001meeting to order. All board members are present. It is the practice of our board of education to begin our meetings with prayer and the pledge of allegiance. We invite you to bow your heads in prayer and stand to join us in the pledge if you so choose. >> Let us bow our heads. Lord, we respectfully ask for your guidance and wisdom as we proceed with the business before us. Keep us mindful of our purpose of providing a quality education for the students attending Taylor County Schools. Amen. Dr. Stallings, are there any adjustments or agendums to the agenda? >> Why yes, Miss Garvin, I do. I would ask that you pull item 53 44. Item 53 44. 5344. I believe it's the last one in the 5000 series. >> Okay. Almost >> next to the last,
002excuse me. And then I would like to ask that you uh place the following name in item 5323. You should have a blank space there. And I would ask that you ask you add the name Lori Shoemaker. And as I ask that you do that, I'm going to pass around an copy of an adjustment regarding that same number so that we can reflect that as a transfer as well when you get to that part of the agenda. That is all I have for you this evening with regard to those things. >> All right. Superintendent respectfully requests approval of the agenda as amended. >> So moved. >> Mrs. Gallow moves. Mrs. Not seconds. Any additional questions? All those in favor? >> I opposed. Motion passes. Uh, brings us to the 1000 series. We do have a
003delegation this evening. I'm going do beg forgiveness if I mispronounce this. Kiara Harper. Okay. Um, if you'd like to stand up, we're going to ask you to use the microphone. We will we will remind you at this point um that you are being live streamed. So, if you're going to um mention any personnel specifically, we'd like to do that in executive session. If you're going to use broad general terms, we can do that live. Um you have a five minute window and we're not allowed to talk back to you. >> Or >> that's a lot. >> Or a student name student name when you go into private session. >> Okay. All right. >> Did everything I say make sense? Okay, that's cool. Uh, we'll go through it again. You've got five minutes. We're not allowed
004to talk back to you, so we can't answer any questions. We We also can't ask any questions at this point. Um, we would ask that you not mention anybody specifically by name. So, broad general terms are all good. Right. Solid. All right. It's all you. >> Take a breath. >> All right. >> Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak tonight. These kids have been bullying me for years and several occasions happened on one day. The worst times were a boy leaned over me at the breakfast table, forcefully held me down and said I was a whale and I ate too much. He got one or two days of ISS and he put his hands on me. It made me feel like having suicide thoughts were okay. and I felt insecure. It also made
005me hate myself and I body shamed myself. But now it makes me angry. No one is doing anything. And this girl called adopted kids unwanted and unloved. She said she'd stop if we were friends, but I said no because my mom said to know What she did wasn't true because I am here today. But it still hurts because it impacts me on inside and out. She got punished. This other boy called me an nword. He got punish punished too. Another girl took a picture of me and my friend and drew inappropriate stuff. I took a video of this other boy on my iPad. He cussing. He's cussing and being inappropriate and I don't have access to it anymore. All of this was reported to Miss Means the counselor who I believe reported them to the
006office. I was in UHC and went to River Park away from home from my family and friends and it made me more isolated. I went through therapy and ex experience are things you would wouldn't imagine. I am here today because every kid should feel safe at school and not worry about bullying or being ganged up on. I know other kids who are getting bullied. It's unfair that I'm out of school because of the lack of punishment. It's not okay. And you should be concerned to all of this. What if it were to happen to your kids or grandkids going through this? What if it was your kid, grandkid that had thoughts of harming themselves or taking their lives? Needs to be done. Something needs to be done. This needs to Bullies should be held responsible
007for their actions and words. And I forgot one more person. He calls me mean words. Kitten, monkey, and Mexican. Thank you again for allowing me to speak tonight. One more thing. I'm happy I'm out of school because if I make something good happen, the people shouldn't thank me. They should thank God. He helped me and so did my friends. So, praise God. >> Thank you very much. >> I have a copy of that information. >> Miss Ka, would you be willing to give us a copy of your letter? Thank you. Moving on in the 1000 series superintendent update. Thank you, Miss Garvin, and rest of the board members. Uh, I need to share with you this evening. I do not have something in writing. I do have some notes that I want to share. And
008I confess that the week has been uh, for lack of better words, all consuming with some very important distractions. Uh, I do have some updates. I want to start with I'm sending around a photograph that might be of good news and that is an update regarding the status of the new Anad Jervis Elementary School. We have an aerial view for your viewing pleasure. I think you'll enjoy seeing where we are with that. Uh the important piece with that photograph is that we are on schedule. We had a construction meeting as recently as this morning and uh I was encouraged and pleased to hear that we are still on schedule and uh I wanted to make sure that that picture was available for you. That's an aerial view of the current status which shows that the
009first floor of the west wing which is part section B is now referenced as um it is now has it the concrete ceiling floor that's now in preparation of adding the second floor. They are moving first and foremost to the le the right most of the photograph that you see which is section A and that would be the administrative portion as we mentioned earlier some month or two ago that um the plan is that they'll put that section under roof before the uh harsh weather gets here and they'll focus on that primarily and then eventually move to the westmost portion which I referenced a moment ago as part B. Uh the westmost would be part B which are the what looks like the classroom wing. So, uh the picture I gave you as you can
010see the current building is in the back and the the rear of that picture and toward the top um and uh it is starting to take shape shape and uh people are starting to become enthusiastic about that as they drive by. I wanted also to mention that uh although we do not have uh I know we've been dealing with some controversy and there will not be any kind of uh I don't anticipate there will be any kind of uh information but we have recently been in receipt of a resignation from that there was a rumor going around uh with one of our employees from the high school that's unrelated to the one that seems to be the was controversial in social media uh and that situation as I've told you before uh that individual is
011currently on administrative leave and uh we await for the proceedings to take place before any other action would take place or recommendation if there is yet more to happen. uh I intentionally keep that somewhat cryptic to you so that I don't uh taint any potential recommendation that may be forthcoming. I want to remind you that on Thursday of this week uh uh the Grafton High School is hosting the arts night. They have an annual event that happens with uh presentations by students uh any variety of the creative arts, dance, music, etc. Uh according to the calendar as a reminder we are scheduled to be closed on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of next week for Thanksgiving that portion the last part of the week and um I also have information regarding uh something I learned during
012our training on Saturday and that is I prepared I took the liberty to prepare just a excuse me a preliminary chart for you to reference that shows is trend data for enrollment in our county from uh all the way from the fiscal year 2019 through this current year. And you can see uh definitely losing enrollment over time through the last seven years which is not unique to Taylor. Uh I did indicate on the second page you'll notice first of all on the first page you'll notice the top of each of those bars a white number that that indicate the enrollment of that particular year. Um, and then on the second page that's stapled to it far left the fiscal years. Next column talks about the enrollment of that particular year. The decrease is in red.
013It's in the middle of that chart. That the next column shows an amount we received for per pupil expenditure. So you would take that number and multiply it times that that third that red number times the amount and you see in red on the far right that column indicates loss of revenue coming to our county each of those years. And then toward the bottom the total that we've experienced in that seven-year spans. Uh that is one of the reasons that we continue to look for uh and Dr. Decker is t always paying close attention to our over formula numbers because the two things uh need to be considered at some point as we look at the continuation of funding to support and the needs for faculty and staff. As you well know that typically happens
014in the spring, but I gave that to you just as a preliminary so you would have a ballpark of what we're dealing with this year. Keep in mind that there are a couple new other things that we're competing with as public educators. We're dealing with homeschooling virtual West Virginia virtual school and the hope scholarship that was introduced about four years ago. uh and uh I saw it's my understanding as recently as yesterday the one of the board members at the state level has raised an alarm that uh public ed is soon is currently facing a lot of concern with regard to that those competing uh entities not just public ed but the other options for education uh at the legislative body and our legislative body is also looking at that but uh with mixed views.
015Hence the reason uh and some of those funds leave us to go to charter schools as well. The next thing I wanted to mention was that uh as you well know our next meeting is I know I'm not I'm kind of jumping to 9,000 series but I wanted to remind everyone that our next meeting is a quick turnaround because we only have those two days next week to do things in preparation of the December 2nd agenda. Our plan is to have that the deadline of course for information to us is on Monday and we will turn that around uh Mrs. Westfall and Dr. Decker and I will be working hard to get that ready to you and our plan is to get that to you no later than Tuesday and have that posted and uploaded
016all the different places that need to be there. Um, and we I know that we started getting things delivered to you. Uh, but the office would be closed Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. So, that plan, the plan is to get that to you so that you still have ample time to see your packet in anticipation of the following meeting, which is Tuesday the 2nd. You're welcome. I was greeted by two very enthusiastic puppies at your door when I brought them to you. They and they were very enthusiastic and friendly up here. I didn't step in, but they seem to be excited to see me. So, that was a good thing. I don't have anything else that's very brief this evening, and I appreciate your patience with that. Do we have any other board member updates or
017committee meeting reports? Hearing none, we will move into the 2000 series. The superintendent respectfully requests approval of the minutes from the regular meeting of November 4th, 2025. >> Mr. Taylor moves >> second. >> Mrs. Gallow seconds. Questions? All those in favor? I >> opposed. Motion passes. We have some policies and code in the second reading. No action will be taken on second reading unless we have a qu question. We do have some policies and codes in the third reading. The superintendent respectfully requests approval of items 2119 through 2123 in the 2000 series. I'll move those. >> Mrs. Garvin moves. Mr. Taylor seconds. Questions? All those in favor >> I opposed. Motion passes. Resolve that the bylaws, policies printed and codified in the comprehensive dial document entitled bylaws and policies of the Taylor County Board of
018Education are hereby adopted and that all bylaws, policies hereto for adopted by the Taylor County Board are hereby rescended. Further be it resolved in the event that any policy part of policy or section of bylaws is judged to be inconsistent with law inoperative inoperative by a court of competent jurisdiction or is invalidated by a policy or contract duly adopted by this board. The remaining bylaws, policies and parts of policies shall remain in full effect. Moving on from the 2000 series, superintendent respectfully requests approval of item 2124. >> Moved. >> Mrs. Gallow moves. We have a second. >> Mrs. Knots questions. All those in favor? I. Motion passes. Moving into the 3000 series. We got purchase orders, facility use requests, and out of county travel. Superintendent respectfully requests approval of items 3066 through 3071 in the
0193000 series. Mrs. KN moves. >> Second. >> Mrs. Gallow seconds. Questions. >> Yes, I have questions. >> Um, go there first. I'm sorry. Um, I just have a question on um really just the agreement um on 3068 for the facilities use. I noticed that the form says effective 2012. Didn't we recently make some changes to um costs and things like that that we should update that form? >> Tell me the item again. I'm so sorry. >> Um back here on the where it has like the camp fees and it says effective January 1st, 2012. But didn't some of this change? that takes effect January 1st. The what what we've recently voted on. >> Okay. >> so then this will this form will be updated to effective 2026, right? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> So, I
020just wanted to clarify that. >> Um because I knew we had recently discussed that at a recent meeting. The other was just a comment. Um, I appreciate seeing on 3070 and 3071 how uh these different field trips are being educational. I think that's really good for our community to be able to see, you know, that they're going on trips, but how it is promoting academics. So, I appreciate having this additional information. So, thank you. You're >> welcome. I have a question on 3067. So, um this was for snow removal. Earlier in the year, probably I don't know, maybe we approved for um grass milling at all the schools lawn care. Is it the same company that we did for the grass? I can't remember. >> I don't think it's the same. It's not the same
021company. No, >> it is not. No. >> Can we No, just explain. I don't know. you can or can't. Is there a reason why we don't try to bid out the whole job for both snow and lawn care or is it best to do it separate? >> Well, the not both not all companies do both and so >> I got you. Well, I mean Okay. Well, >> yeah. Some are more plowers and others are lawn >> care people. >> So, if you if you did both, then you would be eliminating the companies that could do the grass mowing or >> the the snow blowing or the snow removal. >> Correct. You could you could in inadvertently shoot yourself in the foot because you lose advertising to the companies the small amount of companies that did
022both. >> Yes, ma'am. >> You wouldn't. So that's not a good contract. Okay. Got you. >> Thank you. I hope that's helpful. >> Good. Thanks. >> Any additional questions for the 3000 series? We have an open motion on the floor. All those in favor? I motion passes. Brings us to the 4,000 series financial budget supplements and vouchers payable. What you got for us, Mr. Dolan? >> Uh, this evening we had a we have a few budget supplements for your approval. Um, there were some some accounts that were that were needing some uh money moved into. So, the first uh first two or three pages are where I had to uh move some funds around uh to help uh beef those up a little bit. Um the last two pages, those were grants that we received
023for our idea programs and uh prek programs. Those were federal grants that finally finally were released out to us. So we have those funds now to uh to draw down from >> that idea is reflective of the special education services just for clarification purposes. >> That's what I have for budget supplements for for this meeting. Um in your packet you should have also received the uh schedule of checks that have already been written. Uh these were checks that were that had come due uh since the last meeting. uh payroll uh payroll checks um checks to the uh architect services um for all the um projects we have going on in the county um checks sent out to um some of the uh companies that are working on those projects as well. Um in addition uh
024in the rest of the packet upon your approval are the checks that will be written tomorrow. Those are for all the invoices and bills that we have received um that are waiting to be waiting to be paid out. Does anybody have any questions on those? >> All right. Thank you very much. >> Anybody else got any questions? Superintendent respectfully requests approval of items in the 4,000 series. >> Mrs. Knots moves. >> Mrs. Gallo seconds. All those in favor? I >> I >> oppose. Motion passes. Moving into the 5,000 series, student matters. Item uh 5319. Courtney and Rebecca Bullard request permission for their son, a junior at Grafton High School, to drive to and from Perpont Aviation School throughout the 2025 2026 school year. Superintendent respectfully requests approval of items item 5319 in the 5000 series.
025>> Moved second. >> Mrs. Gallow moves. Mrs. Not seconds. Questions? All those in favor? >> I motion passes. Amitria. >> Amitria. Thank you. I was like, Amitria Knight Packer requests permission to transfer her son from Morgantown High School, Monalia County to Gravson High School, grade nine in Taylor County. Superintendent respectfully requests approval of items 5320 in the 5000 series. >> Moved. >> Mrs. Not Mrs. KN moves. Mr. Taylor seconds questions. Yes. >> Yeah, we want >> Mrs. KN and I was asked the same question. We always want that that explanation. >> I'm not aware of any concerns that would be causing us to not accept this student. >> Can you just always answer that for us >> because we're going to ask it every single time? >> Yes, I'll try. >> Okay. >> I'm always
026ready for that. >> Thank you. >> Any additional questions? All those in favor? >> I. >> Motion passes. Continuing into the 5,000 series of employment, extracurricular duties, leaves of absences, substitutes, resignations, and transfers. Miss Garvin, my apologies um that I didn't mention this earlier when we were approving the agenda, but I would uh like to move that item 5331 be voted on separately. >> Do we have a second on that? >> Second. Okay. All those in favor? >> I >> All right. Uh item 5331 will be voted on separately and we will take that now if there's no objections to taking that out of order. All right. Superintendent respectfully requests approval of items 5331 in the 5000 series. >> Mrs. Knots moves. Mr. Taylor seconds questions, concerns. >> All those in favor? >> I. >>
027Motion passes. >> Lori, could you invite? >> Congratulations. >> I mean, that's all we came for. I mean, were you worried? >> All right. Continuing in the 5,000 series, the superintendent respectfully requests approval of items 5321 through 5344 with the exception of 5331, which was voted on separately. Uh 5344. Yes. I'm sorry. Was pulled. >> Move. I'm sorry. Mrs. Galla moves. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Mrs. Not seconds. Questions, comments, concerns. >> Yeah, I just had a couple clarification questions. um on on 5329 that's a extra duty of mentor which is effective December 1st and then same individual will be on leave >> so okay that's what I wanted to clarify like she'll still be >> how that duty could be fulfilled if >> yes it's an intermittent leave so she will
028not be absent continually it's just for certain appointments >> okay >> so she will still be continually at school just on certain times she will be missing >> okay thank you >> I want to clarify something too sure I forget things from meeting to meetings sometimes but 5323 we combined positions there we went two to one. Is that right? >> No. Uh so this will be supervising those positions to be able to evaluate all those areas. But we are still will have a coordinator of transportation as Mr. Boliard is in that position. >> I was wondering about how that read. I was like did we is something else going on here? Did I miss something? >> No, no, no. Okay. I will say that when Mr. Voliard uh retires code has changed which will force
029that job description to be a little bit different because they will whoever gets becomes a coordinator has to hold CDL license passenger vehicle able to drive a bus if we need it. That could >> he has grandfathered in but we will still have that. It'll just look a little bit different. >> Okay. I was like maybe there was something I missed because I wasn't here last time >> because I was sick. >> It's just helping evaluate some of those areas. Gotcha. >> I do want to say I'm extremely ambivalent about 5323. >> I I think we're losing an absolutely great principal and gaining a great supervisor. Uh this this is tough. >> We can vote it down. >> That's if it's passed. >> I mean, that is our job, right? I I echo Mr. Taylor's
030comments. Um, you know, we want to see people grow and and try new opportunities and things like that, but I know that there is going to be a big void. Although I know that there are great um she has great assistance. She has a great team there. So, um it's kind of bittersweet, right? Well, I I mean, I'm surprised a little bit because I know how much you enjoy being with those kids every day. But also, I know too from being employed all the 30 years I've been employed, it's nice to have a change and to learn, like Mrs. Galler said, to have that opportunity to learn something new and do something new is refreshing. And I'm just glad you're staying in the county to do it or you know um because sometimes sometimes there's
031when you're ready for something new that's not where you would like to be and you have to go somewhere else to get it and we're lucky to keep it here. So just wish you good luck and I don't think I'll vote no. >> All right. At this point, we have an open motion on the floor. We have any additional questions, current concerns, or comments. All those in favor? >> I I >> oppose. >> Okay. Series passes 4 to one. >> Uh brings us to the 8000 series. Board member comments or discussions. >> Um, could we have a sort of an updated review on how bullying is dealt with at all of our programmatic levels? Um, because I know the way we do it in kindergarten is certainly the way we different from the way we
032do it in 8th grade or 12th grade. Um, just like a I don't need a PowerPoint or anything crazy fancy with everybody in here. I just I know the way the policy reads, but I'm kind of curious as to how does that look in real life. >> I will do that. That's uh precisely why I was asking for her information, the lady, young lady's information. Thank you for sharing what you did tonight, by the way. >> Does anyone else have anything they'd like to add to the 8,000 series for upcoming meetings? >> Hearing none, we'll move into the 9,000 series, future meetings. Uh December 2nd, 6 o'clock at the high school. December 16th, 6 o'clock here at the board office. December 18th is not an official meeting. It is simply a winter celebration. >> Non
033meeting event. >> A non-meating event. Putting it under future meetings makes that confusing. Sir, January 13th, we have two a calendar meeting at 5:30 and a regular meeting at 6. Both of those are at Anna Jarvis. Um, January 27th, there are also two meetings, a 5:30 secondary calendar meeting and a six o'clock regular meeting. Both of those here at the board office. And February 10th, 6 o'clock out at Flemington. Miss Garvin, I have a question on the the calendar meetings. Um, just as we typically do and as in the past, just want to make sure that the public has ample notice of those meetings for them to comment and attend. >> By all means, I'm glad you asked that question. In fact, this is one of the reasons we're getting ahead of that, staying on
034a little bit earlier so we have more time for people to first of all be informed of the changes or the way that process supposed to happen extends the opportunity for them to give us input and then continuously bring it up to the board's attention. Um, and along that same line, um, with our construction, not that I'm want to make anything more difficult, but is having a calendar meeting where we're inviting the public specifically at Anna Jarvis where there is limited parking in the best interest of the process? >> Good. >> Help me know your question better. So, is there gonna be a plan for a bunch of construction happening? We want everybody in the world to come to a calendar meeting. We got no parking because there's all the construction. Is that a good
035idea? >> Um, >> does it fit in the timeline if we make if we do it different? >> You want to delay that till the 27th as our first >> like if we do it at the 27th and the 10th or the 27th and whatever's after the 10th. Like I don't >> sure >> I don't know where our timeline falls out there exactly. >> Flemington parking is also limited though. >> Right. That's what I'm saying. Like skip the Could we do it here and here do and fit in the timeline? >> Yeah. Or we could move the Anna Jarvis meeting if we had to. >> Or you mean go to Anna Jarvis on the 27th instead of the 13th maybe. or >> teacher parking lot. >> I'm sorry. >> I say that teacher >> the
036new the temporary gravel lot is available. >> Correct. Yes, sir. >> I'm asking a question. If y'all think the parking will work, I'm down with that. >> Let us look into that. >> Okay. >> I don't have an actual answer for you right now. I've got to give that some time to look into it. >> Is there any way we could um I don't know who's responsible for putting uh in the paper about our calendar meeting because it seems like we don't have people that come to the calendar meeting. >> I know. And then we get people complain about the calendar. So, if we can get it advertised that we're having the calendar meeting for input a lot between now and then. >> That's what I was asking. Yeah. Because as the last two years,
037the last two years, no matter what we did, we had complaints, but nobody came to the meeting and we were trying to figure it out on our own. But we want >> How about >> we want to make a decision as best as we can. >> All these are excellent ideas or suggestions or concerns. I'll get together with Mrs. McCarthy and the other unnamed individual sitting in this room, Mrs. Skinner. That Miss Skinner, she'll join us for a meeting at some point to make that plan. and not only for our public but I know you know our staff concerns >> right >> and what they would prefer you know is make sure we have ample time for survey and and votes >> right that's also >> advertising for that >> that's also in the in
038the planned activities in anticipation of creating the the calendar >> too >> okay but let's try not to do it twice this time >> let's just try to do it Anything else for the good of >> hearing? None. I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> Mr. Taylor moves. Mrs. Not seconds. All those in favor? >> I and we are adjourned at 6:38. Thank you all very much.