By Penny Ellison
The Parsons Advocate
The Tucker County Board of Education met in regular session at the Board office on July 15. Following the call to order, pledge, and roll call, the meeting agenda was approved as were the minutes of the last regular session held July 1, 2013.
Having no delegations the meeting moved into reports. Dr. Campbell reported on new hiring rules under WVDE Policy 5000. New rules enacted through emergency legislation and effective immediately is the policy that the Board will now be hiring under. Dr. Campbell provided Board members with a full copy of the legislation and also a synopsis of the policy written by Dr. Phares, who had hoped to attend the meeting but due to personal reasons has rescheduled his visit to Tucker County for August 5th.
A major point of the new policy is the involvement of the Faculty Senate in the hiring process.
“We have always involved our Faculty Senate (in the hiring process), it is now required,” said Dr. Campbell.
The Faculty Senates have the right to call an emergency meeting to determine which of their options in developing their recommendation team they wish to choose. The Faculty Senates of each school may even decide to pick differing options. Upon this decision each representative has to complete a one hour online training module provided by the state for which they will be reimbursed one hour of training. The county also has the flexibility to develop their own training module if they so choose (pending approval of any such program after being reviewed by the State Superintendent’s legal counsel).
Under the new law the Board will be able to move surplus service or professional personnel prior to Oct. 1st to meet pupil-teacher ratio or caseload needs that arise at the start of a new school year. They have to provide written notice to any employee who will be moved ten days in advance of the move. An employee who is to be moved has a right to appear before the county board of education but does not have the right to full evidentiary hearing.
This also allows the Board during RIF (reduction in forces) and transfer season to move a qualifying employee into an existing or newly created position that will be open during the next school year, provided they (the positions) are know by the county on or before February 15 without having to post an open position.
Some discussion was held regarding questions the board is receiving about State and Federal free meal policies. One such program discussed was the Community Eligibility Option. It was noted that we (Tucker County) are the only county in West Virginia that is not eligible. This program is determined by direct certification which comes from the DHHR. (Determined by enough percentile of student who qualify by already receiving services for the DHHR.) Even by combining the results of all Tucker County schools, we still do not qualify.
It was suggested that the Board run informative articles regarding this issue before the beginning of the school year.
A brief discussion was held about summer school. DTEMS has between 19-23 students participating and TVEMS has an average of 10.
Dr. Campbell introducing the new Executive Secretary, Debra Fike, whom was attending her first Board of Education meeting in her new position.
The Board move into New Business, approving both the Accounts Payable Check Register and the Payroll Check Register.
The Board approved an out-of-state field trip for the TCHS FFA to attend the Penn State “Ag Progress Days” on August 14, 2013.
Board approved the request from Katie Harper to allow her child, Jaron, to attend Tucker County Schools for the 2013-2014 school year.
The Board denied Katie Harper’s request to allow her child, Daron, to attend Tucker County Schools for the 2013-2014 school year, citing class size in her chosen school as the reason. This would put them over the maximum class size resulting in the need to hire a new teacher, which there are no funds for. Board member, Tim Turner, requested that Harper’s request be given first priority should an opening arise.
The Board received and approved several intent to homeschool requests.
The Board approved (pending approval from Randolph County) the requests of both David and Jennifer Greenlief’s daughter and Janice Barb’s children to attend Randolph County schools for the 2013-2014 school year.
The Board went into Executive Session.
The Board returned to Regular Session and approved the resignations of Angela Humphrey as TVEMS Fall Sports Cheer Coach and Agnes Arnold (due to retirement) as Payroll/Benefit Coordinator placing her on the substitute list for secretary and cooks.
The Board accepted, with regret, the resignation of 7th and 8th grade TVEMS math teacher Cathy Hebb (due to retirement). Hebb had served Tucker County Schools for 37 years and touts around 17 former students as being or having been employed by Tucker County Schools.
The Board approved the mutual agreement between TCHS Principal Hamric and Anita Helmick to go from English Teacher to English/Spanish Teacher for the 2013-2014 school year.
The Board approved Tracy L. Chenoweth, Heidi Hamric, and Amy Moore as Tech Camp Coordinators at TCHS for the 2013-2014 school year
The Board approved Tracy Harlan as Title 1 teacher at TVEMS for the 2013-2014 school year.
The Board approved Emily C. Smith as 1/2 time Reading Interventionist and 1/2 time Title 1 teacher.
The Board approved Robert Bennett as Cook 2 at TVEMS for the 2013-2014 school year (200 days).
The meeting adjourned. The next Board of Education meeting will be held Monday, August 5, 2013 at the Tucker County Board Office, 100 Education Ln., Parsons, WV.
