MINUTESWEST VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION

Board Conference Room

Capitol Building 6, Room 353

1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East

Charleston, West Virginia

November 13, 2003

I.   Call to Order

President Sandra M. Chapman called the regular meeting of the West Virginia Board of Education to order at 8:30 a.m. on November 13, 2003, in the Board Conference Room, Capitol Building 6, Room 353, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston, West Virginia.

The following members were present: President Chapman, Vice-President Barbara N. Fish, Secretary Sheila M. Hamilton, Delores W. Cook, Priscilla M. Haden, Paul J. Morris, and ex officios David Stewart, State Superintendent of  Schools, and J. Michael Mullen, Chancellor, the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.  Member absent was: Ronald B. Spencer.

II. Delegations

Ann Sammons, Raleigh County School Nurse Coordinator, and Debbie Kaplan, Regional Education Service Agency (RESA) I School Nurse Representative, addressed the Board regarding the Medication Administration Policy. Bob Brown, American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia, distributed his remarks and addressed the Board regarding General Counsel services.  Tammy DeMarcy, McDowell County PTO Member, addressed the Board regarding the proposed closure of Switchback Elementary in McDowell County.  Vali and Andrea Simmons of Wood County addressed the Board regarding enrollment and scheduling.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment A.)

III. Approval of Agenda

Upon motion by Mrs. Fish, seconded by Mrs. Cook, the Board unanimously approved the agenda with the following modification: Ms. Haden requested item 6 be removed from the Consent Agenda and placed to immediately follow the Consent Agenda for further discussion.

IV. Draft Individual School Education Performance Audits for

Franklin Elementary School and North Fork Elementary

School, Pendleton County

Announced on-site reviews were conducted at Franklin Elementary School and North Fork Elementary School in Pendleton County on October 15, 2003.  The Office of Education Performance Audits conducted the reviews which  were limited in scope to the performance and process standards relative to school and student achievement.  The reviews also consisted of resource evaluation.

Upon recommendation of Dr. Seal and a motion by Ms. Haden, seconded by Mr. Morris, the Board unanimously granted Franklin Elementary School and North Fork Elementary School the accreditation status listed in the individual school reports.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment B.)

V. Draft Individual School Education Performance Audit for

Green Bank Elementary/Middle School, Pocahontas County

An announced on-site review was conducted at Green Bank Elementary/Middle School in Pocahontas County on October 16, 2003.  The Office of Education Performance Audits conducted the review which was limited in scope to the performance and process standards relative to school and student achievement.  The review also consisted of  resource evaluation.

Upon recommendation of Dr. Seal and a motion by Mrs. Cook, seconded by Mrs. Fish, the Board unanimously granted Green Bank Elementary/Middle School the accreditation status listed in the individual school report and gave the school six months to correct the Education Performance Audit findings of noncompliance listed in the report.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment C.)

VI. Reports

Board Member Reports.  President Chapman asked Steven L. Paine, Deputy State Superintendent, to provide information regarding a request from Chancellor Mullen regarding the appointment of a Board member to serve on a Higher Education Policy Commission Teacher Training Committee.  Following the report President Chapman asked for a member to volunteer to serve on the committee.  Ms. Haden volunteered and was appointed by President Chapman to the committee.

President Chapman announced the formation of a new Board committee on professional development and requested that Mrs. Fish (Chair), Mr. Morris and Mrs. Cook serve as members of the committee.

RESA Committee Report.  Mrs. Fish provided a report on behalf of the RESA Committee and moved that Policy 3233, Establishment and Operation of Regional Education Service Agencies, be placed on public comment for 30 days with action anticipated in December.  Mrs. Cook seconded the motion.  Chuck Nichols, Executive Director, RESA III, provided an overview of proposed modifications to Policy 3233.  The motion was carried unanimously.  It was requested that agendas and meeting minutes be provided to all Board members in addition to the information currently being provided by RESA Executive Directors.

Strategic Planning Committee Report.  Ms. Haden provided a status report regarding the strategic planning process and indicated that the process may be completed in December.

Legislative Committee Report.  Ms. Haden provided a report on behalf of the Legislative Committee and distributed a draft of the Board's top four legislative priorities for the upcoming session.  Further discussion may take place during the December work session.  Suggestions, in addition to those previously submitted, are to be submitted to Mr. Spencer prior to the December meeting.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment D.)

VII. Break

President Chapman called for a break at 9:58 a.m.

VIII. Call to Order

President Chapman called the meeting back to order at 10:15 a.m.

IX. Reports (Continued)

Public Relations Committee Report/Annual Report.  Mrs. Fish introduced Liza Cordeiro, Executive Director, Office of Communications, Superintendent's Office, who provided an update and distributed information regarding the annual report and West Virginia Achieves county visits. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment E.)

Board Member Reports (Continued).  Mrs. Fish provided a report regarding her attendance at the NASBE national conference in October.

X. Appointment of Policy 4336 - West Virginia School Bus Transportation

Policies and Procedures Manual Committee

President Chapman appointed Mrs. Cook (Chair), Ms. Haden and Regional Education Service Agency Executive Directors, Gabe Devono, John Hough and Nick Zervos to the Policy 4336 review committee.

XI. Reports (Continued)

Update - Grammar for All.  Beth Judy, Coordinator, Office of Student Assessment, and Beverly Kingery, Coordinator, Office of Instructional Services, Division of Instructional and Student Services, distributed information and  provided an update regarding the Grammar for All initiative and provided three recommendations for further initiative implementation. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment F.)

Dr. Stewart commented that he would address recommendations one and three and President Chapman, upon agreement of all Board members, indicated that the Board would develop a memorandum in response to recommendation number two.

Update - Employee and Student Codes of Conduct Implementation.  Tony Smedley, Executive Director, Office of Human Resources, Superintendent's Office, provided an update regarding implementation Policy 5902 - Employee Code of Conduct.  Policy 5902 was developed to assure a nurturing, safe, drug-free, and violence and harassment free learning environment for students and staff.  Implementation of this policy is provided through professional development at the state, county and school levels.  It was requested that the Department provide the Board recommendations for the further promotion/implementation this policy.

Pamela S. Cain, Assistant State Superintendent, and Don Chapman, Assistant Director, Office of Student Services and Health Promotion, Division of Instructional and Student Services,  assisted by, Deborah Lewis, Counselor, Stratton Elementary School/Raleigh County, distributed information and provided a report regarding the implementation of Policy 4373 - Student Code of Conduct. The report included updates on county policy development, professional development, technical assistance offerings and marketing efforts. In addition to the technical updates, the Student Code of Conduct implementation strategies of Stratton Elementary were featured with specific reference to reductions in disciplinary interruptions and increases in student achievement.  An update on character education will be featured during the next quarterly update. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment G.)

XII. Recognition

President Chapman recognized Mr. Morris as the 2003 Character Educator of the Year.  This award shall be awarded annually and shall be known as the Paul J. Morris Character Educator of the Year Award.

XIII. Break

President Chapman called for a break for lunch at 11:53 p.m.

XIV. Call to Order

President Chapman called the meeting back to order at 12:45 p.m.

XV. Reports (Continued)

      

Update - Enhancing Instructional Time/Before and After Care Programs.  Stan Hopkins, Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Technical and Adult Education, distributed and provided an update regarding the results of a Before and After Care survey that was conducted in all schools this past Spring.  The results on this survey were presented to the Board in June, 2003.  Given that approximately 300 schools did not respond to the original request for information, a follow-up telephone survey was conducted in early November.  The results of the follow-up survey were presented, including recommended "Next Steps" to assist schools in designing and implementing effective before and after care opportunities for students.

President Chapman, with the agreement of the Board, authorized Dr. Hopkins to proceed with the recommendations/next steps. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment H.)

Update - Enhancing Instructional Time/Healthy Schools Initiative/Using Movement to Maximize Instructional Efficiency.  Bane McCracken, Coordinator, Office of Student Services and Health Promotion, Division of Instructional and Student Services, distributed information and provided a presentation regarding the use of movement to maximize instructional efficiency.  The Office of Student Services and Health Promotions has developed and conducted workshops to increase teacher's skills in the use of active teaching strategies.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment I.)

Update - Enhancing Instructional Time/Healthy Schools Initiative/Recipe for Success.  Melanie Purkey, Executive Director, Office of Student Services and Health Promotion, Division of Instructional and Student Services and Mary Kay Harrison, Executive Director, Office of Child Nutrition, Division of Technical and Adult Education, assisted by Fernando Ibanez, Webmaster, Office of Communication, Superintendent's Office, provided a demonstration of a recently developed CD-Rom entitled "Recipe for Success."  Ms. Cordeiro addressed the Board regarding the promotional campaign heralding the release of the "Recipe for Success."  "Recipe for Success" is a CD-Rom technical assistance tool designed primarily for principals.  This resource will assist building administrators and educators in their efforts to improve physical activity and nutrition programs in West Virginia schools.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment J and addenda.)

Technology and Professional Development.  Phyllis Justice, Assistant Director, Office of Instructional Technology, Superintendent's Office, provided a report regarding the use of technology to provide professional development.   The information provided included current and future options, along with associated costs, to advance the solutions regarding quality professional development.

XVI. Consent Agenda

      

Upon motion by Mrs. Fish, seconded by Mrs. Cook, the Board unanimously approved the consent agenda as previously amended.  (Copies appended to Official Minutes, Attachments K-R.)  The following items were approved:

      

Minutes of October 9 and 10, 2003.  (Attachment K.)

Budget supplement and transfer requests for the month of October 2003 as follows: Total Supplements = $35,453,089  Total Transfers = $12,197,557.  (Attachment L.)

An amendment to the Barbour County Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan (CEFP) to include the following renovations at Junior Elementary School: replacement of ceiling tiles, lighting (changing to the electronic ballast system) and substandard windows and doors.

An amendment to the Mason County CEFPd to include the consolidation of Point Pleasant Middle and Point Pleasant High School into one 7-12 facility, with the middle school being closed.  The existing Point Pleasant High School will require renovations to accommodate grades 7-9 and additions to accommodate the grades10-12.  The existing gymnasium will be used as an auxiliary gym, and a new larger gymnasium with lockers will be constructed for all grade levels.  New additions will also include administration, classrooms for 10-12 grades, library, art, band, cafeteria and kitchen.  Also, the Central School/Central Office Headstart restrooms will be renovated and restored.

d

An amendment to the Mercer County CEFP to include the addition of an instructional/performing arts center to Princeton Senior High School.  Presently there is no auditorium and the classrooms that are being utilized for band and choral instruction are inadequate.

An amendment to the Mineral County CEFP to include the following.

   Keyser Attendance District

   Burlington Primary School: Renovations will include the 

    addition of a multi-purpose room and renovation of the kitchen.

    Grade 5 will merge into a new Keyser Middle School.

   Elk Garden Primary-Middle School: Grades 6-8 will be

    merged into the current Keyser Primary-Middle School effective

    the fall of 2004.  Grade 5 will merge into the new Keyser

    Middle School.

   Fountain Primary School: To be closed and merged into the

    Keyser Primary School upon completion of the new Keyser

    Middle School.

   New Creek Primary School: To be closed with grades

    Pre-k-4 to merge into the Keyser Primary School upon 

    completion of the new Keyser Middle School and grade 5

    to merge into the new Keyser Middle School.

   Keyser Primary-Middle School: To be reconfigured and

    renovated to become Keyser Primary School to serve the

    Pre-k-4 students in the Keyser area.

   Keyser Middle School: To be a new construction in the

    Keyser area to serve the students in grades 5-8 in the

    Keyser attendance district.

   Keyser High School: Complete athletic fields.

   

   Frankfort Attendance District

   Frankfort Intermediate School:   A major addition will be built

    on this site to house grades Pre-k-4 for the Fort Ashby attendance

    zone.  In addition to the new construction, the proposed school

    would utilize the current gymnasium and the 1976 and 1983

    classroom additions.  The old high school building would then

    be demolished.  This site would become a new Fort Ashby

    Primary school for students in Pre-k-4 from the Fort Ashby area.

   Wiley Ford Primary School: To remain open with the construction

    of an addition to receive approximately 40% of the students in grades

    3 and 4 currently attending Frankfort Intermediate School.  The

    school would then serve grades Pre-k-4.

   Frankfort High School: A gymnasium and a four classroom science

    addition would be constructed and the school would be extensively

    renovated to include the auditorium, library, band room, new lockers

    and replacement of floor coverings.

   Countywide

   Mineral County Technical Center will receive an addition to house a

    meat processing facility that would be utilized by the agriculture

    education programs.

An amendment to the Monongalia County CEFP to include the following:

   Westwood Elementary, a K-5 facility, will be constructed and is

    currently in the CEFP, however, the enrollment will decrease from

    the proposed 800 to 450 student population.

   Cass Elementary, also a K-5 building, will be a new facility and

    will increase in population from the current enrollment of 268 to

    450 students. 

   School closures remain as before with Westover, Waitman-Barbe,

    and approximately half of Riverside attending Westwood.  Cass,

    Arnettsville and half of Riverside attending the new Cass

    Elementary School.

   Clay-Batelle High School will receive an extensive addition allowing

    the school to be reconfigured into grades 6-8 (upper level), receiving

    grade 6 from Mason-Dixon, and 9-12 (lower level).

   Mason-Dixon will be reconfigured into a K-5 facility.

   

An amendment to the Summers County CEFP to construct a new school instead of renovating Talcott Elementary.

An amendment to the Taylor County CEFP to include the closure of Pruntytown Elementary School and Hepzibah Elementary School with the students consolidating into a new school to be constructed.

An amendment to the Wetzel County CEFP to include the construction of a new cafeteria, the reconfiguration of the existing kitchen area, and the reconfiguration of the existing office suite area and instructional areas near the main entrance of Short Line School.

An amendment to the Wirt County CEFP to include the construction, at Wirt County Primary/Middle School, of three kindergarten classrooms with self contained restrooms and renovation of an existing administrative area into a computer lab.  Existing kindergarten classrooms would be converted to special education classrooms. 

  Personnel items for the Department of Education, Schools for the Deaf and the Blind and RESA personnel items as listed in the attachment. (Attachment M.)

Continued Keyser High School's Full Accreditation status.  (Attachment Mc.)

Granted Romney Middle School and John J. Cornwell Elementary School the accreditation status listed in the individual school reports and gave each school six months to correct the Education Performance Audit findings of noncompliance listed in  the report.  (Attachment N.)

Continued Lizemore Elementary School's Full Accreditation status.  (Attachment O.)

   

Received an update regarding ACT scores.  (Attachment P.)

Approved of the Official State Multiple List of Instructional Materials for Social Studies.  (Attachment Q.)

Approved the improvement consultant recommendations for East Hardy Early/Middle School, Sissonville Middle School, Duval High School and Guyan Valley High School.  (Attachment R.)

XVII. Amendment to the Mingo County

Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan (CEFP)

The Mingo County Board of Education requested an amendment to its CEFP to include the following: 1)  Matewan Elementary will become a Pre-k-8 facility, with grades 9-12 students in the Matewan attendance area attending the new high school when completed; 2)  Riverside Elementary will become a Pre-k-8 facility, with grades 9-12 students in the Williamson attendance area attending the new high school when completed; and 3)  Burch High School will become a Pre-k-8 facility, with grades 9-12 students in the Burch attendance area attending the new high school when completed.

Upon motion by Ms. Haden, seconded by Mr. Morris, the Board unanimously approved the amendment.

XVIII. Policy 4110 - Attendance

Lisa Burton, Coordinator, Office of Student Services and Health Promotion, Division of Instructional and Student Services, presented Policy 4110 for the Board's consideration.  At the September 2003 meeting, the Board gave approval for Policy 4110 to be placed on comment for a 30-day period ending October 23, 2003. The policy placed on comment includes revisions made to maintain consistency with recent changes in state and federal legislation. Five comments were received regarding the changes in this policy. The comments did not warrant major revisions to the policy.

 

Upon motion by Mr. Morris, seconded by Delores W. Cook, the Board approved Policy 4110.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment S.)

XIX. Executive Session/Break

Upon motion by Mrs. Hamilton, seconded by Mrs. Fish, the Board voted to go into executive session, following a ten minute break, as provided in W.Va. Code  6-9A-4(b)(2)(A) (personnel exception) to discuss personnel matters.  The Board entered into executive session at 2:20 p.m.

XX. Return from Executive Session

 

The Board returned from executive session at 2:58 p.m. at which time President Chapman announced that no decisions had been made or action taken.

XXI. Future Meetings

 

The next regular meeting of the Board will be held December 10-11, 2003 in the Board Conference Room, Capitol Building 6, Room 353, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston, West Virginia.

XXII.      Adjournment

Upon motion by Mr. Morris, seconded by Mrs. Fish, and unanimously carried, the Board adjourned at 3:00 p.m.

                                          Minutes approved by the Board on December 11, 2003.

 

                 ______________________________________________

     Sandra M. Chapman, President

     ______________________________________________

     Sheila M. Hamilton, Secretary

Minutes were recorded by

     Virginia M. Harris

Executive Secretary to

           the Board.

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