuts of budgets, this is where it comes from. Sadly, it comes from personnel. But, but again, we we take this we we always there's what you'll notice on these papers, there's never a person's name is always a position. Uh we do not look at that. We look at we look at positions only to see how that's affected. So, again, it's it's a big long process that starts now. I think I just I'm almost finished with hiring for 25 26 and we're looking at 26 27. So that's kind of where we're at right now. >> Um have you already started me with building admins? >> Yep. >> Okay. This meeting already started. >> Y >> uh retirements there was we have a bonus I thought still in place for early retirements.
027Uh how are those lining up? So those go out I want to say >> that Janu January and I think they're due by >> that was more of my question >> March 1st. Yeah it's due. Okay. >> So again most of those folks that's retiring or retiring have communicated that with their building admins and and they've and they've talked about that and we usually have that now and we also know the ones that have talked that may kind of be on the fence with that. We always we always jot that down as as as a possible retirement or restoration. >> I know that's usually a nice small district like ours. We can have those commu those conversations and a very friendly manner versus trying to prod people to get their resignation if we have to
028get it on file so we can start looking for position because the last thing we want to do is start hiring a week before school starts. That is the ultimate goal is not to have happen. >> Yeah. And when we get to these things and we do have to recommend different things for you know for different you know production of forest or whatever all of those are personal conversations that I have with those individuals uh well in advance uh it's never a surprise you know like I said we present this in March at our second March meeting those conversations generally take place at you know the first week of March we meet with the principles in person sometimes we do a second in person or we do a virtual meeting but then we have a
029spreadsheet that's district wide that has everybody on it and then we send that to our attorneys and then our attorneys meet with Mr. Banks, Miss Bell. Well, not Miss Bell anymore, but the two of us and our new treasur and then we uh we look at we look at those we look at that and then that's where we base all those conversations off of those folks. So, it it is a huge process but it's >> because it's such a high dollar amount. >> Board members, any questions on personnel planning? Mr. Banks, any comments? Yes, a lot of the positions have certain ratios that they recommend. For example, custodians, that's figured out by the square footage of each building and the number of custodians you need. The cooks is by the number of meals that are
030prepared. Uh teachers have ratios K through six that you have to stay within and then counselors also have ratios. We are currently out of uh compliance with our counselor ratios right now. So, we really need to look at that. All the other ratios were are very good in the 7 through 12 program. Um you don't like your classes to be above 30, but there are no ratios that really guide that for uh students in grades uh 7 through 12. And the last part I'd like to add is um policy 2510 dictates what classes you must offer at every level. And so those are the the basic um instructional program and then each district supplements and adds different things that they they would like to add. But it you have to offer those basic programs uh
031at each level and 2510 outlines that one addition for next year is personal finance. We have to add that. That's an example of a a change to policy 2510 that impacts personnel planning. So that's all. >> Thank you very much. Keep us posted on reduction force as best you can. And port members, we are on to reports of communications. Uh the only thing I have is that January 12th kicks off uh board of education filing. So those that wish to run for board of education in 2026 uh need to file during January 12th to January 31st. And I will say that I will not be seeking reelection. This will be my last term on the board. >> Sorry to hear that. >> It's been a been a wild and fun ride. 16 years has been
032a lot of memories, but >> thank you very much. >> Take up coaching. >> There is conversation about that. >> You think coaching isn't a wild ride? No, I didn't say >> I can tell you coaching has seasons though. Coaching has a season versus uh 12 months. >> Maybe he was going from one wild to another. >> There's no season. >> We run all year round. >> Board members, >> uh I would just like to say thank you to the the teachers and staff that are out there in the mornings the past couple mornings. I I had one ask me if we offered hazard pay. I said I'd have to I'd have to think about that a little bit. >> Yeah. >> But >> it's been nasty. But I think the 2-hour delay was a
033good call. >> Mhm. It was. >> Mhm. >> Yes. >> How did the concerts go? I missed them. >> They were good. >> Mhm. Everything was good. >> Um let's see what then the play's happening right now. >> Yes. the last night for the play. Of course, there was no parking anywhere Sunday night. >> Did you get to see anything? >> Um >> Uhhuh. I went to everything. >> Did you go to the play? Yeah. >> Did you? >> Yeah, I was there last night. >> Didn't see her. >> Nice. >> Went to Paul today for the Christmas program. That was nice. >> Couldn't get away for that one. >> Yeah. And there was a zoo at Woodmar today as well. an animal zoo as a >> Yeah, that's what I asked my wife. Isn't
034it always a zoo? >> Mr. Banks, >> uh, so some good news to share. Uh, gave you a copy of all the Celely grants that our staff has received. And I'd like to read the name and title of each grant. I'm not going to read the amount, but the total amount is $25,000. that's been given to us by the Celely Foundation, the local um uh person who's been really supportive of our school system for a very long time. Um Berkeley Springs High School, Mr. Broadotics Grant. Uh Mr. Naida, uh training for the therapy dog. Um Pam Ditawick, art collaboration with Creekide Cooperative Gallery. Elizabeth Latrrent, forensic studies, field trip to WVU's crime scene training. Uh, Paul Schools, Anne Helmick, Serial Box Heroes Biographies, Pleasant View, Summer Mcccleintoch, Ottabon Society, Watershed Education Program, Morgan Golden from
035Pleasant View, Battle of the Books, Christy Buts, Principal there, uh, for the math coach position. Uh Whitmire Elementary as Shannon Brown, the second grade take-home books, Warm Springs Intermediate School, uh Mariana Riierro, uh for so much fun, learn to sew, Cheryl Roberts, engaging literacy and virtual learning opportunities, >> and Harley Meyers for tropical rainforest study for adaptive special ed students. And then finally, Warm Springs Middle School. Um, Miss Kathleen Boyce, uh, My Book, a collaborative fiction writing project. Francesca Wall, 6th through 8th grade math intervention. Megan Pal, Holocaust Educational Field Trip, Ian Helmick, Band Instrument Repair Kit and Guitar Capos. So >> now, how do they uh do does each of these uh staff members apply somehow individually? >> Mhm. They do. >> So, um very pleased. This was the largest amount um I think
036she said in I don't know how many years, but this is a big um amount of grant money to give away to our school system. And I applaud all of our staff members too for taking the time to write those grants to supplement their classroom. >> I'd like to just thank the Celely Foundation. I mean, I don't know if you're new to the community. Virginia and Tom Cely owned the furniture u factory before uh Certton bought it and um had invested their money wisely to be able to give out these all these educational grants. They do a lot a lot for the community. So, thank you to them. >> And I I would add that the CLA foundation has been very helpful for the Greenwood School uh community center. >> Um just so many projects
037that we knew we were going to have to do in time, including a new water system and things like that, keeping an eye on our roof as well. and they they have just looked at what we needed and uh have been extremely sensitive and generous with us. Very much appreciated. >> Thank you. >> Uh also, I I did mention this to you, but we did not receive our SBA funding. Um there was a limited amount of money to give away from the West Virginia School Building Authority, and we received some last year, but weren't we did not receive funding this year. So, we'll have to go to plan B for our roof replacement for Warm Springs Middle and Warm Springs Intermediate. Okay. Next thing I would like to uh read a statement. Um, as you
038are aware, uh we had an issue with a student survey administration at Warm Springs Intermediate School on November 21st. Uh the survey um from the search institute which is based on the 40 developmental assets is a survey that the Mortyn County partnership requests that we administer to students in our district to help provide good data for grant writing and then as a result that grant writing that they pursue often funds social workers and other programs throughout our county. Um this particular survey was given to fourth graders that day. um one classroom completed the survey and a second classroom partially completed it. Once the uh questions were noted uh or noticed um the survey was stopped by the principal and none of the other fourth grade classrooms did the survey. Um Mr. Lyens uh following the
039survey uh the error um and to be specific about the error um the partnership had the survey posted on their website where parents could go and look at it and everybody in the school system assumed that that was the survey the students were taking. However, the survey that the students took had two two questions that were completely inappropriate in my opinion. one of them um asking uh if they were transgender and a second question that included a non non-binary option uh for them to check. So those questions are not appropriate for fourth graders to be answering. Uh once this happened u Mr. Lyens personally contacted each parent guardian at the at the school of the students who took that survey and apologized. Um the survey given to the students again was was the wrong survey.
040Uh the school systems understood that that different survey was to be given and the survey was one with the survey that was supposed to be given was one that did not have a transgender or non-binary non-binary question. Um that was that mistake was relayed to the Morgan County Partnership and they have taken full responsibility for our students taking the wrong survey. Um they issued a public letter of apology last week and have returned tonight uh for an update and uh I would give the floor to uh Miss Gingry who's here tonight to further update us. Miss Gingry. Right. Well, good evening parents. Thank you for coming this evening. Morgan County School Board, our superintendent, and our community. My name is Dr. Kristen Gingry and I'm the executive director of the Morgan County Partnership. The Morgan
041County Partnership would like to formally extend a sincere apology for the incidents that occurred on November 21st regarding these surveys in collaboration with Morgan County Schools. partnership has been administering these surveys very successfully since 2009 without incident. The survey data has helped us gain all of our beautiful grants for our community um including a lot of our after 3 funding. During this year's survey implementation, an issue was discovered initiating our partnership to quickly call the search institute which is our survey provider. Um search institute had added additional demographic questions to their survey. We did not catch that the current survey had these questions and the last previous cycle survey was on our website. Um I do apologize for this error. The administrative staff member within our agency who was responsible for overseeing the survey did
042not catch that these questions had been changed. The staff member responsible was placed on administrative leave while this matter was under investigation with our board. Um we also share several board members with Morton County School Board. um and systems that person has resigned um employment with our agency. We are currently working with our board of directors to examine our internal practices and procedures to ensure that this will never happen again. Again, I personally truly apologize for any issues that have occurred because of this situation and we have always truly appreciated and truly supported the opportunity to work with children and families in our community and I thank you very >> Thank you. Um, as a followup to that, our our district has decided to pause all student surveys right now. Uh, we have other surveys
043that we administer through capturing kids hearts where students, you know, ask question or ask questions about how they feel about being in school, how they feel about their teachers, and if it's welcoming and safe. Uh, we are pausing those surveys for the remainder of the year while we uh look into this a little deeper. I want to add something else that's unrelated to the surveys, but because I don't have Facebook, but I've been reading Facebook and I saw another issue that came up and Berkeley Springs High School also reinforced this. There's a uh Senate Bill 466 requirement that students take a a training on uh cyber security. And in previous years, the training, best I can describe it, was more about don't do this, don't do this, don't do this. So, the West Virginia Department
044of Education made a change to that training and used a new curriculum. And this one is more about if you do this, if you do the wrong thing, then this might happen. And as a result of that, I think the content was not appropriate. Um, we are required to do this. It's a Senate bill that was passed and the curriculum was provided to us from the West Virginia Department of Education. I have emailed the West Virginia Department of Education and say we are no longer doing that. Um, it's not acceptable. there are um questions on there that talk about suicide and if we're going to have surveys like that um first of all I don't want them but secondly if we do down the road we need to educate our students about what they're going
045to see educate our students and our parents about what they're going to see on these videos before they do that. So, we have also stopped that um uh the department of ed uh has been notified that we are no longer showing those videos to our students either. >> But the high school hasn't seen the new curriculum just last year's they haven't done anything this year. >> I do believe some of them have and we stopped we stopped it. Yes. >> So, uh those are some issues I bring before you tonight. Um, and uh, just wanted to share that in public and as a statement tonight. And thank you to the partnership for being here as well. >> Partnership has been a great partner. Not to put the two words together, but thank you for your
046ownership of this and thank you for coming tonight to talk to us through it and tell us about how things stand currently. We appreciate your time. Appreciate your commitment to our district isn't doesn't go unnoticed. Thank you. Uh board members, anything else? I think we have a few parents possibly or community members wanting to speak in regards to this same item. I have four members uh I'm sorry, four community members wanting to speak tonight. uh just for reference and some housekeeping on how public comment works. For those that haven't been here, uh each person signed up uh for wishing to speak uh we'll have 5 minutes. Uh it is your time to make any comments to the board of education at your will. Uh it is not a public hearing where it's a question and
047answer time. Uh the board members typically do not respond. We are here to listen. Um, at this time I welcome Jay Wall for five minutes to discuss the survey partnership. >> Would you mind if I just say >> I have no problem at all with that. >> Um, what I'm concerned about and and it does have to do with surveys. Um, here's my problem with everything that's going on and and talking with the governor's office and everything. They kind of uh give me some heads up here. Uh, this partnership has been administering these surveys since 2009. Am I correct? >> Mhm. >> Okay. The PP was designated and put into law in 2000. So how many of these surveys went out completely to the parents and the parents then gave permission for those surveys to
048be given? That is the way the law was written up. It's supposed to be sent out. I'm supposed to give my permission and then you get a paper trail back. That's the way the law stated. At least that's the way I read. It seemed pretty open and shut. Uh my thing is then for 16 years around there you've been violating civil rights. My thing is any survey that goes out and I and and the other I'm sorry to bring this up but the uh would you say heart whatever the heart survey was >> capturing kids hearts. >> Yeah kids hearts. Uh when I spoke with you and and the principal, I made it kind of clear right then. I read off what was going on. Yet that survey was still sent out that day with
049the QR code on it, which I'm sorry, I I don't use a QR code. That's ridiculous. uh speaking with one of the teachers. My way of looking at it in the future, any survey that is to be given, send a note home with the parent and if the parent calls in and says okay, you can give the survey otherwise you don't give it to the child or sends back permission to give it. Uh I I just I I understand that okay sometimes surveys are necessary but it's also parents civil rights to know what's on those surveys and to examine them. So I would hope in the future that none of this ever happens again. Uh granted, I am glad to hear that someone resigned over the partnership because I would have thought somebody needed to
050be fired to miss something that blatant. Um gentlemen, I you know, I've got a beautiful child I'm caring for and I want her to get the best education possible, but I don't want her adopted. Uh I don't think any parent does. Uh, my thing is any survey goes up from now on, I need to see the survey before it's given. And I think that's every parent that you talk to would like to see surveys before they're given and not a QR code. I wouldn't know how to scan a QR code if I had to. As much of my five minutes as I needed. Thank you for coming tonight. Thank you for your words and we will we appreciate them. >> I hope it's remedies so it never happened again. >> Gentlemen, ladies, >> Tiffany Collins,
051>> he pretty much covered everything I was going to ask. We've been talking a lot together, so he covered pretty much everything. >> No problem at all. Thank you for coming tonight. nice seeing you >> Chelsea. >> Hi. Um, same thing. I was here supporting the survey, but also what you're speaking of with the cyber um situation. My son came home saying that his character is at school. So, um, my main concern is, is there going to be somebody going through the entire program of whatever our kids are sent ahead of time prior to them being exposed to these things? Um, so that we don't have to fix it after that, >> right? >> Thank you. >> Thanks for bringing it up tonight. Thanks for bringing it to our attention. >> Stop. >> Hi. I
052same as them and especially with what she said with I mean because you all mentioned the high school with that survey but the middle schoolers also took that and I I just like she said that's a that's a lot to put into the minds of these young kids and for them to have to process and it's just not I don't think that was the appropriate way for them to have to see it or hear or whatnot. Um, you know, I'm all about mental health and all of that, but I feel like there was a lot of ideas and stuff in there that put stuff into our kids head that definitely should not have been put there. Um, >> and you're referencing cyber bullying. the driver. >> I'm all for the survey that they are talking
053about too because yeah, that's definitely >> I don't talk to my kid about using a litter box or anything else. So, I definitely agree with all of them on these surveys and how they're exposed to the kids and and just that's not what I'm sending them to school for. Thank you all again for coming tonight. Thank you for caring about your student. That's the biggest thing we see tonight. And we do care about your students as well. And we we'll keep it in mind and all that's going on. Do our best. Board members comments. You are welcome to stay for the rest of the meeting if you wish to. Uh we have a few things to go through. If not, have a blessed evening and a blessed Christmas. Can Becky talk to the >> Yes,
054I was going to ask Becky to step out to the hallway and have that conversation. >> So, what kind of trouble would there be with the N? Did I understand that middle school had done the survey already? >> Partially in both places. >> And when you say partially, you meant just some of the classes. >> Thank you. >> Consent agenda. The superintendent recommends approval of client consent actions as presented. minutes of the December 2nd rigger meeting, payment of bills, budget adjustments, volunteers. Uh there are some committee minutes as well. Um at this time, I also want to bring up something that I overlooked during my comment time and that is regarding uh supplemental time sheet for our training days that we are doing. And so our treasur needs a record that we are participating in
055training in order for you to be reimbursed for your per training $260. So it won't be on this payment of bills. However, uh if you submit that if you get >> you get paid for two trainings. Two trainings in the fall. >> Gotcha. for YouTube. >> Yeah. >> If you participate in 12 hours that are required. >> Yeah. I keep forgetting to look. I mean, those of us that are running, do we have to have our 12 before December 31st? >> No. >> They changed that >> in June if I'm not mistaken. I thought >> I mean at one point >> that's been changed. >> I thought it was all right. But >> I'm not running so worried about it. You know, I I thought before, you know, >> it'd be a challenge scale 12N
056before December 31st, >> but I can double check that and find out for you as well. >> Oh, that's okay. I can I can email Howard. I'm sure for surely I'm sure somebody can answer. Thank you. >> Uh, may I have a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented? >> So, move. >> I have a second. >> Second. Uh, are there any comments on the committee minutes or anything comments? All those f in favor saying I >> oppos? Nay. Eyes carry it. Personnel, the superintendent recommends approval of following personnel actions as presented. >> All right. So, um, as I said earlier, I was getting really excited today. I'm not going to say anything because it's just bound to not be correct whenever I say we've almost got everything filled. We're not done. We're not
057doing anything with personnel, so um, so under the, uh, personnel section there, we have a resation at the end of the school year, title one specialist at Paula Elementary School. Uh, we have graciously graciously been able to talk to this individual into staying with us until January 31st. Um, and then in that same vein, the next person I would also like to introduce, and she's here with us this evening, our next treasurer and chief school business official here at the central office, Aaron Pope. So, we are really, really happy to have her on board, and thank you for the board meeting tonight. Um, the next member, we have a paid unpaid leave of absence from January 21st until April 21st of next year. Under service personnel, we're bringing on an attendant special education aid at
058Wigmire. That that individual will be beginning tomorrow. The resignation is a teacher at ECAT at Wigmire. It's effective at the end of this calendar year. And we have a paid unpaid leave of absence as a teacher aid ECAT at War Springs Intermediate School. Uh we have a transfer from unassigned bus operator over to bus operator 2020 for 2626 that will be effective beginning the day we get back from Christmas break. Um under letter C there we have a pre and post supervision uh bus duty at Berkeley Springs High School. Under staff development two individuals being paid for this on December 3rd. Over on the agenda, we're bringing assistant teacher on. Um, we are service personnel. We are bringing on a the resignation that was on the agenda. This person will be filling that in on
059the day we get back from Christmas break again. So, there will be no lapse and uh coverage there on that. Uh under extracurricular, we're bringing on a volunteer assistant basketball track coach at Paul, a volunteer assistant girls basketball coach at Berkeley Springs, a volunteer um assistant wrestling coach at Berkeley Springs. We're bringing on three NC3 teachers at Whitmire. Uh and then we're bringing on uh two one mentor teacher that's going to kind of serve uh with some of our um some of Miss Huber's folks in the prek special needs world. And then we're bringing on a mentor teacher for Springs High School. Under letter D, we're asking for that individual be paid for unpacking on December 10th. And then number two was for the sale conference and number three is for social standards roll out.
060Thank you very much. I entertain a motion to approve the personnel as presented. >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Comments. I want to welcome Aaron. Thank you very much. I think you and Ann are going to be a wonderful fit together to pass the torch off to her. I think it will be a very nice addition to the board of education. So looking forward to having you. >> A motion on the floor. All those in favor saying I. >> I. Motion carries. Majority of those present. Finance and budget. authorized superintendent to approve the payment of bills through January 6, 2026. The schedule checks written will be provided to the board of to the board at the subsequent meeting. I'll make that motion. >> Second. >> Thank you. Comments, concerns. Only
061thing I had don't need any hiring or firing typically in that time frame. That was the only thing I thought about. I like good. >> Okay. >> All those in favor of saying I >> I n carry it. >> Oh, she's here for a bus. >> Yeah. >> Approve the purchase of one gasoline 2026 air conditioner bluebird 70 passenger school bus for the >> $155,981. I don't think it's going up that bad. From Bluebird bus sales for the 2526 school year. Funding source. Step four, state bus replacement allocation. >> I just want to make a comment. Uh she uh we we had she had brought a bus to us that needed extensive repair to the tune of $30,000. And we were going to make this suggestion down the road in the spring, but we decided
062not to put 30,000 into an old bus, put that 30,000 into this, and that's why we're bringing it to you at this point. So, >> well, I'd like to add that um our bus ridership was up 205. >> Wow. >> Last year, this year. >> Wow. >> So, yeah. Um and it's noticeable. I think it's the schools that we admire in the parent pickup line, but um the the other schools when I monitor it, it doesn't seem to be as hairy as it was. So, we have to do ridership every month, every year, the month of October. And from last year, this year, we were up 205. >> Wow. That's impressive. >> Good. >> We staying away from diesel completely now. >> We are staying away from diesel completely now >> as long as um
063I'm here. Somebody else may want to do something different. But um I just uh we don't work them the way that they're supposed to be worked and it causes us problems with EGR coolers and things like that because we're not working them like they need to be. Um, you know, we're replacing motors at 100 150,000 miles and my husband who drives truck is replacing motors at 800, 900,000 miles because they work those trucks. They never plug them in. They don't have any problems and we're riddled with problems in the winter time and um just things like that. So, um it it's just been better in my opinion all the way around. We have other problems, but we don't have as expensive or the same problems. Um, so thank you for allowing me to purchase this.
064>> We have a motion. >> So move. >> Second. >> Thank you. Thank you. Comments, concerns. >> All those in favor saying I >> post. Nay. Eyes carry it. Program planning item A. Approve Bob Meyers and two BSHs students to attend the Virginia Tech Honor Band in Blackburg, Virginia 25 20 January 22nd to 25th 2026, excuse me. Funny source Morgan County achieves. You want to comment about or make a motion? >> It's um Honor Band. So >> feel like they they go numerous of years. Like honor bands is >> there's like five or six different colleges that they'll go to. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Y and he'll pick different students to >> kind of go to different >> different one. Give them all not all of them but gives more of them
065an opportunity to go play. >> I move that we approve the uh the trip. Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Concerns or comments? All those in favor? Some by saying I. >> I. >> Oppos? No. Carry it. Second reading and approval. Policy 2451, alternative school programs. Policy 2605, program accountability and evaluation. 4120.12, areas of critical need and shortage for sub bus operators. 4162 drug and alcohol testing of CDL license holders, 5113 open enrollment for non-resident students, 5200 attendance, and 5460 graduation requirements. Any comments received on those? Tanya, that's a question for you. Any comments by chance? Nothing. >> I entertain a motion to approve the policies for adoption. >> So move. >> Second. Concerns or questions? All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Thank you very much. Motion carries by a majority
066of those present. Counter of events. Right. >> Mhm. >> Okay. Miss anything on the agenda. Making sure. Counter events. Board. We are starting at LSIC's on the 20th. Please mark your calendars. Kuno Pleasant View and then Warm Springs Intermediate. Still at 6 o'clock. Not moving the time up. I don't know. >> I I have to tell it's 5:30. >> I thought we >> I think we did. We just didn't make that change here. You still want 5:30. >> There was a discussion board 5:30. It's >> fine with me. >> 5:30 is fine. We'll make that change. >> Give the the principles a little more time. Make them not feel rushed. And so the 20th will be at >> 20th will be at 5:30 >> and that is at Pleasant View, correct? >> Yes, it is.
067Each of them will be at 5:30 for the LSC's 6:00 still on January 6th though. >> Yep. Um entertain a motion to adjurnn then. >> So move >> second. >> All those in favor of saying I. >> I. I. >> We are adjourned at 657. >> Merry Christmas. >> Yes.