Pocahontas County Board of Education Meeting: 11/18/2025

001when it comes after I do Mr. Van Meter, would you get Stephanie for Perfect. Thank you. >> I'd like to call the Pocahontas County Board of Education for Tuesday, November the 18th, 2025 to order. All members are present. Open with the pledge of allegiance to the flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of America to the republic for it stands under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Next item on the agenda is delegation. You'll have up to five minutes. We got David Beverage. Come up here where we can hear you >> or he can stand at the podium if you want. >> Yeah, you can stand over there if you would like. Now, we can't respond during a delegation. We can listen to you, but we can't respond. Now, we can when

002it becomes matters of the board at the end of the meeting, >> okay? >> But we can't respond now. >> Okay. I'm I'm going to address the leaders of of our Pakunis County schools and and we uh raised our two children and uh on the route that we live at 266 Draf Creek Road. It's been a bus route for 70ome years. Uh there's no danger of the road itself. Got actually got new black top and everything is this year. Uh we got the privilege under uh I reckon hardship of a mother. We raising two kids. one's five years old and 116th. We've had him a couple years down for the one, but it brings a lot of hardship. Uh when I just boarded last year, they held fast to it would be approximately 7 minutes

003to alter the bus route and that's what it was kind of held fast to. But so as we taking our kids down to the church, there's a definitely the seven minutes wouldn't hold a bucket wouldn't hold water. There's sometime 10 minutes or more minutes uh between the bus time the bus gets here. It's no set time. And there's been a few occasion bus not showed up at all. And uh it then had been said, you know, let them walk if the weather's decent. We live in a time era of time that we know has changed. We can't compare 2025 to 1980 or 1970 or whatever. It just things has changed. Uh, you know, in danger of kids and and with that, my wife and I both work. I'm sure there's some people here does farming

004and it don't take very much altered time to bring hardships when you're trying to get everything done in the I can I can say for like for the this evening today as I got the kids and I fed a portion of the farm animals. I did not get to feed them all if I was going to be here. Uh my wife's got rheumatoid arthritis. Uh and I try to pick up any any area that would enhance her uh you know as that just different things cooking meals and different things I try to enhance. Uh it is a crippling disease and and she struggles with it big time and for her I have to get up in the mornings to take the kids additional down to catch the bus that's hardship on her. In the evenings

005as I work, there's times that uh I should have stayed over Denmark and I tell them I will have to come back, but in the last, you know, 10 or 15 minutes, you can't find somebody coming and get kids and whatnot when the bus is coming. And so, you know, I've got to be at middle school picking these these two kids up. I'm not complaining. It's a privilege for us to raise uh these two young kids. It's an honor, but for the life of me, I cannot understand how members that's put in in a in a place that's supposed to be for the school and the kids can can bring hardship to a family that, like I said, we've done raised ours. And we're stepping stepping out of our comfort zone with these. And I

006it's it's been, you know, just a life-changing experience for two people where neither one of us is 20 by no means. And and it has, like I said, it it brings hardship. I'm just asking them be open and and at least be considered uh of the options. Like I said, Dow Halls is I think 80 I don't know, probably approximately 86 87. And he said the bus started coming up here picking him up when he was four years old. So we we've picked up on that road. our gr our kids was picked up on our road and previous I forget what year exactly we got the granddaughter and there was not an issue the bus started picking her up you know that time but this time for whatever things changed you know it was denied

007that the bus would pick them up and so I'm just asking nobody closed mind I'm just asking at least be consider of what's the hardship it has has brought on this And that's that's where I'm at with their everything. >> You can you can >> um would would you please put your request in a in a letter and drop it off to me because I'm new to the county and I just need something in front of me so that I can look at. >> Absolutely. Yes. >> Thank you. >> Beautiful. >> Thank you, David. You're welcome. Recognition Lois Wilfong College Access Success Championship School. >> Wait, wait, wait. We'll read your certificate off from the picture. Come on, boarding. >> Thank you. >> Are you going to do them all? >> You're going to read

008them all? >> Yes. >> Well, I'm gonna let you do it. >> Okay, perfect. >> Thank you. The first one is Miss Wilhorn. And let me say what we're recognizing her for. We are recognizing Miss Wilhorn for her outstanding commitment to postsecary achievement for our Pocahontas County High School students. and she has her award, our championship that will get on the school and her plaque >> and then we'll take this shake hand know each other. How about that? >> I think we know each other. Don't you >> guys Okay, everybody ready? And one, two, three. >> Thank you. So, this next gentleman that we're going to recognize, um, I remember when I was first hired as a superintendent of schools, he was here speaking on behalf of the students at Pocahontas County High School and

009such an articulate, wellspoken, um, well represented young man. So, it's my honor tonight to recognize Joseph B meter for and he is being recognized as a finalist for the Clinton 26 United States Civic Youth Program for Pocahontas County Schools and we are so proud of him. Joseph, if you would like to I was supposed to say pictures here. >> Okay. I was going to say >> congratul And then our next group of students says Burns is going to come up and read off their certificates for it. Miss Burns, I would like for everyone to come on in. >> We may have to scoot that way a little bit. >> There's space over here. I do believe this is probably the best we've ever had in here. I want to thank the parents for attending tonight.

010Um I appreciate your supporting your children with your children. Um I want to give you a little background on literature fair. Literature fair is held every year. It starts the school level, moves on to the county level and then those students who excel move on to the regional level. And we are going to recognize the people who participated in the regional fair tonight. Um in the lecture fair also they were able to view their books. There were several different genres they could participate in from realistic fiction to biography. Um then they had to once they read their books they had to pull them apart. They had to uh describe only visually and orally their setting, their characters, their climax um if possibly the text structure if they were doing non-fiction. So it it was a

011task that a lot of them completed on their own because we started school so late. So I want to commend everyone who participated plus the ones who made it and excelled to the regional level. Um, your certificate, your certificate is certificate of recognition for your excellence during the Glendel State University West Virginia literature fair in recognition of exceptional academic achievement and unwavering dedication to literacy. Your remarkable performance of the West Virginia Regional Literature Fair is commendable. And I would like to speak, please come forward. You want to hear the noise? with me. >> First one is Jenna McN. >> Thanks. >> Then we had several that completed in or competed in a class level in Miss Khloe Hardesty's class, second grade. That is Micah Argast, Ben Cheney, Hank Kummel, Jace Karen Nois, Jasper Smith, Daniel

012Swan, Riviera Wandless. I'm not sure if any of them are here. >> Okay. Um, they also uh received first place and so did Jimma receive first place at the beach. >> No. board members and we'll get your picture. >> Thank you. >> We have a couple more. We have three more kindergarten through second grade students that participated and actually excelled to the regional level. Lydia Rittenhouse, Linen Murray and Deacon Written House. Please come back here. >> Thank you. >> Third through fifth grade students who excelled to the regional level. Windro Hudson, Jersey Jackson, Elliot Seldom, Gracie Anderson, >> Moore, >> Jericho, Moore, Isaiah McNeel, Avery Smith, Jackson Turner, Peter written house >> Annabelle Swan Mariela Boy, boy, >> Adeline Beverage, >> Cadence Carpenter, Solomon Seldon Bridge, Ela McNeel, Madison Bosley, I want to point out,

013Paisley, Jackson, Henley, Titus, Daniel, Annabelle, Sullivan, and Madison all receive first place at the regional. >> One more. Look up at me here. >> There we go. Now our sixth through 8th grade students. Barlo's BA and then Gemma, Natalie, Urban, Kendo Taylor, boy. Thank you. Eva and then Eva and they have to do a group project >> Maline Renhouse that's >> Raina Kran Noah Sharp W go. That is all of our sixth through 8th grade particip regional level. Kendall Taylor, Carly Boyd, Kendall Hmel, Ava Bills, Eva Tanner, Val Rittenhouse. They all place first. and they are in 9th through 12th grade. Uh we sent two projects to the regional level from high school and both projects received first place and that is Kayla D. I do want to mention that reached out to me and

014said, "Can high school students participate in this?" She initiated and I said, "Yes, yes, we want you to." So, um, Congratulations. >> Thank you. If your parents don't want to hang around and listen to those war babies, you're three to go. >> Hi, baby. Good job. I'm proud of you. pictures will be on our website 3,000 followers. You're making >> pride back there wasn't any before you're bringing it back. >> What are you doing for it, Jean? >> I asked that my baby is the air. I said, "You know that guy saying?" She didn't answer me. She looked up at him. I love you. Email. >> I'll do it right now, sir. >> You're not running the bus up there. I didn't know you already respond. It's like state law. That's not our law. That's

015all matters of the world. We can make mess up. That's all nice. >> All right. Thank you. >> We are on me reading the mission. >> That's me right here. >> Yeah, I got you. >> Okay. School improvements and updates. Dr. Wait, we need to get motion. >> So, every meeting I like to start our meeting with focusing on our mission statement and our goals. Both um the mission says what we want to accomplish accomplish and our goals is how we are going to get there. So, Pocahontas County School strives to provide an engaging and supportive learning environment where every student is valued, empowered, and equipped to reach their full potential. Our goals, our core beliefs are all staff will engage in a team and growth mindset, promote and model positive behaviors and dialogue, create

016a safe and supportive learning environment, establish high expectations for academic excellence. And all students can develop a team and growth mindset, display positive behaviors and constructive dialogue, contribute to a safe and learning, safe and supportive learning environment, and meet high expectations for academic excellence and reach their full potential. which is the reason we are having each of our schools do an LSIC presentation that focuses on student achievement, attendance, and discipline so that we can keep track of that throughout the year to reach our mission. >> B Pocahontas County High School local school improvement data update on achievement, discipline, and attendance. >> Hello Awesome. Look at that technology. So, we're doing pretty good this year. We got recognized for our work in college prep last year. Um, and I just wanted to bring a little bit

017of a presentation here for you all. Starting out with our mission. Um, the school wrote this mission a couple of years ago and our vision and we revisit it every year and believe that it still holds true today. So our mission is to provide quality education that promotes academic excellence, personal growth, career readiness and a passion for lifelong learning. And our vision is that those things will actively develop intellectual, competent and responsible individuals who lead productive lives in their communities wherever they may live. And those things are based on our core beliefs which just go into what we believe academic excellence is and personal growth, career readiness and then um the lifelong learning. So some of the things that are happening, our strategic plan, the action steps, our goals are aligned to the county goals

018and we have our teachers actually use our strategic plan goals for their personal student learning goals. But these are some of the highlights that I thought were super important for you guys to be able to see. These are some of the things that they're doing to meet those goals, which is the meat of the the strategy itself. So, this is a combination of different all of our departments set two action steps to meet this schoolwide goal. So, this is just a sample of some of the things that they're working on. And one group is building monthly spiral view lessons around targeted concepts. We're doing that across the board. Incorporate higher depth of knowledge levels in our writing activities that focus on analyzing, reasoning, and planning. Um, depth of knowledge is the type of skill you

019use. So, if you're just recall, recalling information, that's level one. But if you're actually analyzing critiquing each other that is up to the uh depth of knowledge level four and the things in between are categorizing things classifying things. So that is our language arts department actually pulled this one together in terms of how do we use those writing activities across the board to analyze reason and plan. Utilizingformational text to develop evidential arguments supporting an opinion for debate. Just a super high level of uh knowledge to be able to do that. use utility words and context, evaluate rhetorically and make connections through integrated projects. Um, our social studies department developed that action step and then consistently connecting vocabulary to other content areas. We're doing that across the board as well, trying to bridge the gap between

020it's not just science, it's not just math, it's not just ELA. These words are used in all context and content rates. Academic excellence. The things that we're focusing on this year is to optimize your learning and support the warrior mission by demonstrating warrior pride every day. Be prompt, be prepared, be productive, and be polite. These are the things that teachers worked in their classrooms to say, "What does that look like in my room?" to set their class expectations. and they are posted in the classrooms and then relevant information to that specific class. Uh when we demonstrate warrior pride every day, we become more present, respectful, innovative, determined and engaged. This is our pride uh acronym to kind of focus on those are the things that make us who we want to be and strive towards

021our mission and our vision. action steps for improvement. Classroom instruction we have set across the board. Um all classrooms will have some type of opening a bell ringer. They will have a clear objective. They will be actively engaged bell-to bell and then continually pro monitoring student progress and using the multi-tered systems of support using skill gap intervention postgraduate planning for our seniors. We have the afterchool tutoring program that came out through the county grant and then our PLC's which is our professional learning communities that all the teachers are part of are their actions are aligned to the strategic plan. Um October benchmark. So here's where we are right now. So last year, every year we do a benchmark test in the fall and it's the um PSAT and kind of pre SAT is what that

022is. And last year we had 100 or yeah, last year we had 180 students test. That's all of our 10th and 11th graders take the same test in the fall, but they take a PSAT 10 in the spring and then the SAT is our juniors in the spring, but in the fall they all take the this test so that they can work towards that national merit potential. Um, last year our average score at in October was 822. This year we tested 107 students and our average score was 850. So, we have seen a gain just from October to October. Um, and this is the third fourth year that we've been doing a fall benchmark. Fourth, I think so. Those are our 10th and 11th graders. And our 9th graders, last year they were 56 students

023that tested. Their average was 776. And this year we text tested 66 students an average of 810. So we are seeing growth um already in our benchmark testing attendance matters. Uh Pocon, this is our slogan for this year. Poconus County High School pride begins with being present and pride stands for present. last year's scores or last year's attendance was bleak and 48% of our students were chronically absent um over the course of the year this year. Yes. And when you have a low number of students, it doesn't take much to get there and doesn't take many days either. Um but this year our action steps to improve this is ensuring positive attendance messaging campaigns by establishing procedures for we have our SAT team to support attendance. If students miss more if they have more than

024five unexcused days then we we start contacting parents at day one. We um start calling parents at day three and then after five unexcused days we start reaching out to schedule an SAT meeting which is a student assistance team meeting that um Miss Wagner has been critical in putting that team together to make sure that we are following all the policies and procedures to get folks in to say what can we do to help you get to school. >> Miss with communities in school. She's been fundamentally >> she has been making calls. >> Uh Miss Cindy is reaching out to parents via email every day and we're getting more notes because of it. People are using the online um system to send in notes and we get those response alerts. So it is making a

025difference in terms of one at least getting the excuses when they are excused um which helps our overall attendance. It's doesn't matter if they're not there. They still add up for the chronically absent. So when you see the chronically absent percentages, it's kids that aren't in the building. >> Yeah. >> And they're not in the building. Sometimes it's an excused absence, but that still counts towards our chronically absent. So that in mind, too, collecting meaningful and actionable data. We have been tracking all the outreach we're making. We're also monitoring um their attendance every day. The state does have a system that you can check that. and then documenting that meaningful contact I just mentioned implementing school level motivational strategies. We do have a weekly reward for students who were were present every day that week

026get the opportunity to have um free time during our advisory just one day a week. Um implementing school level motivational strategies. I just mentioned recognition for attendance including improved attendance. So when they see we see improvement then we are recognizing students for that too. Our attendance plan this is the tier one tier 2 tier three. I'm sure you've seen a different form of this information um from Miss Dunlap. But we are in the halls greeting students. We greet them at the bus. We greet them at the parking lot in the cafeteria. We have classroom attendance incentives, weekly incentive, quarterly school banner that uh Miss Wilbong is working with us to make sure that we do that to put that up and just show that we are working on student spotlights. The journalism class is helping

027us with that in interviewing students who have had perfect attendance and why they come to school and why they're motivated to be there. So that's something we're working with with Miss Poppy's class. And then annual rewards. We have those certificates. Our LSC sic I have been updating them on getting more businesses involved in helping us promote uh attendance at school. We are working on a slogan competition for the students to get involved in to put on t-shirts and actually have that kind of you know swag now they can wear around that says why I come to school. Tier two is our interventions in terms of starting to like conduct SAP meetings, have goal setting, um daily attendance communication, communities and schools communication and referrals because once if a student is missing a lot of school

028then we can refer them to communities and schools and she checks in with them and helps them on a more indepth level. the kids that are on her case load. And then our social worker we have one day a week. We have our guidance counselor two days a week and they help us with that as well. And then tier three is our kids that are chronically absent beyond that. We reconvene that SAT. We have attendance director for truency diversion referral if they reach 10 days. And then we also have the youth reporting center options if needed and clear to home visits to behavior. These are incidents to date. I just did this uh last night. Level fours we have none. Um which is awesome. >> Level four is bad. That's expulsion time. >> Exp. >>

029Yes. Level threes are below that. We have 13 this year. Eight of those have been vaping. It's been that's our biggest level three. It was last year and still again this year. F um out of eight out of the eight, five of those were on the bus. Um, so we have noticed that they are beeping less in school but still on the bus and the bus drivers have been super diligent. I met with them this summer and said this is what I need in order for us to, you know, deter them vaping on the bus is just when they get to school, get us on there. We will empty their pocket. they'll have them empty their pockets if need be to catch him or make sure that there's some video. Um, so there have been

030five of the eight were just on the bus and then three and they're in the bathrooms. Two years ago, we had a lot of students maybe being in class. That seems to be a lot less. We have not seen any of that this year. Um, and we have a lot more monitoring of the bathrooms. So, we're doing a better job of one catching them and two deterring the behavior. And then level ones, um, we have 85 of those, I would venture to say, I didn't do the tallies for all of that, but what I see in our discipline incidents is mostly being tardy to class, which I think has improved since the beginning of the year. um we have one less minute to get to class this year to make sure we had enough instructional

031time. So that that was an adjustment for them to go, oh wait, I don't have >> but the the interesting thing to me and I think it's super important. >> They got three. >> We had four but we lost. >> Yeah, we are >> three minutes. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It went from 4 to 3. >> Um, >> school's not that big. >> And a couple students like I've walked with them and said, "Let's see how long it actually takes." I'm going to start a timer. Let's go and we won't even rush. We'll saunter and see how long it takes. >> I'll take one day and stop and use the potting >> one to the other. Time one hand. That's all you >> If you wish both hands, you'd been farting. And if you baked,

032you've been talking. >> Well, and this way. >> This second piece I think is >> is super important to note because you always hear, you know, 80% of the people are going to do the right thing. 20% of the people you can change the behavior and there's 5% of the people that 50 in that 20 5% of those people are super hard. This data right here shows pretty much exactly that. So we have 78% of our children have no discipline incidents. Um 22% have one incident and of those 22% 4% have three or more. >> Um so >> we are a typical high school >> and our students are awesome aren't they Joey? >> Yes. Joey is the secretary of our LSIC by the way and he takes great minutes. >> So action steps that

033we are doing on behavior is the setting clear expectations. I had mentioned before that our teachers actually spent that first week developing those expectations with the students and posting them in their classrooms using kind of a three structure out um process or procedure to say you get a warning you get this and now this is happening and really focusing on here's the behavior and here's the consequence. We don't need to get into the weeds and talk about what kind of student you are or what where you come from. We need to focus on this is the behavior. This is the consequence. These are your choices. They're not always good. Doesn't make you a bad person. We can move on from this. And what can we do differently to change this behavior? So that positive reinforcement

034for high school students means a lot. And then that parent communication. there's no student that goes to inschool suspension that does not that I don't talk to. Um and then that followth through of what are we doing? uh Courtney and Curran has just been amazing as our old ed person who manages our detentions and in school suspensions that we're doing a much better job this year of following that discipline rubric that we established of this is the first offense and it's based on policy 4373 um from the department that actually says first offense, second offense, third offense. And so we've done a much better job this year with her help of that follow through. If you are here again, it's progressive discipline. It changes as you do it more times. It's not 50 detentions. So

035that's been an improvement we've made this year. Um and then our local school impro improvement council, we have uh Pam here with us who is our parent representative. Joey is our one of our student representatives. Once you get past seventh grade, the um the guidance for local school improvement is to have a student on there. We actually have a student elected from each grade level. And Joey's been he's this is your third year on local school improvement council since we started. We just started three years ago getting students on there and they're elected at the beginning of the year with our class officer. Um, but I put their goals on. Josh is our chair this year. Uh, Josh Hardy is with us and of course all these folks are on our local school improvement council

036as teacher representatives and administrators and of course our communities and schools. And the goals that we set at our last meeting were these three goals. I'm going to let Josh talk about some of the things of ideas that we had in terms of getting this community involved with our high school and our local school improvement council, advocating for highquality certified staff at PCHS because we've struggled to fill positions and then the advocating for a high school counselor or and or included graduation coach because we do not we have a counselor two days a week. We have a social worker one day a week and there's a lot of things to do to get these kids prepared for the next stage of their life. Um when I came to Poconos County High School, I heard a

037lot of we just get them across the stage. Get them across the stage. I want to I want them to have a job when they leave that stage. I want them to know where they're going. We have all these CTE programs and these kids are getting certified. I mean, our welding program is amazing. Our carpentry program, all these things, they need to be in school at the next level in trade school or actually have a job they know they're going to. So, I'm really focused on >> we recently had the seniors fill out a questionnaire and Miss Wil and I our plan is to pull them one by one and some of the classes were like even if they're going to college, where are you going? Joey and I discussed he's planning on going to

038Harvard and I said, "Well, do do you need to work?" And he said, "I think I might." Like, do you have a vehicle? What kind of transfer rotation do they have there? And he didn't know the answers to these questions. So, we're going to find that out for him. So, every single senior in the building and they may not stick to the plan, right? But we're going to make sure that they have a plan and that we can help them with that plan. >> Clear down to understanding your apartment rental agreement. >> Exactly. Workforce, whatever you're doing, like we're going to you want to go work at Lowe's, we're going to get you the interview. >> That's great. >> Thank you. Thank you. I'll be very brief. Um, thank you for y'all's time here tonight.

039Um, you know, kind of in in the spirit of the of the mission statement and goals that Dr. Williams annunciated at the beginning of the meeting, the LSI school or the the the high school LSIC came up with some goals of our own that we think complement the overall goals of of the county and of the high school. Um, and you know, we've Christine's has identified them here. um the the first goal of getting I've been on the LSIC now I think three years and or two this will be my third um and and so this first goal seems to kind of always be our first goal um and and and you know any help and advice that you guys can give us to get there we'd love to hear it. um not only getting

040parents involved with the LSIC at the high school, but but just also the high school in general. Um and not only parents, but members of our community. Um you know, I think throughout our community, certainly volunteerism of time, um making financial contributions to programs, sports, what have you. um that's something that that we do well. We can always do better. But we also need to look at how we can get um people from the community, whether it's parents or um business owners, other members of the community, clergy, how they can make a meaningful impact in in our kids' lives. Um whether that's helping them um right there and then or helping them figure out kind of what comes next. Um, and with the resources that I think we're all seeing dwindling more and more, um,

041the more the more community spirit and community involvement we can have, um, I think will go a long way. Um, my oldest daughter's a senior this year. her sophomore year, she had the benefit of spending time um in the hospital um and shadowing different different um different uh areas of the hospital. Um and that's how she's fallen in love with the idea of becoming a nurse, right? Um unfortunately, I don't think that program is available any longer. Um and I don't know if that's a budgetary thing or other things, right? But we should be not only encouraging folks to come to the high school to help educate, tutor, um maybe show a skill, um talk about career planning, but we should also be encouraging our kids to go off campus, right? To learn a trade,

042to be around, um a mill, to be around a courthouse, to be in an accountant's office, right? Um that's valuable experience that that that students could have and I think people in this community would certainly be willing to to share um certainly especially if it helps ensure that there'll be future generations uh to come right and so I think getting a an involved community both inside the high school a and outside of it if you will in the community itself is something that we are really really trying to to do. >> I just want to add on that is Ruthana Beasley is also on our local school improvement council and she is with the she's the uh executive director of the Greenware Economic Development Council and she brought the broadband celebration to the high school

043last week. So those folks did come in and she has a lot of ideas and ready to put the muscle in to get folks to come to our school and for our CTE programs specifically and beyond to be able to go out too. So that partnership and having her on our LSIS is um going to be awesome. Um, I'll move in then to to the second goal, which is to advocate for high quality certified staff at PCHS. The board might remember about a year and a half ago, uh, in April of 24, um, uh, the LSIC gave a presentation as well. Um, and and and we documented, you know, that the high school is losing people in the classrooms, right? We're losing teachers. We're losing instructors. Um but um the the administrative body is growing.

044Um we we we would like to see a reinvigorated effort to put budget towards putting teachers in classrooms, CTE instructors in classrooms. Um professionals that have direct contact and involvement with the kids. Um, I understand we all understand that administrative duties are far and wide and everybody's doing probably 12 of the jobs that used to be done by four other people. Um, but at the end of the day, the administrative body is growing and growing and growing and our teaching body is growing less and less and less and less. um we're losing people in the classroom where um at the high school right now um by the time you're a senior um a a lot of folks are really what they have to take are online classes and and speaking to the students over the

045last several years um those classes they don't find tremendously beneficial. Um there's more to education than going to school with a computer, right? Um, and so getting more teachers involved, getting more teachers hired, being able to offer more again academic offerings as well as at at as as as as the as this as the C um CL excuse me, CTE. Um, but that that is something that's really really that we we are really concerned about. Um, we've lost more teachers in the last well We've we've lost more than than than even when we were here the last time before the vote, right? We've lost another position and I think I have. So that just keeps going south and it's not it's not doing wonders in the hallways as far as I can tell. We need

046to do a better job with that. And in saying that, we also said like the recruitment of teachers, like we we've got to do something different because the way we've been doing it is not working, right? And there are certainly challenges to living here, but for a young person um you know, who might have the love of outdoors um this is a very cost-effective, beautiful place to live and a great place to start your career. So just brainstorming around the table at the last meeting we were talking about like are are are we going in front of you know the graduating classes at WVU and Marshall or other instate schools you know if we're just posting job on some anonymous website who the heck is googling searching Poconis County West Virginia teaching jobs right nobody

047right so we got to go to them and I think relying on just they're going to find us is not a methodology. It it hasn't worked and I don't think it's going to. So recruitment is an area that we think we could pick up um and perhaps improve pilot on. Um and then the third goal that that kind of ties in with two is we understand right now that you know kind of in this makeshift operation whereby graciously counselors from other schools are now filling the role as the high school counselors and and and and and certainly grateful for those efforts. But, you know, when you talk to a senior this year at the high school, they basically haven't had a counselor since their freshman year, right? It's been non-existent, right? And and I've gone

048and talked to the last three years of senior classes, right? And the overwhelming majority of those kids said, "We had to figure it out ourselves." >> I agree. >> Right. and high school, every school, every kid of equal importance. I get that the challenges that children have throughout their school career vary. But high school is unique because in four years, you're supposed to be able to figure out what's next. Is it college? Is it a job? Is it military service? Is it volunteer career? What is it? And so to have someone who can start working with kids the day they get to school freshman year, what do you want to be in four years? It's a crazy question I know to ask. Still a crazy question to ask half of us, right? But it's something

049that we should really be working on. And all of these kids have expressed just a complete lack of that support for a long time in our school. And it feels like right now unless we get somebody dedicated to the high school that that that that is going to continue to be a problem and we are going to continue to kind of have these kids at loose ends with how do I get from A to B to C. the 600 pound gorilla in the room after all the three goals is where you know where are we at with the state right um because we understand as the LSIC and and how we want to work with the board all of us are somewhat constricted in what we can do perhaps um but we think and would

050like to understand what's going on the last time that the state showed up to our recollection was I think it was in June to tell us if all went Well, we'll be out of here in August. Right here we are November and I don't we're not aware of any end in sight. Right? So, what is up with the state? What do they want? What aren't they happy with? What do we got to fix? When are we going to get our schools back? >> Thank you. >> Wait, can we get back? >> Thank you, Josh. And I did inform the LSIC in the first couple meetings of the things that we had been working on that came from the state and that we know we have another review in December and we look super forward to

051an awesome outcome from that. So and then lastly we have communication is always strive strive strive for better communication and Dr. Williams has done excellent job of aligning things to say we're all in the same boat and trying to get all our arrows. And I talked up to the staff about remember that picture Dr. Williams showed us of all the arrows going all the different directions. We're trying super hard because we know that our kids, our schools, and the future of our communities are the most important piece. So, thank you very much. >> Thank you. Before you head off, Miss Campbell, is there any questions for Miss Campbell from the board members? Anybody have anything? >> I don't have a question. I have a comment. Last year, I went and talked to your social studies

052department about how you run for office. And it didn't matter whether he's run for board education or president of the United States. I'm more than willing to come and talk to him again. >> Awesome. >> Or your forestry department with Scott. I mean, I've spent 40ome years in that business. >> Right. Actually, um, Mr. Pew and the whole social studies department put together a trip last year where the kids, juniors and seniors went downtown and went to all those spots and talked to all everybody at the courthouse on different things. And they're going back again this year. And it's actually the 20th, Thursday. Um, yeah, they had to post they had to change the date of the trip, but they're still going and that was super beneficial. >> Well, it it amazed me. >> And

053having you come up there, >> it would amaze me that the children, you know, these were seniors and they didn't know how you run for office or, you know, or what it cost to run for office. So, >> yeah. >> You know, >> once upon a time, they didn't know what office was. They thought it was a room. That's >> so we're making gains. Thank you very much for that. >> Very good. You know, they asked a lot of questions. >> Yeah. And on that same note, I noticed that the Secretary of State's office is going around and working with seniors and getting folks registered. I think that might be a great thing for the student body to work on um voter registration and the Secretary of State's office to visit our school. That would

054be amazing. Sometimes they do it through the social studies department, but >> they usually schedule that and they definitely schedule the local um county clerk comes up twice a year actually to register our students. We've received an award annually for having 100% of our students eligible registered >> up till last year. >> So maybe we can get that on the books or work on that. That would be perfect. I'll >> send leaning from the state department. He's our area from the secretary of state. You know, Lenny, don't you? >> I don't know Lee. >> Okay. They'll send Lee because he works these schools in this area, >> right? >> And register and sometimes they even bring the secretary of state and let him talk in front of all the kids. >> That's be amazing. I've

055seen he's been out because I've seen a lot of a lot of high schools that's had him on there and had his picture. And I think it would be amazing for our small school to have the Secretary of State come and address our students. That will be a really big thing. switch. >> Yep. >> The tutoring. How many kids have y'all had signed up for tutoring? >> We had 16 today and 13. >> Well, okay. Sounds great. Right. There's that layover with basketball. And so I told them we don't have children running around the hallways. >> So there it's not just after school tutoring. It's called learning beyond the bell. And so we do like at the beginning there's 15 minutes of eating and then we do like a social emotional thing where we do

056like a check-in with everybody >> and then it goes into homework help >> and then in the end of it we're going to have different things going on like Thursdays we're going to have drama. Lois is doing a communication club. Um Miss um Aras is going to do a crafting club. So they're not just going to be in there like hammering or hammering them. And then Tuesdays we have um like Miss Neil is going to do every other Tuesday and then we have someone doing an English intervention. So we're going to have math and English where they the kids sign up for that and so they'll rotate out to that intervention out of the club if they need it and we'll pull them out for the 20 minutes to do that intensive intervention time. >>

057That's a great idea cuz I've coached up there kids running everywhere. >> Make them they're there as well do something. >> That's part of the 21st century. >> Yes. learning beyond the belt. >> I think we >> Yes. >> Answer Josh questions. I think we do uh recruit a colleges. >> Do we? >> Yeah. Don't answer. >> We recruit and we have advertised in the Charleston Gazette. We've advertised in Clarksburg. There's a teacher shortage nationwide and that continues to grow and it grows for a couple of reasons. Um the number one reason is um students are no longer going into the educational field and we have uh some areas that there's a critical shortage such as our special education counseling is a critical shortage. We have posted our counselor. I have called recruiting forms for

058our counselors and it's just hard to get a counselor. So, Miss Heels's permanent job, she's not on loan. Her permanent job is to be part-time at the high school. And that's the best of both scenarios that I proposed to the state department because she works with a lot of the students when they are in Marlington Middle School and she can continue to work with them on career planning all the way through high school. Now, the ideal situation would be to have a full-time high school counselor. State code says you have one counselor for every thousand students. We actually have three. Do we have three counselors? We have Miss Hill >> and Janessa who is in the county. >> In the in the county. So, we do have counseling services. we need to look at realigning

059those services to make sure that um the greatest majority of our students that has the greatest need for counseling services in terms of career planning are getting access to that. So that's one of the first things I did to make sure that the seniors had someone that was reviewing each of their transcripts. I believe she's actually meeting with some of the seniors and talking about what's next with them. So we are working really hard on that. Just out of curiosity, Dr. Williams, when when we talk about a a state, you know, the board policy or directive or recommendation like the one counselor per 10,00 >> that's that that that is kind of a that is a recommendation of the state. Correct. I mean, in other words, a county is free to say we want more

060of it back. Actually, we are funded based on their recommendations. So, they give us money for the number of employees we are allowed to have. And this year, we lost 60 students. I was doing the math as you were speaking. We had 258 students. Last year, we clocked in with 237, which is the loss of 21 students in our school system. We turned that report in in October. So I guess my point is we need to recruit some of our students. >> Guaranteed funding for,400 students. >> We are guaranteed funding for 14 then the enrollment factor right does not as long as it doesn't it doesn't matter really. I mean as long as we're getting funded for 1400 we don't have that but we still get 1,400. Therefore if we have 1,200 one year or

0611100 the next we're still funded at 1,400. We're still funded at 1,400, but we operate five small schools. >> Understand? I understand that. But how we allocate our resources should be the decision of the county, not the state. That would >> we can do that. But why we got that funding, it come through Walt Helm >> and I was on the board at the time is because of our service personnel and the distance we have to travel with buses and there was seven counties that got it at that time. Now there's how many did they tell us at the board meeting Saturday? >> 13. Now >> going through and listening to different people talk. That's probably going to change because of the charter schools and everything out there. So they're probably going to change that

062funding method. >> Secure schools, right? >> Well, we don't know that. You don't know that yet? >> We haven't received it. We're hopeful we're going to receive it. Um, I'm not optimistic we're going to receive it this late in the school year. Um, hopefully we'll receive it next year, but they haven't said we're not getting it. They just haven't sent it to us. >> That's $389,000, I think, is what the number was on that. I don't know exactly, but three, but I think it was approved last year in Congress, wasn't it? Didn't that get through? >> They pulled it out. I thought they got federal on it separately. >> Yeah, it's that's federal, but that really help. Do you understand how that works? that we need it badly and we deserve it. >> What that

063what that is what that is that's money in lie of taxes. >> No, I understand that. >> On the Monae National, >> there's 80 846,000 acres of the Monga National Forest and our county has more of it than any any other county. So, we always look for that funding because we get paid more. Now, they give us more but the state takes their part out of it before we get it. >> That's correct. And the county commission also gets funded so much for for that. They get like $900,000. >> But I hope this has helped you. And uh Mrs. Campbell, whenever we open up the gym up there, if you want the community involved, we got to have you to sing the Warriors theme song whenever we get through with everything. >> Hey, I have

064a question for you. You had you spoke on numbers. What's your data on student achievement? I mean you I mean you spoke about the SAT scores from you know your sophomores and juniors. I'm surprised you don't have any numbers on math and things on it's not >> I mean we had shown compared to state and the county >> Dr. Williams showed you the what the county and the high school looked like at the beginning of the year and that's last year's data. So we're pretty much we're showing you here's what's happening right now. We know we're in the yellow and the red and all none of the greens. So, I just felt like you already know that. So, I'm trying to show you where we're what we're doing right now. >> Trying to make those

065improvements. >> I think he's wanting proficiency levels that is meeting benchmark standards. Yeah. Um >> I mean I guess you all look I'm sure >> we're we're below proficiency but also what did the Miss Burke Kinderman sent out today that we're our district is fourth in math in the state. Um, >> what is that? >> We need to when we look at the state site, that's the site that's the accountability site and that's >> Oh, I know. >> It looks bad. U because all the counties are >> below proficiency or most of them. >> I'll pull that up. >> So, of our Yes. of all the bad scores, we're pretty good on the >> I'm I'm saying we're looking at it all the time. And this SAT is the test that we use. The GSA

066is what the elementary and middle schools use. And we know that this year so far, we're improving on what we were doing last year. >> We improved, but we're still below state. >> Oh, yeah. But we're improving from where we were. >> Anybody else? Anybody else have any more questions? >> An excellent presentation. Thanks. I appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Item number C, update meeting compliance indicators, special education, special circumstances and monitoring. Mrs. Dr. W, you >> want me to hold you get back in break? >> You want to take a break? >> Take a let's take a five minute break. >> Five minute break, please. Christie Give me a moment. Item number six on the agenda is a consent agenda item. Number A is approval of the minutes from the September 26, 2000.

067>> No, no, no. Or number 5C. >> 5C. Okay. Excuse me. It We're going back to 5C. The update meeting compliance indicator special education circumstances monitoring. I'm sorry, Miss or Dr. Williams. >> Okay. So um I have provided you with the special circumstance response chart. I went through our special circumstance report and I have broken the report down by compliance indicator and what the schools need to do. And this is significant because I will be working with the principles on Thursday and we will be uploading our compliance evidence of our trainings that we have completed and where we stand with each of the areas that we had a weakness on in our county. So I just wanted to break it down in a more summarized view starting with the first one. The first indicator is

068AF8 other and then I have Marlington Elementary School's indicators there. The actions that we have to take and what they have to submit. Then the next one is Hillsboro Elementary. What I have to submit for them that we've been working on and we've worked on lesson plans countywide and showing that they are standardsbased. We've had the three early early outs for um specially designed instruction co-eing and this Wednesday tomorrow we will have the classroom management. Today we had the functional behavior assessment BIP and behavior support plan training with all of our principles and our special education teachers. Um then the next one is cameras and evidence of compliance with our camera audio requirements in our special education self-contained room. PCHS uh their things that they have to submit. So they have to have a handbook

069to submit classroom management deficiencies which is what they'll get training on tomorrow. Protocols and procedures for attendance for safety. Um, we had to service the intercon system. So, we have done that. PBIS plan development, co-eing, training and implementation. We have done that. IEP review. The board of education hired a special ed teacher, special education assistant principal that oversees um special ed services at the high school and monitoring that unique learning system usage. they were using a below grade level uh software program for their students that were not eligible for it. They were not on the alternate standards. Um special education services, we had to rework every schedule in the county, every special education teacher schedule in the county that they provided services for five days a week. We have been doing that, working on that

070diligently. Crisis plan and intervention plan updates. Um, we are working on we have our first crisis plan meeting on December 4th. And then on February 16th, we're going to have the I love you guys training with our emergency folks. There's the BIP training again, specially designed instruction, behavior data collection. That's why I've had every school in the county reporting out on behavior to keep us up to date that and behavioral support training, which we did today. Then we have Greenbank Elementary Middle School. you can see the things that they have to do and we have to submit. We've collected most of this documentation and have done it to this point. Um, Marlington Middle School, the things that they have to change and we had to implement for them. Um, and then the LEA and all

071the things on the LEA, um, I have done. We I rewrote the job descriptions, reorganized the board office, uh made sure that spe the special ed job posting said um case manager. We've hired a compliance officer. We hired Miss Bland to be the compliance officer. We've hired a consultant. Um we have looked at continuation of services in all of our classrooms. Um we have did an internal review and checklist. We've got this and IEP development and decision-m as you know 89% of our IEPs were non-compliant and we had what I call the hot list and the hot list was the 18 files that they pulled. They had they kept pulling files until they found files that were compliant. So, we have those student ID numbers and we have gone back through all of those IEPs

072and had them, re-entered them, checked them, but we still have a portion to do because to do 156 IEPs from the beginning of September to now is a lot of IEPs to rewrite. So, we are working diligently on that process. So I I hate that the gentleman left that had the question about um the services but a lot of this is internal things that we have to do with our schools and it's things that have to be implemented at the classroom level. Um yesterday I was at a training the staff conference that we went to for our core team and during that conference um we had a couple of monitors that came to the county. They visited Marlington Elementary School to check the cameras to make sure the principal there, which was Miss Schoffner, who

073was just hired, knew how to work the cameras and um she was able to provide that and illustrate that she could do that. They visited other schools today and they were actually looking at the camera systems. However, we were having the training. Um so they will probably be back to do another on-site for us after Thanksgiving. So that's an update on where we are. what we have to upload >> and um looks like I guess we'll get a report on that >> and I will bring I will send it back. I'll bring it to the board of education. So is there any questions on where we are with the special circumstance report what we are doing what we have done um anything I can clarify? >> I just like to say I wish Mr. Hardy

074would have stayed because we cover this every meeting. Yeah. >> And I I commend you on the job you're doing. Thank you. >> Uh it's an ongoing thing and it you will get it fixed, but uh if he doesn't know what's going on, he hasn't been paying attention. >> Dr. Williams, I'd like to ask about all of these action items. Is evidence required? Now, if I understood what you just said, well, some of them are done. >> Mhm. But where's the evidence? >> The evidence has been collected >> and I have it to upload for the West Virginia Department of Education. You have to put it in a special portal and they review it there. So, I'm going to go over this on Thursday with the principles and make sure that I have collected everything

075from everyone and date it. And then I will bring this back to the board meeting next time. It'll have all the dates and everything that we've uploaded and anything that we haven't done yet. >> I'm also concerned that um let's say lesson plan submission, right? They're going to do it now. But I know teachers and as soon as the state says you're good to get a little slacker, a little bit more, a little more. So, who's going to make sure that all of this work >> that has been done doesn't disappear. >> Well, I have aligned. We are going to line our ewoks, our walkthrough process and that will be on our walkthrough and the principles are required for me to create to do a walk through that that is formalized where they do the

076check off of things that we are looking for once every nine weeks. They are required to do a walkthrough of their school. Make sure that hallways are cleared. Uh students are being greeted. Teachers are teaching bell to bell. Just um a hi, how are you doing? A coaching by walking around is what I call it three times a day. Morning after the students are in class. Lunch after the students are in class. and in the evening when we are getting students ready to send them to the bus. So we do have I do have a monitoring plan in place and I will be monitoring it more closely. I'm already monitoring closely but I will not stop monitoring >> regardless of if the state is here or not. These things that we are doing are right

077things for our kids. >> Absolutely. >> And we will continue to do the right thing for our kids without the state here. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Anthony, >> anyone else? >> I really like the efforts of the community and schools there. That's good. Lois and team have >> ready to move on to the next item. >> We are. Yes, sir. >> Okay. >> Item number six is the consent agenda items. A approval of the minutes from September 26, 2025 and October the 7th, 2025. B is approval of the agenda. C payment of deals subject to additions, deletions, or other charges prior to the board meeting. A payment of vendor listings 250,66549. B payment of local government purchasing card 172,2848. October the 7th, 2025, employee payroll 294,93841. November the 4th, 2025, employee payroll 281-28451.

078Extra duty pay for October 2025 was 19,95301. Grant awards and budget adjustments. Do I have a motion? >> Move. >> Mr. Mcomes made the motion. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Dr. Hollinssworth seconded. Will you want to vote on all these items or do you see one particular one you'd like to pull out? Anybody have any questions? All those in favor signify by saying I. Motion carries. Personnel agenda. Do I have a motion? Move. Mr. Mcol's made a motion. Do I have a second? I'll second. Mr. McNab second. Ollie, what we got? Personnel agenda November the 18th, 2025. You see the professional recommendations down there. Those are the jobs that are currently still allowable. We have selected Preston Taylor. We have coming in as a bed teacher at home high school on a

079oneb waiver permit uh until the completion of her certification. We have service recommendations. Jennifer Yokum resignation to special education classroom bus county high school effective October the 31st 2025. Victoria Lawson resignation as custodian three programs county high school effective November the 21st 2025. Victoria requested employment as a substitute custodian once her resignation has been approved. Employment of the following as a substitute special education class from Buzz A. Please do next written house. Our extracurricular recommendations. Resignation of Chloe Shatner as co-athletic director at Greenbank Elementary Middle School effective October the 20th, 2025. Resignation of Melissa Jordan as co-athletic director at Greenbank Elementary Middle School, effectable effective on the hiring of an athletic director to take over those duties. their 21st century grant positions contingent upon adequate number of students for the program. Charlie Hughes will become

080the site coordinator for the Marlington Middle School. Tammy Kerson the site coordinator for the Greenbank Elementary Middle School. We have the PCH teachers at the high school. Um Charlie Hughes is going to work in those positions as well. We also have Jennifer Nail Cook and Shirley folks that will be um teaching that as well. We have mentors for teachers in Pocahontas County schools at a rate of $25 per hour for 50 hours for a total of $1,250 for our new employees. Assignments will be made by the director of personnel. Those mentors will be Darlene Armagast, Charlie Hughes, Christopher Lewis, Greg Morgan, and Denise Sharp. one of the two positions available for our coaching at high school for baseball and the assistant basketball. >> I've got a question on the at the middle schools where we

081got both those are the athletic directors are designed. Does that have to be you have to have administrative or anything in for that or can any of the teachers or anybody do that or who >> have to complete the WVSSAC required training and get the permit to be an athletic director. >> So it doesn't have to be a principal. >> It does not have to be a principal. >> It could be somebody. >> It could be a community member. >> Miss Mrs. Scotty, she couldn't be interim green. I guess not. >> She's doing more than them. >> She's doing more. Yeah, it's better if you can get a teacher. They're there to know what's going on. They know what's happening. >> But my thing was I didn't I didn't know if it had to be

082principal. >> It does not have to be a principal. Um the trained athletic director acts as the administrator on site. >> I think Frosty McN bought a volunteer for that job at high school. >> Yes, he is. You can volunteer for anything. train needs no sign of administration. >> Not to the athletic director, assistant basketball coach. >> What's getting off? All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Motion carries. Superintendent updates. A. Office renovations. I don't think we need a motion for this cuz that's you. >> Nope. I'm just going to talk about these things. >> Um office renovations. The walls are up. The windows are coming. Um, we have we're going to have two brand new offices. If you haven't had a time to walk out and look through it, I think

083it is very nice to have space for our folks to work instead of just working at random tables in the middle of the floor. Um, the next thing that I have for you is under House Bill 3035, we have to measure progress of each of our students. And the first thing we have to do is benchmark within the first 30 days of school. So we benchmark K8 within the first 30 days of school. But I want to hand you I want to draw your attention to this page. Um so this is the beginning of the year, middle of the year and end of the year cut scores. So the first page is the reading plan. Um and if we go to the second page, the top of the second page, it says I ready diagnostic

084for reading. Um that is the cut scores for reading that I'm talking about right now. And as you can see the cut scores as the year progresses becomes more. So for kindergarten the beginning of the year cut score for proficiency is 295. Midyear it's 320. End of the year it's 344. And it progresses like that for each grade level all the way through third grade. The very last page of the reading before you get to math. That'll be the next page. At the very bottom we have the cut scores for the beginning, middle, and end of the year benchmark for the state. uh GSA. So if you can see at the beginning of the year if you're below a scale score of 510 you are need of intervention. Um middle of the year it's 530

085and end of the year to be proficient it is 550 and that's their end of the year assessment. For all of the other grade levels four five six seven and eight. you look at proficiency between partial mastery and mastery and the points there and that's how you indicate if the students needed intervention on that assessment. So with that stated I'm just going to read the county level but I took the county level and I broke it down by school for the board members so you could see where we need the greatest level of support at schools. And I'm going to read these off. Um, so for kindergarten and in kindergarten, you cannot need intervention on the first benchmark because you're coming in and it's the beginning of the year. You just got there. So, we

086tested 62 students in kindergarten. Zero were flagged for intervention. We tested 59 in math and zero were flagged for intervention. And what intervention means is that they were scoring in the lowest scoring level. >> Okay. >> So for first grade we tested 63 in math, six scored in the lowest tier. Um and reading, 63 in math, and nine scored in the lowest tier. For second grade, we test at 52. 15 scored in the lowest tier. Um, for reading, we test at 52 in math, and 16 scored in the lowest tier for math. For third grade, we test at 62. 30 scored in the lowest tier. Uh, for reading, we test at 62 for math. And 21 scored in the lowest tier for fourth grade. in starting at fourth grade we are looking at the GSA

087results. That's what we have here. So if they had taken the general summitive assessment this is what they would have scored and that other sheet shows you a beginning of the year scale score, middle of the year scale score and end of the year scale score. The misconception is is that they are tested on the same scale score at the be beginning and the end and they are not because it gradually gets you requires more points. So fourth grade we have 59 students we tested and 26 were in the lowest tier um for reading 64 for math was test were tested and we had 29 that are um in need of intervention. For fifth grade we had 64 we tested in reading 33 are in the lowest intervention tier. Uh for math 61 36 needs

088intervention in math. For seventh grade we have 57 that we tested 17 are in the lowest intervention. Um, for reading in seventh grade, I'm sorry, for sixth grade math, we tested 57 students and 41 of those students scored in the lowest tier. For seventh grade, we tested 64 and 32 scored in the lowest tier. In for reading, we tested 65 in math and 31 were in the lowest tier. For eighth grade, we scored uh tested uh 52 and 22 scored in the lowest tier for reading. Tested 52 for math and 8th grade and 32 were in the lowest tier. We've tested 535 students, which is all of our K12 students. In reading, there's 181 that's in need of intervention from being in the lowest tier. And in math, 215. You can see that we have

089some problems there. And if I had to identify a couple of areas of concern, I would fifth grade is an area of concern um for uh generally just generally speaking about fifth grade. 7th grade, uh sixth grade math would be an area of concern. Um and then you can see as you go through school, there's more and more students that is in the intervention tier. And then I'm just going to I'm not going to read each school off, but I will answer any questions that you have about each school and their performance. >> It just seems like the longer we have them, the more fall behind. >> I think that is correct. >> Yeah. >> So this this this report was generated basically for the third grade success. That report is generated for the West

090Virginia Department of Education and I have to send those and every county has to send those in because of the third grade that >> you just send to the third grade. >> No, we send all eight we see send K8 to the West Virginia Department of Education. I just sent it >> and they are they monitor that statewide how we are performing because I sent it in when I worked in Braxton as well. But they are watching scores and the intervention. This year will be the first year that our third graders have to be proficient. Um, a plan has not been announced. Um, what will we do? We'll have to look at our policy and how are we going to handle that. But if you look at the third graders right now in our school

091system, 62, we tested 62 in reading and 30 were in the lowest intervention group. for reading, 62 in math, and 21 were in the lowest intervention group. Um, we do have we do have some work to do. >> This goes over the high school. >> Yes. And you know what? I'm going go ahead and pull that up, Mr. Gibson, because I have it here on my computer to let you know the proficiency levels at the high school. Well, and I want to make sure I want you and principal Campbell know that when I asked about this earlier and jurors, but I wasn't throwing a shade on the high school. >> Absolutely. >> I just wanted, you know, we're here talking about the high school and I was wondering where those numbers are >> and rightfully

092so. So, the numbers for the high school last year um for proficiency there were um 40 40.82% 82% proficient in math I mean in reading and 28.57 of the students proficient in math. So that means that approximately 71% of our students did not score in grade level in math and approximately 59% of our students did not score on grade level in reading last year. >> You consider that a area of concern? >> Yes. uh and the state will consider considering an area of concern too. >> Any other questions? >> No. >> You're welcome. >> Item number Thank you. Thank you. >> Item number 10 is new business. A is approval of fundraisers. B approval of Audi County field trips. C is approval of volunteer list updates. D is approval of the state approved holidays. C

093attachment E is discussion and approval of solution tree for six additional days of professional development to address the special circumstances monitoring for the special education and F is grant permission to post and hire three custodian painters during break PCHS and Morningington Middle School. Do I have a motion? So move. Morgan made a motion. Do I have a second? Second, Mr. Me second that any questions on any of these that you want to talk about before we vote on them or any questions or answers or >> you going to get you work going to do painting and trying to catch up a little bit on the project this >> uh Marlington Elementary School. It was an area of concern I identified when I first got here. If you haven't been in the school, there's um it

094looks a little bit rough. We can tighten up there a little bit. And for Pocahontas Caring High School, we are planning an uh ribbon cutting ceremony for the uh gymnasium. We are working on two more bathrooms there. And we do need to paint in some of our hallways. It looks pretty bad. And then maybe our commons area. There's a couple of other areas. So I'm going to ask anybody anybody that to post them and ask people to paint over break. >> Any other questions? All those in favor sign by saying I. Motion carries. Board members remarks. Mr. Gibson. >> I got a lot. Only thing I have is positive news, positive feedback for everybody. And we we're uh where we at? We uh see where we got one more week for Thanksgiving break, right? >>

095Mhm. >> This is the week. Next week, Thanksgiving. >> Do we have uh where we at in our second nine weeks? Are we halfway through the second nine Wednesday? >> October the 3rd is when pro midweek midterm progress reports will go home. So we will be halfway through O um I'm sorry, December 3rd. December. >> That's correct. like to thank everybody for everything. >> Thank you, Mr. Mr. McNam. Uh, >> I'd like to thank the high school the serve group for their presentation. Uh, we still got a lot of stuff up there to fix, but uh, we're heading in the right direction. Like I say, this people need to realize this didn't get broke overnight. Uh, and it's going to take a while to fix it. You just have to be patient. And one other

096thing that like Mr. Hardy was talking about, the more community support that we get for our children and for our schools, the better everybody's going to be. So, please, you know, uh I mean, I'm out in the public. I hear a lot of negative talk, but let's let's try to change some of that. Let's try to talk let's let's pick out the positive stuff. Anybody can pick out the bad stuff. Let's pick out the positive stuff and let's build on that. And uh just want to thank all you all for what you do, especially you Dr. Williams. You've got your hands full. Mr. McCorm second. >> I think it was a great meeting. I don't really have anything, but it's nice to see the parents out involved. >> Dr. Williams or Dr. >> I was

097looking at her and saying you weren't a Um, first of all, I wasn't being critical of you before when I asked how that was going to be monitor. >> Oh, I understood. You have to let them know a thousand%. >> I just want to make sure that I'm not going to have any slappers. That's right. We will not have any. >> Okay. Second thing is one of our most important jobs is the phrase Then Frosty is going to do it this year for you. I remember. Don't you, Frosty? I told you I'd do it. I got the list of stuff. I'll do it. >> Well, I will figure out going to send me >> numbers so I can figure out how many trays we need and I will order them. >> Oh, okay. Okay. Then

098I'll just pick them up. >> Yep. >> Pay for them and >> Yes, ma'am. >> Tell us how much we owe. Yes, ma'am. We will. >> And we need to pick a date for delivery. >> Yeah, we'll have to look and see if >> we normally do it Wednesday before the break, don't we? >> Right. >> It's fine. Anytime you call me to tell me, we're not going to leave you holding it this year. I remember. >> We're not going to do that. >> I appreciate that. We'll charge you a little bit extra for doing it. We'll >> try. Well, if you order them, that'll be your part. That'll work. We'll handle that. >> Give us the date and what date we're supposed to pick them up and deliver them and where to high school.

099We know the schools like that, but we don't know them. >> Henry and I have never been late. >> No, however they got they get one. >> Never. Yeah, >> they get one sweets. They're the ones that get all the candies and the goodies. >> There was sample test that one. But I I will figure that out for you and order them and then Okay. >> Okay. >> Do you have any other questions? >> Nope. >> Okay. I've got 15. >> First of all, pro officers, have we heard anything you was going to post it? Did >> I thought that was on the agenda to discuss because I was going to um I would like to post from one and a half. um will be on the next agenda. >> Okay. And the second item,

100would you please ask our treasure how we are doing on the budget? Are we staying in line with money? We're not allowed to ask her anymore. So, we got to ask you to ask. >> Yeah, I know. We haven't spent any money on that. But Sarah, I think that we have all the money that we are spending that I've asked for has been out of old funds and we have not tapped into unrestricted funds except for our project and Sarah can address that. >> Yeah. Set aside the money to do what you're seeing done now boiler. So >> that's all we've spent. spent some of pain on a gym. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, I'm not too worried about it now, but I'm worried about as we go down the line. And what brought

101to my attention was we had two payrolls for $500 and some thousand dollars. It don't take long to go through millions of dollars if you're spending $500 500,000 every two weeks or every month. >> You want to address how payroll works? >> I know how payroll works. I know how it works. We know how. I know how it works. This this overduty pay or wait, how come we have so much of that extra duty pay >> over time? Yeah. I I just want to know where that comes from. Now, since you're Sherry, you know, she used to get all these questions. I wasn't as nice to her, though. Remember? Yes. >> I realize where that come from. Yeah. We did some training on lesson plane calibration. >> I'm fine with it. I just wondered, you

102know, I don't want to keep up with it. >> It's because I know by being in business for years that if that snowball starts rolling, it's hard to stop. And I've I've had that discussion with you before that, you know, and >> Well, I'm >> Oh, I know. I'm well aware. I'm well aware how you handle things too, you know, and we appreciate you doing it, but I it's just we see whenever we go to a state meeting, we see this county being and you know, you start thinking last year they was $4 million in the black and now they're $4 million in the red. >> What you know? Yeah. And some counties are finding money. We had this discussion that the mean, you know, if that treasure has to find money, something's wrong. You

103you treasures ought to know that they got it. you are and you're doing a great job. We ain't got any problem you don't just go ahead. >> Oh, I just right along those lines. I think we should pull out at least part of our consent agenda like um under the payment of bills. um the vendor listing, the purchase card. I don't think we need to do anything with the payroll, >> which will happen >> and the extra duty pay. >> So, what do you want us to do with that? vote on themselves getting any separate >> and vote on them by themselves simply because what we learned on Saturday was that that's what gets us in trouble, not us, but >> school boards in trouble is not paying close attention. And I know personally >>

104that I don't pay any attention to those numbers. I don't look at the like I usually would go through and ask questions. I don't do it anymore. >> And I think we need to do that. Please feel free as soon as you get the agendas if you have questions and concerns on something that you see that is on a PE card that is on a bend of check email Dr. Williams and I want to answer them immediately and we'll answer them here. But I think we would do a better job as board members if they were pulled out separate and we paid a little more attention to them. >> And I'm pulling a report together for you. Um, a lot of people don't understand your funded to,400 students, >> but um, when you you're funded

105at 200 day employees. >> Yes. As we learned this weekend, every every day over 200 days adds up. Um, every supplement you put on adds up. And I actually have asked Sarah to pull those numbers for me so we could calculate how many teachers with the extra days and the extra supplements that everyone is getting. that equals and I'm thinking we are we're going to have about five people in that when we start looking at all the extra days and all the supplements. And let me give you one thing that we're working on um being more economical with and addressing. We have many people that's getting the med supplement. Well, they wanted us one time to they said the less or none. You shouldn't have any supplements in time. >> Well, these supplements we're giving

106people, we we have an astronomical amount of supplements. I've met with nurse, we've sat down, we've gone with them, Miss Hamilton and myself, and it's something that that I didn't know about. It's something that as I start to review the budget and I start to look at the budget when we move an employee from um 215 days or 220 days to a 240day contract with um so those things adds up and takes part of your money even though you're funded up. So you have to be able the payroll is a very complicated in the certified list and I agree with what they said. Um they talked about grant positions and um not funding grant positions when the grant runs out and you have to really have those critical conversations. They're hard conversations to have, but

107to stay within those guidelines and to be able to work on facilities, we have to manage our personnel appropriately and that is something we can do a better job of. >> Can we can we put something on our homepage about how this 1400 works? Cuz people in the in the public general do not understand it at all. where they just funded a few hundred. >> I know, but the people in the public say, "Hey, we're getting paid for 1,400 students. You're showing us we got eight eight 800. So where's all this money? You got millions of dollars laying here." That's not how it works. But >> and it's a complicated thing and we can't the average person will not >> understand a whole day's professional development and years of professional development. And >> two 261

108days just means you give them vacation. But like I said, the general public has and I get that all the time and we're you're getting money for 1400. >> We got 820 kids now. What are y'all doing with the rest of them? And I get that all the time. >> We are we are using every position at the from Chicago. >> Yeah. Isn't that the truth? >> Okay. >> I think they're going to redo it too. And if they do, we then then people going to really >> it's going to Yeah. tough that you do. >> We do have classroom sizes that at the high school and at other schools that are around um 12 and under students. We have some classrooms that are at the high school that has between five and eight kids

109in them. They are not underfunded and they are not understaffed. We could probably realign staff to be more effective and more efficient, but we are not understaffed. >> I think that's something we need to look at in the future at re redoing that. I I honestly do. I mean, like I say, we had classes up there last year that had three people. >> We have a couple this year that has under five students a year. >> And those three parents was the ones come screaming at us two years ago when we tried to do cuts. >> Very true. And I and also, you know, like them to know that the treasurer's salary is not paid by the state. They're one of the few in the board office where we paid the treasurer salary out of

110our general fund. >> Well, then we just >> Yeah. >> So, the less we pay, the better off we are. I mean, >> very happy. >> You need me and Sarah. >> Let's get this straight. We get what we pay for. >> Hey, there's a lot of truth to that. Whether you're buying something or whether you harm people, >> you're right. >> Okay. >> He's worth every penny. >> Well, the next board me board the next board of education meeting will be December the 2nd, 2025 at 6 Post County Board of Education conference room at 6 PM. We are joining