001What time is it? 6 o' 6 o' 9. >> One minute. 60. >> I mean, slam it. I got to wait till you get this turned on. >> We're good. All right. Go for it. >> I'd like to call the Pocahontas County Board of Education for Tuesday, December the 16th, 2025, beginning at 6 PM to order. We'll open with a pledge of allegiance. I pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all you check this thing Yeah. Okay. Fourth sounds familiar. >> Okay. Uh, all members are present. I want to go back and say that. Fourth is recognition. >> Feathers, national board certified teacher. >> Dr. Williams. If you can get behind the table,
002please. >> You can get up. Yes. >> You got to get in the center. >> She right here. >> Oh, she's over there. >> Then she can get between you. >> Yeah. She's got to make her look good cuz >> So this certificate of recognition, this is a huge is for Miss Samantha Feathers for achieving national board certification, a mark of excellence in in the teaching profession. We recognize her efforts demonstrated exceptional commitment to student learning, professional growth, and educational leadership. Thank you so much. Amos look good. Okay. One, two, three. >> Perfect. >> Congratulations. >> Yeah. Jim told me, she said, "My teacher's going to come up there and get her picture to look at." Thank you, ma'am. Thank you. That's good. Help me. >> You don't have to stay if you don't want
003to. You don't. You got something. You got to school tomorrow. >> I'll blame you. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Congratulations. Keep up the good work. Great job. >> Item number five, special improvement update special education policy 2419 study implementation and follow up on training for specialty designed instruction co-eing and co- classroom management. Dr. Williams. So um in our next stage of addressing our state of emergency status for special education, we have purchase policy 24/19 for every staff member in the county and we will go through that policy and do a policy study just to make sure we're building capacity and understanding for addressing our needs. And then we had three trainings that were required in our report. Specially designed instruction, co-eing and classroom management. Have our special education director, Mr. Anderson, and our director
004of federal programs curriculum instruction, Miss Burns, working on how we are going to measure and monitor that. We're going to add that to our ewok system and ask our principles to collect data on how many classrooms it's being implemented in and how often. No, it's not moving. The tape is not moving here. All right. And we're going to continue because we got it on the big board, right? >> That's fine. >> Okay. Number six is consent of agenda items. A is approval of the agenda. B is approval of the agenda minutes for October 28th, 2025. Payment of bills subject to additions, deletions, or other changes prior to the board meeting. Payment of vendor listings 770,24690. Payment of PE card 75,60408 December 3rd 2025 employee payroll extra duty pay for November 20251469966 bank reconciliation for October
0052025 grant awards budget adjustments and budget transfers and supplements subject to additions deletions or other charges prior to the board meeting. Are there any additions or corrections to the agenda? Yes, I would like to add a school fundraiser request form for sports equipment and uniforms for the basketball team um to our list of fundraisers to be approved >> and that will be added to the bottom. >> Yes, sir. >> Or of the agenda or you want to add it here? >> Um we'll just add it where we uh do fundraiser approvals. >> Okay. >> On item 10. >> Yeah. A >> under new business. >> Yes. >> Okay. That's what we'll do. Uh, basketball, >> basketball and sports equipment. >> What's the fund raise? >> Just something. >> It's just uh they're going to solicit
006donations to support the sports program and equipment the sports program. >> Are they Are they any uh questions on any of the items I just read? >> Do I have a motion? First of all, so moved. Mr. McColl's made the motion. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Dr. Hollensworth second. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> Motion carries. Uh, personnel matters. Do I have a motion? Commission's made a motion. Do I have Dr. Hollsworth? Second it. I'd like to move that we go into executive session for personnel reasons. >> Mr. Mr. McNab has requested an executive session on a personnel held. I second that and Mr. Gibson has seconded. All those in favor signify by saying I. We will now go into executive station and >> 606 Six. Do we have
007a motion to come back into regular session? >> Mr. McNave made the motion and Mr. Mcome second it. All those in favor signify by sign saying I. I. Motion carries. We are now back in regular session. It is >> 637. >> 6:37. Okay. Under personnel, Ollie, you're uh up to personnel agenda for December the 16th, 2025. We show the professional recommendations where we still have positions that are not filled. We have the following substitutes for Pocahontas County Schools at state. Basic professional salary for the 2526 school year is needed. Ken M. Kulis and Brandy E. Wayne. We have the resignation of Michelle Wilfong as academic interventionist at Greenbank Elementary Middle School effective December the 19th, 2025. And under service recommendations, we have Jill Stannic as special education classroom bus aid to Poconus County High School
008effective January the 5th, 2026 for 118 days for the remainder of the 2526 school year. All those in favor sign saying I. Motion carries. Number eight is superintendent update. General updates administration guidelines are being developed for procedure. MTSS pay road travel website review of information. Dr. Williams. >> So one of the things that um we move >> no we don't on superintendent updates. We don't have a motion. One of the things that was recommended for the county office when I started working here and working with uh Miss Klein was that even though we had policies, we did not have administrative procedures and guidelines and processes. So you should have this and this is um the first one is travel and the protocol for getting travel through and passing travel. So we're starting to work on
009that. And then the next one is we're looking at uh a purchase requisition and how we do the purchasing process. We've broken those down and both of those were completed by Miss Hamilton. And then we do have some problems with getting payroll sheets in on time for pay procedures. So, I asked uh Miss Irvin to create a flowchart for being absent and our payroll process. And then we just updated our payroll time sheet to tell people this is when if you turn it in by this time. Payrolls are dated for the 8th and the 22nd. All time sheets turned in the first Monday of the month will be paid on the 22nd. payroll uh of the same month and all time sheets turned in after the third Monday will not be paid until the 8th
010of the next month. So, we're starting to to get the processes in place to augment our policies and make sure that everybody understands those processes. And then as far as the website review information, I was going to pull that up today because we have the MTSS. Hammonds has built an amazing uh website for MTSS. Can you pull that up or so just go to Can we turn it around so we can see? So this is a multi-tiered system of support which also tied into our SPE program. So we'll just uh for staff or even parents will visit here on special education website and then you'll just open up this tab and this is um all the information related to those due processes. It went it went off. Part of the process was um in our
011special review was making sure that understood this components of this multi go ahead and talk a little more about it. Uh so on the left hand side you have just an explanation so folks understand how our multi-tered system of support works. Um in general these can apply to any of your areas academic behavior attendance. This is your tier one supports how they work tier 2 tier three. So anybody can grab that information like I said staff or parents. Then we have the department of education's overview document about it. And then on the right hand side we have a student assistance team that intervenes when students need a little more help meeting their goals. Um and so this has the explanation again for parents and staff. And then they can find all the forms that they
012need over here under printable and electronic fillable that's out there for anybody to see or use. That was something we had to develop part of our state of emergence. That's all I have >> business. Do I have a motion? >> Mr. Mccle made a motion. Do I have a second? I'll second. Mr. McNed discussion total cost of school safety officers. That was something we asked at the last meeting. >> It was and I prepared that with Miss Hamilton so that we could go over that and you could see what the total cost would be. You want to pass it down? So, we have a proposal for two um security officers or safety officers at $24 an hour, which is a salary. We won't pay hourly, but 385. Then we have the taxes. Then we have
013their insurance. That's the family plan, I believe. Retirement, um lie detector testing. We want to do that. travel for each of them for professional developments. We've allotted $2,500 per officer. And then um uniforms if we wanted them to be wearing a security uniform. Um total cost over here for two employees. We have the amount there um at that salary. Now I will say that salary has not attracted that many applicants. >> How many applicants have we had? one >> I would say not many. >> So, >> have we advertised it any other than just posting it like? >> No. Do you want to advertise it in a newspaper or something? >> I would. >> Okay, we will do that. >> Yeah, because unless you're actually looking for a school job, you probably never look the
014>> but it's now they're going to be under certain requirements. It's going to be a veteran or retired. >> Yeah. >> Police or deputy sheriff. All on the posting. Did you have a question, Mr. Gibson? >> Yeah. What is a What's the professional teacher? What's her salary? What's that person's salary? >> I think they start off at I don't I don't want to say I think it's around 30 Sarah, a first year teacher, >> a first year >> 37. I think the scales on our website. >> A first year teacher with a master starts at 41. And that's what my daughter started at. >> Okay. >> That's why I retired. thing we should start. >> They have a masters. >> That's different than having a a bachelor >> bachelor. So I think I think $1,000.
015I think a bachelor's 41. >> No, she has a masters. >> That's what I'm saying. That' be 42, but I think a bachelor's is 41. I think there's a $1,000 difference. I'm I'm guessing. I I think I heard that somewhere. >> I don't think it's $40,000 for first year. >> I think first year is 36. to continue with the salary. Is there any additional questions from anybody about this? >> Let's wait and see what happens. >> Let's put it in the time. >> You put it in the time. >> Okay. >> And see might be a cop that just looking for a job. >> If we could get >> supplemented income >> in surrounding counties, >> you got you or a cop wasn't something to do. Miss >> Sarah. Yes. >> How's this going to
016affect us budgetarily? moneywise. >> I know that's service work. Now, that's going to put us two. No, >> it's not counted as either one, right? >> It's not service. You can't put them in service. There's no funding code. But it doesn't matter if they're a funding code or not. This is a separate position that the board has to fund if you want it. >> Yeah. And uh it comes out of our general funds. >> Correct. Yeah, you know, obviously we're going forward with this. It's really I don't have that. I'm not I'm not sold on the concept. I think we are I think we're an institution of education, not a not a institution of law enforcement. And I I don't I don't I don't agree with spending any money that doesn't go to student education,
017>> you know, but you have to think of it in terms of if you've got kids disrupting education, they're not getting an educ. And so what good is that? >> It's more than what you're thinking, I think, Mr. Gibson, that they monitor the cameras. They watch they watch for drugs. It's just not that they're protecting the school. They're doing a lot of other stuff. >> Uh we had one here for a while on loan from the sheriff's department. >> Right. >> I was here then. It was a great thing. >> And I think he done a great job. >> He did a great job. >> It's not just it's just not they're not here to get you. And a lot of the boys go to these people and talk to them. They're they're you know
018on >> have we checked out the uh did y'all check out the possibility county they have their uh officers are part of the county deputy system. They're actually police officers there. >> But those officers actually would cost more than this one. >> They cost more. >> Yeah, they don't cost more. >> Not only that, the sheriff's office can't find deputies. >> I did, Mr. Gibson. I did meet with the sheriff on this. >> So, let me tell you this. Um, we the each school is required to submit a crisis plan. >> Um, each school is required to have safety drills for run, hide, lock down. Um, there are discipline issues within the school. We have a lot of vaping issues in our school. That's the majority of our level three. Um, we haven't done anything
019with any drug dogs to see what is going on in our school system, but we could have that because we have a community that has some issues. So, it's it's a lot more than just walking the hallways and checking doors. And we do need to do that as well because of especially here at the high school, the way they transition in and out. We've covered that a little bit. It used to be that everybody had the code. So, really, why did you have a locked door? So there are some issues with a campus like this and the way we're isolated. >> The and the other my only other thing is with is is equality. You know equality is the cornerstone of our education system. And you know we have this is two this is two
020officers right here. >> We have one two three more schools. don't have this protection, you know, do we >> do we share these guys with the other three schools? I mean, do we I mean, what's the are we eventually going to build up to one at each school? >> No, the plan is right now to share one between Greenbank and the high school and then to share one on the other side of the county between the other three schools. >> But you but you got to remember too, Mr. Gibson, that Martin Middle School and Martin Elementary's 5 minutes away from a police department. >> They're close. They have they're closer to assets, too. >> Yes. here you're 20 minutes away and at Greenbank you're 60 minutes away. >> Yeah. >> So it it is concerning,
021>> right? Or to me it is. Let's put it that way. >> We have had a couple of safety concerns this year at Green Bank with people being on campus that weren't supposed to be on campus and people being frightened. >> Yeah. All right. I I I don't think we can put a value on safety, but I mean this is I I thank you for the budget. >> You're welcome. >> Okay. Number 10. Uh number 10 is new business approval of fundraiser for basketball and sports equipment. Uh, approval of out of county and out of state field trips. Approval of mutual agreement between Superintendent Williams and Jendessa Henderson for an administrative modification from full days to half days effective January 5th, 2026. Discussion and or action of policy 5223, absences for religious ordinance and instruction
022first reading. Decision and action 312 board staff communication first reading. F is decision and action policy 7540.02 digital content and accessibility first reading. Do I have a motion? So move. Mr. Mcomes made the motion. Do I have a second? I'll say >> Mr. McNed. Any questions on any of the ones I just read? >> Yeah, I want to pull up I want to talk about the staff board communication. Um >> what what letter is it? Mhm. >> He Okay. Board. Uh, Mr. Gibson, what do let's let's go ahead and vote on all the rest of them. If nobody has any questions, then let's come back on that one. Okay. >> That's fine, sir. >> Okay. All those in favor on voting, everyone but number E on the agenda, signify by saying I. >> That motion
023carries. Now, E, discussing action 312 board staff communication, first reading. Okay. Mr. Gibson, what is your questions? Well, I'd like to What did What is this? Can't imagine that putting some kind of a barrier between staff and the board communication that would be good for school morale or employee satisfaction. I mean, what is what's the what's the need for this? >> We can address it. >> You go ahead. I can too. Go ahead. So in all of our trainings in our training at the beginning of the year we talked about under Dr. Oall and at the uh schoolboard authority training is that ultimately staff should be communicating through the superintendent and the superintendent puts it on the agenda for the board members to discuss. Um, it does make the board seem impartial when there are
024circumstances. Let's say there's the hiring of an employee that is wanting to be hired for a job and you have someone email all the board and copy the superintendent on it or not copy the superintendent saying they don't want that person hired. That that is just not proper chain of command and protocol. So, we have to be careful about following chain of command and protocol. Right. >> So, >> and this that there's a conflict in this policy. First, it says we do it this way and then it says we do it that way. >> So, you're asking So, what you want? We want like say a teacher has a has some kind of an issue, you want them to go to their supervisors, you know, that that change. >> That's how they should be. But
025that's how they going to do it because if if it's a if it's a suspension of a teacher or a student and then if you already have knowledge of it and it comes before the board, we can't vote on it. >> I get that. >> So it's got to be follow chain of command. We are not over any teacher. We have no authority over the personnel director. The only person we have authority over is Dr. Williams. >> Yeah. >> Okay. She's got to make that call. If we don't allow her to do that, one, number one, we're breaking the law, but number two, we ain't very good board members because that this is her job. We are the board of directors. We're not the superintendent. Sammy, what what I'm gathering out of this is like
026we're our last superintendent. Nobody could get any information from her. Nobody could get anything. That's why we were getting all of those emails and all those letters. I mean, it was daily and but that's not the proper way to do it. Well, that's not the >> I really I don't want to know about all that stuff either. >> Well, that's what >> I just want to make this I mean >> if they follow chain of command, we don't have a problem. >> Right. >> Hey, if there's anything that's not on the agenda that you want on the agenda per our last training, all you have to do is say in the discussion, superintendent, would you put this on the agenda next time and I will put it on there for discussion. We're we're not trying
027to stifle communication from our staff. Correct. >> As long as they communicate with the right people. >> They just want them to go through the proper training. >> Correct. >> So everybody's still able to communicate with you and their their their flow. >> Correct. But they they should not be me emailing all the board members at once. >> All right. >> Because you're not a board through the email. We can't hear everything as a group through the email. >> All right. I just Okay. We're we're going to vote on discussion action at 312 board self-communication first reading. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> Motion carries. >> Board members remarks. While you're on a roll, Mr. Gibson, tell us what your problems are. >> Any problems? Great. About ready for winter break. Um
028staff's doing a great job. We've had some weather day. We're what? Six day six now? >> Yes, sir. >> All right. Um, and I wish everybody a merry Christmas. >> Thank you, sir. >> Wish me n >> I'd like to thank everybody that helped with the gym floor and all the painting and all the other renovations that have been taking place here and at the board office. Uh, it's really it looks good. uh it's needed it for a long time and appreciate everybody's hard work and uh like I said I just like to wish everybody a merry Christmas and have a safe and if you're traveling everybody be safe and we'll continue continue on. >> Yeah, Dr. Hollinssworth. >> Well, I'd just like to reiterate what has already been said. when everybody gets together when
029help is needed and help appears and we get things done because we are stronger together. and we are and um I think that our board has worked well together and by working well together we've accomplished a lot >> and and we work well with the staff who put up with Carrie Aron and American Christmas. >> I guess that leads me I mean everybody's done said what I was thinking and the facelift on this school looks amazing. >> So especially our front office where people walks in and sees you know first impression is important and the season you should know merry Christmas Dr. Williams, keep up the good work. >> Thank you. >> Well, you know, January the 1st, we'll work here first six months. >> Yeah. Well, well, >> we not only got new, we
030got a teacher out of the deal, you know, >> but uh you know, we're glad you made a decision to come with us. >> Uh you know, and uh what I personally hope you're here for a long time. >> Thank you. Uh, merry Christmas to everybody and happy new year. I guess whenever we come back it will be January. It'll be 2026. >> Believe it or not, >> it's an adjustment. >> That'll be an adjustment. Yes. But we will keep fighting forward to make Pocahontas County schools the best they can be. >> That's right. >> That's all I have. Now, our next board of education meeting will be January the 6th, 2025. Position conference room and you are hereby ajourned.