001everyone. Welcome to the Nicholas County Board of Education regular meeting Monday, April 6th and at this time we'll call the meeting to order. Please stand and join us for a moment of silence. Reflection. Thank you. Please join the board with the pledge. 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. At this time I'll turn the meeting over to Mr. Cochran. All right. Um first and foremost, I would like to thank everyone for coming out this evening. Um we have some uh some individuals that we would like to recognize both students and staff. Um so this is a uh this is a great evening. This is a great evening when I look forward
002to and um and uh her phone. Is that her phone? One that we will we will start with by recognizing our our students that qualified for the state math field day. Um which is a tremendous honor. Again, I I say this all the time. When we have our students when we have our student recognitions um as part of our board meetings, I think it just gives us a chance to highlight the hard work that our students do every day. Um to highlight the rewards that the hard work our staff does in preparing our students. Um but just to just to take a few minutes to to thank them for all of their their achievements and all their hard work. So I've asked Leslie to help with the with the uh recognition of our students, so
003I'll turn it over to her. Do you need help with the awards? Yes. I just want to take a moment to celebrate something that's really special our students and their incredible accomplishments at regional field day. Now, let's be honest, math competitions aren't exactly easy. They take focus, persistence, problem-solving, and a whole lot of determination. These students didn't just show up, they showed out. They challenged themselves, worked through tough problems, and represented our county with pride. To our students, you've proven that hard work pays off. You've shown confident, resilient confidence, resilience, and teamwork. Whether this is your first competition or one of many, placing at regionals is something to be proud of. And of course, we also want to thank the teachers and families who supported these students along the way. Your encouragement, time, and belief
004in them made a difference. But this evening, we celebrate not just the the awards, but the journey, the learning, the effort, and the courage it takes to on this challenge. By placing at regional competition, the students qualify to go to state math field day at West Virginia Wesleyan on April 18th. We are so proud of you. Good luck at the next level. Okay, so the following students um Do you want to do them that way? Yeah. Um ones that went to grades 4 through 9 competition, you'll get your certificate, but then you also get a free Timber Trek. Yes. And that's from Adventures on the Gorge. So, the first one we have is Isla Hubert. Isla H Isla Hubert? Yeah, okay. He's not here. Do you want to get it? Yeah, come on. Do you
005want to go to school? This is Robert Sizemore. Gavin Lewis Amelia Morton Emily Legg Jaden Pontier Amari Young And then for the senior high competition, we have Braden Morton. Allie Dorsey Susan Gilman scoring sophomore throughout the entire competition for senior high. And then Owen Groves Congratulations, guys. Thank you. Okay. Board members want to stand up and have a seat. Students and parents, please feel free to to leave if you wish, or you can stay um as we continue the meeting. It's It's up to you. We've got more celebrating today. We do. We're for our staff. All right. Next on the agenda is um we will move into recognizing some amazing staff. And again, this is a tough choice at the school level, and it's a very very tough choice at the county level to distinguish
006who who should receive these these honors of service employee of the year and um teacher of the year. The ones that were chosen at the school level is is really just a reflection of all the hard work that your entire school does, because there's many people at the school level that is that is deserving. Um we have a great staff here. So, we just want to take a few minutes to highlight those individuals that were that were selected at the school level. We're going to recognize each of them. And then after we finish, we will recognize the overall county selected winner to represent Nicholas County at the state level next month um as it relates to the teacher of the year and the service employee of the year. So, Dr. Lee, you have the floor.
007I'll start with announcing that there's a whole front row. It's like at church. If you would like There are two chairs here. So, and if you're back at the desk, you can stay back there. You remember when we did the elementary school and Mrs. Sigley messaged me. She's with after school, so she's sending you well wishes. She wishes you were with you with you, but Courtney Mallahan, come Any correction already? Okay, moving on right along. Holly Ridge Elementary School, the plaque says Chastity, but I think everybody in this room would know her as Chaz Byrd. Come on up. Sophie's Um next week, Lake Creek Elementary Service Personnel of the Year, Shauna Mars. Now, Lookout Service Personnel of the Year, Rachel McMillian. Now, Midway Elementary School, Temperance I's Moore. Join Sally Xavier. Summersville Elementary, Ethan Lilly.
008Midland Elementary, Angela Stone. Midway Middle School, Joshua Young. Are you School, James King. Nicholas County High School, Ann Lanham. One of those parent volunteers that may have been leaned on to become a school maybe maybe maybe. Somebody may have talked you into it. I get their picture up here. >> I don't know. Welcome to the board meeting. Welcome to the leeway of the board members, please. Let's get them in there. Thank you, guys. You have a good night. Thank you, Josh. All right. I wouldn't tell anybody anything. Cherry Valley Elementary School, Rebecca Humphreys. Lake Forest, William Hannah. You know, I just think they're some of the nicest people in the world. Valley River Elementary School, Marcy Bragg. Lookout, Stacy Dorsey. Elk Meadow, Marina Hugger. Teresa Dennison Kelly Bayless County High School Shyla Lesk Richmond High
009School Jennifer Cole He's trying to say it Adam. Please no ma'am. Are you ready to stand? >> What number one? Only Yes. Yes, we can. Service Service winners, come on up. I'm found. You're number one. I'm number >> Okay, uh moving on. Again, as I mentioned earlier, work that the service our service employees do across the board, um regardless of a classification, um they're all important. They're all important to our to the success of our kids every day, whether it's our bus drivers, our custodians, our cooks, our secretaries, our aides, um they all go above and beyond. They all go above and beyond and we're just we're grateful for everyone. With that being said, as you can see, we had we have a tremendous tremendous representation from the school level. And then trying to decide
010one out of that group, as I mentioned earlier, there are numerous that are that are, you know, deserving. But, with that being said, I would like to announce the 2025-2026 Nicholas County School Service Personnel of the Year that will represent us in the state competition goes to Chastity Baird. Baird. Chastity Baird. What is the plan? Just leave in there. Okay, whatever you say. All right, give her one more minute. I want to echo my remarks. Um our teachers, we all know that they work endless hours, endless hours every day just for the success of our kids. And their hard work pays off. They're not only with our general general summit assessment results, but also just the daily relationships they that they build with our students. Um you know, our students look forward to that. They
011look forward to that interaction. And and again, our teachers go above and beyond. We were we're blessed with the staff that we have. Again, what representation we have from the school level, but selecting one of those individuals is tough. Um but this year's 2025-2026 Nicholas County Schools Teacher of the Year award goes to Shilo Lust. Good job. Your turn. So, I would like to thank um in conclusion of of of the recognitions, I would just like to thank all of the uh all of our employees for everything you do. Thanks for coming out today. Thanks for our service employees. Thanks for our teachers for all you do every day. Um again, at this time, please feel free to to leave and enjoy your evenings as we'll continue with the meeting or feel free to stay
012in and and and uh be with us throughout the remainder. So, I'll give you a few minutes to uh For those who want to leave, we'll give you a few minutes to to clear. You get an allowance? It's time. What you say, bud? Are you getting older? I am. 60. I'm 60. I take care of my teachers. Well, RDC? I've got kids in Jacksonville. You got to leave it back. Yeah, I am. See you. Hey, everybody's leaving you. >> All right, we will continue. Um I do have a couple other updates for the board members. Um just for your information, um the this year's super scholars ceremony will be held at Nicholas County High School on the evening of Thursday, April 23rd. And that will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the auditorium. 6:00 p.m. on
013the 23rd of April. And just a brief construction update on a couple of our projects that we have going on. Um as it relates to the to the Nicholas County Career and Technical Center roofing project, we had a construction meeting last Wednesday. Um the firm Southern Roofing is on site. They began work around the weather. Um but as of last Wednesday, they had removed and replaced about 4% of the roof. And their plan was as of last Wednesday work um through the weekend if the weather was good, and I'm assuming today they were back on site after after the rain cleared out this morning, but um if we get some good weather back-to-back days, it'll it's going to progress pretty quick. Um so we're happy with that. As it relates to the project at the
014Summer's Academic Complex, um we had an internal call today, got an update there. Um again, the weather's getting better, the ground's getting drier, work is work is picking up. Most of the subcontractors are on site, and within the next week or two all of our subcontractors will be back on site and and and getting after that project pretty quickly. Uh as it relates, um the on-site crew there are working on the rear access road around the building, and working on getting the light pole bases in the ground. The concrete uh crew is on site pouring floor drains um around all the cutouts in the kitchen, restrooms, and other miscellaneous areas. The masons are laying up the exterior brick on all the wings, and are approximately 98% complete with all interior CMU walls. The mechanical contractor's
015installing HVAC duct in the office area. Electricians are working on terminations to prep for the transformer to be set and permanent power installed. Plumbers are installing copper lines in the clinic and acid waste lines in the science labs. Painters painting crews on site working on block fill. And ceiling grids are nearly complete in seeing in in wing C. So things are things are moving along nicely out there. Um not too long, probably a couple weeks away from um really getting some sidewalk prep and and starting to pour some of those exterior sidewalks. So it's moving along it's moving along nicely. Um I did have one more update. Just as a reminder, I talked briefly earlier the we will have a special meeting this Wednesday, April 8th at 2:00. And that will be for the proposed
0162026-27 um personnel recommendations. That will be um That will be conducted by um State Superintendent Michelle Blat or her designee um who will make those decisions whether to approve or disapprove those recommendations. So that will again will be this Wednesday, April 8th at 2:00. Um item six on your agenda, which we had the approval of two expulsions with the effective dates of 3/23 and 3/27. Under consent, um we had five out-of-state trip requests, which we did try to ensure that those um those trips met the chaperone numbers, which they all do. Another consent item number two, we had two uh parent volunteers that were approved for the remainder of this school year. And then the remainder of the agenda basically takes in the personnel section under number eight. Um we had one one retirement request,
017um one substitute teacher employment, we had two requests for service personnel unpaid leave of absences, we had two service employee resignation requests, we had the employment of one service employee, we have three extracurricular resignations, and we had multiple extracurricular employments, which was due to our summer programs on the following two and a half pages. And then under future meeting dates, I did add again. I just want to add as a reminder this Wednesday, April 8th at 2:00 will be the proposed personnel actions for the 26-27 school year. And then as as you were aware on Tuesday, April 21st is the um statutory meeting to reconvene and enter the levy rates for the 26-27 school year. That will begin at 4:00. And we will have a um we will have a regular meeting agenda after that.
018With which is just a little bit of business that we need to take care of on that night. And that will be followed by um a regular meeting on Monday, May 4th. And just for your information again, we will bump that time back to 5:00 starting May 4th. Mr. President, I thought I had Yeah, I have a question. Uh could you review for my information uh the requirement for a pair of volunteer? Is there a charge? How much? I'm not sure exactly how much it is recently. I it it was around 35 36 dollars. That was early in the fall. I'm not real sure I I didn't have anybody to do it with. It used to be 35. Where did they get the background stuff? I don't know. Do you know? It's at open doors.
019I don't know if it's quite down the road or not. I can look it Colonial Plaza. What? The Colonial Plaza, right down over the hill. >> They have to make an They'll have to make an appointment for that. >> fingerprint, yes. With background check? Yes. Mhm. Okay. All right, thank you very much. Anything else? Okay, do I have a motion to adjourn? Motion. Mr. Green makes a motion to adjourn. Do we have a second? I'll second. Mr. Seabolt seconds. All in favor? I. Any opposed? At 4:31. I'm there.