Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
The Pocahontas County Board of Education held a work session June 7 to discuss the pros and cons of allowing staff to connect their personal cell phones to the school servers which would allow them to use the school’s WiFi to make calls and send texts.
During the discussion, director of technology Ruth Bland explained that administration and maintenance staff are the only employees who are currently allowed to use their personal devices and said it would cost a large sum to increase the power of the server to allow the entire staff to have access.
Bland added that allowing personal devices onto the system would open the system up to malware or ransomware, as had been the case in Wood County several years ago.
The discussion was sparked by requests from teachers who say they would feel safer if they knew they could make a call or text in case of an emergency at the school.
Bland told the board that all teachers have phones and walkie-talkies in their rooms, which they could use to make calls to the office or to 911 if an emergency should arise.
After the hour-long conversation, the board voted, 1-4, to not allow staff to use personal devices on the school system server.
The board also discussed the process for filling the seat left vacant by the untimely death of Joe Walker, who was elected to the board in May.
The seat will be advertised and those interested who live in the northern or southern district may apply to fill the position until the fall election.
The board will conduct interviews and appoint someone at its July 5 meeting.
In miscellaneous management, the board approved the following:
• To amend the Project Fund Agreement, including Master Equipment Lease-Purchase Agreement with Country Roads Leasing, LLC for the energy savings project, by extending the first fixed payment due June 1 2022 to October 1, 2022, in the amount of $165,575.
• Wesco Insurance Company to provide Workers’ Compensation Insurance Policy at an annual premium rate of $29,518.
• Memorandum of Understanding between Southern Educational Services Cooperative (SESC) and Pocahontas County Schools for bus operator/examining services from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023, trainers will be Donald McNeel, Charles McQuain and Jimmie Ryder, Jr.
• School support organizations for fundraisers and school based fundraisers for 2022-2023.
• Three-week out of season athletic practice dates for the 2022-2023 season from June 13, to July 1, 2022.
In personnel management, the board approved the following:
• Resignation of Lisa G. Rich as secretary II/accountant III at Marlinton Elementary School, effective August 1.
• Resignation of William J. Brown as teacher of driver’s education at Pocahontas County High School, effective at the end of the 2021-2022 school year.
• Resignation of Sylvia D. McGinnis as itinerant teacher of CTE/Career Exploration at Marlinton Middle School and Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, effective June 1.
• Employment of Cammy J. Kesterson and Jeanette Wagner as credit recovery facilitators for Pocahontas County Schools, at $22 per hour, not to exceed 150 hours, effective June 10 through August 1, excluding June 17, June 20 and July 4, as needed. Wages are contingent upon actually working the Credit Recovery Program. Paid holidays are not part of this contract.
• Employment of Cammy J. Kesterson as summer school program coordinator for the 2022 Summer Opportunities for Learning and Engagement (SOLE), at Marlinton Elementary School, at daily rate of pay, effective for the four-week program, plus an additional five days for preparatory work, ending August 2. Wage is contingent upon actually working the Summer SOLE Program. Paid holidays are not part of this contract.
• Employment of Vada Boback, Shana Alderman and Amanda Buzzard as academic interventionists for the 2022 Summer Opportunities for Learning and Engagement (SOLE), at Marlinton Elementary School, at daily rate of pay, effective for the four-week program plus and additional two days for preparatory work. Wages are contingent upon actually working the Summer SOLE Program. Paid holidays are not part of this contract.
• Employment of Lora S. Miller as cafeteria manager for the 2022 Summer Opportunities for Learning and Engagement (SOLE), at Marlinton Elementary School, at daily rate of pay, effective for the four-week program plus one additional day for meal preparation. Wage is contingent upon actually working the Summer SOLE Program. Paid holidays are not part of this contract.
• Employment of Tina Tracy (special education classroom aide/bus aid), Haley Cummins (special education classroom/bus aide) and Tomma Johnson (custodian III) as service personnel positions for the 2022 Summer Opportunities for Learning and Engagement (SOLE), at Marlinton Elementary School, at daily rate of pay, effective for the four-week program. Wages are contingent upon actually working the Summer SOLE Program. Paid holidays are not part of this contract.
Employment of Sherri L. Howe as cafeteria manager for the Energy Express Program at Marlinton Elementary School, at daily rate of pay, effective June 21 through August 1, Monday through Friday, excluding July 4, plus one additional day for meal preparation. Wages are contingent upon actually working the Energy Express Program. Paid holidays are not part of this contract.
Employment – Probationary Contract – Service – 2022-2023
• Janessa K. Bell, 200 days, cafeteria manager for Hillsboro Elementary School.
• Christopher L. Irvine, 261 days, general maintenance/truck driver/groundsman/sanitation plant operator/heating and air conditioning/mechanic II, assignment central office.
• Employment of the following coaches at Pocahontas County High School, effective for the 2022-2023 season, at the supplement indicated. All positions are contingent upon proper certification and/or licensure and sufficient number of players to make a team:
– Kathy Mason, athletic director, $5,000
– Douglas Burns, head football coach, $3,000
– Matthew Buzzard, assistant football coach, $750
– Robert Cummings, assistant football coach, $750
– Aaron Pugh, assistant football coach, $750
– Nevin Lucabaugh, volunteer football coach
– Douglas Lantz, limited football trainer, $3,750
– Bradley Carpenter, seventh and eighth grade football coach, $1,125
– Mark Landis, seventh and eighth grade assistant football coach, $750
– Justin Dilley, volunteer girls and boys soccer coach
– J. Michael Kane, III, head girls basketball coach, $2,475
– Chloe Bland, assistant girls basketball coach, $750
– Scott Garber, head boys basketball coach, $2,475
– Kathy Mason, assistant boys basketball coach, $750
– Shonda Carr, head baseball coach, $1,125
– Aaron Pugh, girls and boys track coach, $562.50
– Devan Gum, girls and boys track coach, $562.50
– Darlene Arbogast, head cheerleading coach, $1,500
– David Moore, Jr., volunteer golf coach
– Shana Alderman, Green Bank Elementary-Middle School athletic director, $750
– Nebraska Scotchie, Marlinton Middle School athletic director, $750
– Nevin Lucabaugh, MMS volunteer assistant girls basketball coach
– Jessie Sharp, MMS head boys basketball coach, $1,125
– Jeff Barlow, MMS volunteer assistant boys basketball coach
– Rick McLaughlin, PCHS band director, $1,800
– Tiler Mortensen-Smith, PCHS assistant band director, $750
– Christopher Baber, GBEMS band director, $750
– Rick McLaughlin, MMS band director, $750
• Employment of Scott Kelley, as school bus operator, for the northern activity run, daily rate of pay for actual days worked prior to the school calendar, plus $60 per day, based on 180 days of operation for days that activity runs are required.
• Employment of Charles McQuain, III, as school bus operator, for the southern activity run, daily rate of pay for actual days worked prior to the school calendar, plus $60 per day, based on 180 days of operation for days that activity runs are required.
• Employment of Scott Kelley, as school bus operator, enrichment run, daily rate of pay for actual days worked prior to the school calendar, plus $60 per day, based on 180 days of operation for days that activity runs are required.