By Penny Ellison
The Parsons Advocate
The Tucker County Board of Education met in regular session last week with all board members present.
Following the pledge, the board recognized an award given to Tucker County High School’s Coach Eakle. Principal Jay Hamric said that Eakle has helped create one of the finest single A track programs in the state and with very limited resources. Superintendent Campbell read the award from the U.S. Track, Field, and Cross-Country Coaches Association. Eakle was selected as West Virginia Girls’ Track Coach of the Year. Eakle spoke giving much of the credit to the kids and his assistant coaches.
“Let’s see if we can’t make a little noise again this year”, Eakle quipped.
The board then moved into public comment where a parent of a student brought her concerns before the board. Stacy Nestor addressed the board over an issue involving her child and another student fighting on a school bus. She felt that both involved were not given equal punishment even though the other student had a previous history of altercations. She addressed the issue with the school’s principal and asked that the board look into the matter. Board President Preston assured her that the board would take an opportunity to discuss the matter.
Having no agenda adjustments the board moved on to consent items where it approved the minutes of the previous meeting. Having no student transfer requests the board went on to approve the out-of-state field trip requests for the T.C.H.S. Girls Cross Country Team to Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, Virginia on October 23-25, 2015. The board also approved the use of two buses on October 5 by the Mountaineer Challenge Academy.
The board then moved on to personnel where it had no resignations or retirements.
Following an executive session where no action was taken, the board approved the hiring of the following:
Evelyn Cassidy (retired)- substitute aide and substitute secretary.
David Bennett, Howard R. Hipp Sr., Joe Meloy- substitute bus driver, pending certification and background check.
Vickie Smith- activities coordinator, county-wide.
Stephanie Murphy- volunteer assistant softball coach, T.C.H.S.
Gwen Rapp- ticket taker, D.T.E.M.S.
The board then went on to approve paid bills submitted for approval September 18- September 28, 2015. The board also approved budget revisions, financial statements, approval of the financial statements for fiscal year ending June 30, 2015.
Having no old business the board moved into new business where it approved Sawmill Restaurant, Davis, as a student work site. It also approved purchase orders over $3,000 dollars to both: Guttman Oil and CN Metals, LLC (12’x14’ door for the shop at the high school).
The board then went into other/information where it heard from Principal Hamric regarding a state-wide meeting for STEM network schools. The meeting was attended by many CEO’s of energy corporations and T.C.H.S. received a letter from the Governor of West Virginia commending them as a STEM school.
The school received a notification of Intent to Homeschool.
The board shared the following school information:
T.V.E.M.S.
October 24- Fall Carnival
November 7- Craft Show
November 10- Veteran’s Day Program
D.T.E.M.S.
October 14- LSIC/PTO meeting
October 18- Fall Carnival
T.C.H.S.
October 12- LSIC
December 4-6- School Play (The Capper Trap)
December 17- Christmas Concert, 7:30 p.m.
April 23- Prom
The board then went into committee updates where member Turner brought up a citizen’s concern about the availability of handicap accessible parking spots for the football field area. It was noted that there are the required spot but the signs are missing off of several of them. The board will make sure signs are replaced and discussed the possibility of outlining the spots with blue paint.
Member White reported on the safety committee and said that the Parsons V.F.D. will be at T.V.E.M.S to speak to students about safety.
The board then heard the superintendent’s update. Dr. Campbell reported that State Schools Superintendent Martirano assured us that Tucker County School Systems will not have to pay back the $46,000 they overpaid us.
The state is still discussing what assessments and standards that the state school systems will use.
Dr. Campbell attended the Superintendent Advisory Committee meeting where our school system’s readiness to change or make changes to improve were discussed. The findings were that while we were a small school system we are willing to make changes but sustaining change in our system can be challenging.
Dr. Campbell also reported that soon there will be three student representatives sitting on the board of education and superintendent’s advisory board. These students will be ex-officio and will not hold voting positions. The three students holding these positions will rotate meetings. The students are:
Abbie Eakle, Ian Dotson, and Kaylee Nedrow.
Dr. Campbell also reported that the S.B.A. will be coming up to view firsthand the needs listed on our submission for air conditioning units for T.V.E.M.S. and T.C.H.S.
It was also discussed that a company called Trimco will be coming to take a look at and give an assessment on the roof at D.T.E.M.S. Their engineers will give us a feasibility study on restoration or reconstruction of the roof there.
Having no further business the meeting adjourned until the next meeting which will be held on Monday, October 19, 2015 at Tucker County High School at 4.30 p.m.
