MINUTES

WEST VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION

Board Conference Room

Capitol Building 6, Room 353

1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East

Charleston, West Virginia

March 7, 2002

I.

President Sandra M. Chapman called the meeting of the West Virginia Board of Education to order at 8:30 a.m. on March 7, 2002, in the Board Conference Room, Capitol Building 6, Room 353, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston, West Virginia.

Members present: Vice-President Paul J. Morris, Secretary James J. MacCallum, Barbara N. Fish, Sheila M. Hamilton, Howard M. Persinger, Jr., J. D. Morris, Ronald B. Spencer, David Stewart, State Superintendent of Schools. Members absent: Secretary James J. MacCallum and J. Michael Mullen, Chancellor, the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission

II.

Upon motion by Howard M. Persinger, Jr., seconded by Paul J. Morris, the Board approved the agenda with the following modifications: remove from page 4, item VIII. B. West Virginia Staff Development Advisory Council, and add on page 5, under Miscellaneous, B. Policy 2510.

III.

On behalf of the Board, Paul J. Morris recognized Mrs. Margaret Brown Wilkerson of Dunbar, West Virginia, as an outstanding parent, educator and American. Dr. Stewart presented Mrs. Wilkerson with a resolution which is appended to the Official Minutes, Attachment A.

Dr. Stewart presented Lenore Zedosky, Executive Director, and Melanie Purkey, Assistant Director, Office of Healthy Schools, a plaque in recognition of their receipt of the Center for Disease Control's prestigious Partnership Award for collaboratively working with other organizations across the United States to improve coordinated school health programs.

IV.

Linda Martin, Carolyn Arritt, Janna Freeman, John Frist, Marsha Timpson, Paul Hamrick, Thomas Ramey, Jr., Cindy Miller, Amelia Anderson and Beth Spence with Challenge WV, addressed the Board and distributed information regarding school facilities, transportation and small schools. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment B.)

Following the presentation, Barbara N. Fish questioned how funding is awarded by the SBA. Mrs. Fish also requested that a future work session item be added regarding the closure of exemplary schools.

V.

Dr. Stewart recognized two new employees of the Department: Marsha Hagner, Clerk, Office of Technology and Bane McCracken, Coordinator, Office of Healthy Schools.

VI.

A random and unannounced Education Performance Audit was conducted in the Tucker County School System on October 15-17, 2001.

Upon recommendation of the OEPA, a motion by Howard M. Persinger, Jr., seconded by Paul J. Morris, the Board issued the Tucker County School System Conditional Approval status, two (2) Tucker County schools Conditional Accreditation status, and one (1) school Temporary Accreditation status with a March 31, 2003 Date Certain for the conditional accreditation status schools to achieve full accreditation regarding the education performance audit noncompliances. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment C.)

VII.

Each county board is required to develop and submit an update to the Unified County Improvement Plan (UCIP) or an equivalent strategic plan to the West Virginia Office of Education Performance Audits by December 31. This plan is based on information from the Unified School Improvement Plans, locally identified needs, and school performance data. The plan specifies strategies for meeting high quality standards and performance measures that have not been met. The updated plan must be submitted to the State Board for approval. Office of Education Performance Audits' staff and Department of Education staff coordinated a review of the 55 Unified County Improvement Plans. The plans were reviewed to determine that the required components were included and addressed any performance or process deficiencies.

The attachment summarizes the components of the individual Unified County Improvement Plans. Three (3) plans are in the process of being reviewed and will be submitted, and two (2) plans have not been received.

Upon recommendation of the OEPA, a motion by J. D. Morris, seconded by Ronald B. Spencer, the Board Approved forty-four (44) plans and six (6) plans were Approved with Stipulations. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment D.)

VIII.

Upon motion by Paul J. Morris, seconded by Sheila M. Hamilton, the Board approved the consent agenda. (Copies appended to Official Minutes, Attachments E-J.)

As of February 26, 2002, the Department of Education had received an additional 11 applications for a total of 1,142 applications for Operation Recognition in connection with Policy 4355: High School Diplomas for Veterans. (Attachment G.)

Fayette, Monongalia and Taylor County Schools submitted policies that met the statutory requirements and were approved. (Attachment H.)

The Commission requested the use of approximately 4.5 acres located at the northwest corner of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind property at the east end of Valley Street for organized sports activities for year 2002. (Attachment I.)

The Board approved personnel items for the Department of Education as listed in Attachment J.

IX.

Barbara N. Fish provided and distributed a brief report regarding her visit to McDowell County Schools. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment K.)

Paul J. Morris reported that he and J. D. Morris have consulted regarding an evaluation document for the Director of the Office of Education Performance Audits. It was their recommendation that the document used for the State Superintendent also be utilized for the Director of the OEPA. President Chapman asked if a schedule had been set for the completion of the evaluation. Messrs. Morris left the establishment of a timeline to the discretion of President Chapman. The evaluation form was distributed to members and members were directed to provide the Board's executive secretary any suggested revisions within two weeks in order to have a completed document available for review at the April meeting. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment L.)

X.

President Chapman recessed the meeting at 9:35 a.m.

XI.

President Chapman called the meeting back to order at 9:49 a.m.

XII.

John Hough, Executive Assistant to the State Superintendent, provided and distributed an update regarding the status of the Board's 2002 legislative agenda. Dr. Hough indicated that a schedule will be provided to the Board that identifies requirements and timelines that must be met to be in compliance with legislation passed during the current session. (Copies appended to Official Minutes, Attachment M.)

Howard M. Persinger, Jr., recognized the efforts of Ronald B. Spencer, Governor Bob Wise, the Legislature, Dr. Stewart and Dr. Hough for their assistance in forwarding the Board's legislative agenda.

Joann S. Hurley, Principal of Ft. Gay Elementary, Richard Fleisher and Julie Ferry, WVU Extension Service, provided a presentation and distributed information regarding the W. K. Kellogg-WVU Expanding Community Partnership Program Partnership. The presentation focused on the importance of introducing foreign language instruction and cultural experiences at the elementary level. (Copies appended to Official Minutes, Attachment Mc.)

Bill Luff, Deputy State Superintendent of Schools, in compliance with W.Va. Code §18-2E-4 and West Virginia Board of Education Policy 7300, presented the West Virginia Report Cards 2000-2001. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment N and addendum.)

Cathy Jones, Coordinator of Early Childhood/Even Start, Office of Instructional Services, provided an update regarding legislative efforts (S.B. 728) to provide a universal pre-school program.

Fred Harrington, Assistant Director, Special Programs and Support Services, Office of Planning, Evaluation, Special Programs and Support Services, Division of Technical and Adult Education, provided and distributed a report regarding extended learning programs. President Chapman requested the continued collection of information from the counties regarding how to better serve students participating in before and after school programs. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment O.)

Stan Hopkins, Assistant State Superintendent, introduced Gene Coulson, Coordinator, Office of Hospitality Education and Training, Division of Adult and Technical Education, who provided and distributed information regarding accomplishments since the office's establishment in 1995. (Copies appended to Official Minutes, Attachment P.)

XIII.

President Chapman called for a motion to move into executive session to discuss personnel matters.

Upon motion by Paul J. Morris, seconded by Howard M. Persinger, Jr., and in accordance with the provisions of W.Va. Code §§6-9A-4(2)(A), the Board entered into Executive Session at 12:02 p.m.

XIV.

The Board returned from Executive Session at 12:56 p.m. at which time President Chapman announced no action was taken and no decisions made.

XV.

Heather Deskins, Staff Attorney for the Board and the Department, discussed options for increasing meaningful instructional time for students. In view of developments and discussion since the last such presentation, President Chapman requested another update be provided at the Board's April meeting. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment Q.)

XVI.

G. A. McClung, Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Administrative Services, presented a request from the McDowell County Board of Education to amend its CEFP which did not contain provisions for the reconfiguration of Mt. View High School to Mt. View Middle/High

School and the closure of Northfork Middle and Welch Middle Schools and the transfer of students to Mt. View Middle/High School. Mr. McClung indicated that McDowell County has met all statutes, policies and procedures pertaining to school closures and re-configuration.

Upon motion by Howard M. Persinger, Jr., seconded by Barbara N. Fish, the Board approved the amendment.

XVII.

Dr. Dee Bodkins, Executive Director, Office of Special Education, Division of Instructional and Student Services, presented the West Virginia Board of Education's response to the 2001 Annual Report of the West Virginia Advisory Council for the Education of Exceptional Children (WVACEEC) which addressed the Council's recommendations in the areas of parent training, task force activities, fiscal matters, statewide assessment, training, school calendar, and related services.

Upon motion by Howard M. Persinger, Jr., seconded by Sheila M. Hamilton, the Board approved the Response with seven (7) members voting yes and President Chapman voting no. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment R.)

XVIII.

Bill Luff addressed the Board and provided information pertaining to Policy 2510 including a bill currently under consideration by the legislature pertaining to the school calendar. (Copies appended to Official Minutes, Attachment S.)

It was decided that action regarding Policy 2510 would be delayed pending legislative action and further action pertaining to the promotional efforts regarding this policy would be at the discretion of Ronald B. Spencer and Dr. Hough.

XIX.

President Chapman announced that the policy statement pertaining to bullying was mailed to county superintendents and RESA directors on March 6. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment T.)

President Chapman also requested that any member interested in attending a NASBE roundtable entitled "Helmets, Homicide and Heartache: Preventing Injury and Fatalities in Adolescence"to please notify her as soon as possible.

President Chapman requested that writing, grammar and wrongful conduct policies be included as agenda items for April and requested members to contact her as soon as possible with other suggested items.

XX.

The next regular meeting of the West Virginia Board of Education will take place April 17-18, 2002 in Ohio County, Wheeling, West Virginia.

XXI.

Upon motion by J. D. Morris, seconded by Paul J. Morris, the Board adjourned at 2:02 p.m.

Minutes approved by the Board on April 18, 2002.

______________________________________________

Sandra M. Chapman, President

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