By Penny Ellison
The Parsons Advocate
The Board of Education met in regular session recently with one board member absent. Following the Pledge of Allegiance the board heard special presentation from D.T.E.M.S. teacher Lisa Anderson and guest about the Harmony Project. The project is an empathy based social education program that will not detract from educational time in the classroom. For being a charter school for this program D.T.E.M.S. will receive a cash grant. Having no public comments and only minor agenda adjustments, the board entertained consent items where it approved the minutes of the previous board meeting and heard student transfer requests. Having no out of state/ field trip requests or use of transportation requests the board moved on to personnel.
The board approved the following personnel matters:
Resignation:
Principal, T.V.E.M.S.- Belinda Moss, effective June 30, 2015
The board then went into executive session. Following the return from executive session the board then went on to approve the following employments:
Counselor, T.C.H.S.- Collin Rhodes (with one dissenting vote amongst members)
Special Education Teacher, T.V.E.M.S.- Patricia Huffman-Thompson
Math 9-12 Teacher, C.T.E. Collaborative, T.C.H.S.- Christopher Wilson
The board moved on to Finance where it approved the paid bills, and budget revisions, and having no financial update moved to old business.
The board approved John Paul Castells’ Eagle Scout Project at D.T.E.M.S., including his request for maintenance hours and use of equipment. Castells answered the boards questions about student’s safety and shared the changes he had made in the plans to address the concerns. Principal Lambert said she was satisfied with the changes. (side note of interest: Castells was recently selected to participate in Kenyon College Review’s young writer’s program this summer. Only 10% of students who apply are accepted and Castells is the only one from West Virginia).
“It’s a great project and I’m glad he’s doing it”, said board member Turner.
The board then moved into New Business where it entered into a contract for summer term with Best Life Therapy, LLC to provide supervision over our occupational and speech language pathologists.
The board then approved the contract to purchase a new bus. This is state funded and state bid.
Next the board entered into a memorandum of understanding between D.T.E.M.S. and the Sanford Harmony Program.
The board then approved the purchase of a new scoreboard for the T.C.H.S. football field, with K. White abstaining from the vote. The new board will cost around $30,000 and is being funded by donations from several different sources. The old board hasn’t worked correctly for about the last five years and parts are no longer made for it. It was noted the cost of having the modules rebuilt in the old one would cost more than a new one and the cost of the new one includes a salesman from the company coming to oversee the correct installation. The new board will also have the ability to have items added at a later date.
The board went on to approve the A.P. History textbook purchase for T.C.H.S. with one dissenting vote.
The board also went on to approve the following purchases:
Grade 6-8 English /Language Arts textbook- D.T.E.M.S.
Fourteen sets of tables and chairs- D.T.E.M.S.
Sixty Chromebook K4 tablets and 2 laptop charging carts- T.C.H.S.
Eighteen HP Elitebook 8440p laptops – T.C.H.S.
English/ Language Arts textbook purchase –T.V.E.M.S.
Grade K-4 Reading textbook purchase- D.T.E.M.S.
Grade 2-5 Social Studies textbook order- D.T.E.M.S. (consumable textbooks, no cost).
Grade k-8 Consumables (workbooks, etc.) purchase T.V.E.M.S.
The board then moved on to Other and Information where it heard several Intent to Homeschool notifications. It also noted that T.V.E.M.S. Back-to-School night will be held Wednesday, August 13, from 3-5 p.m. which will give parents a chance to meet and talk with their child’s new teachers.
The board then moved on to Board Member Committee reports where Dr. Campbell reported on the recently attended RESA meeting. The previously budget-cut elimination of Principal mentor position will be back and our school system will take advantage of this free service for our newer principals. It was also noted that once again our own Dr. Campbell was voted as RESA chairman by a committee of his peers.
The board then moved into Superintendent’s Update where Dr. Campbell and other board members commended Attendance/ Testing Coordinator Kyle for information compiled and given to principals, teachers, and the board. Campbell noted that Mountaintop library sent a thank-you note to the board for the recent donation. Campbell also reported that he and some of the professional staff will be attending an upcoming Project Graduation 2020 workshop especially in regard to the graduation rate amongst special education students. Our school system has one of the lowest graduation rate of special education students in the state, a fact that the schools will be working on over the coming years.
The board adjourned until the next regular meeting on Monday, July 20, 2015 at the board office.
