MINUTES 

WEST VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION 

Board Conference Room 

Capitol Building 6, Room 353 

1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East 

Charleston, West Virginia 

August 14, 2008

 

 

 

I.        Call to Order

 

         President Delores W. Cook called the meeting of the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) to order at 9:02 a.m. on August 14, 2008, in the Board Conference Room, Capitol Building 6, Room 353, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston, West Virginia.

 

        The following members were present:  President Cook, Vice President Priscilla M. Haden, Secretary Jenny N. Phillips, Robert W. Dunlevy, Barbara N. Fish, Burma Hatfield, Lowell E. Johnson, Gayle C. Manchin, Jenny N. Phillips, and Ronald B. Spencer and ex officios Steven L. Paine, State Superintendent of Schools, and Brian E. Noland, Chancellor, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.  Member absent was ex officio James L. Skidmore, Chancellor, West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education.

 

II.        Delegations

 

        Ms. Lynne White of Mercer County (provided remarks and documentation for attachment to the minutes) and Mr. David L. Arritt, President of the Fayette County Board of Education, addressed the Board.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment W.)  

 

III.        Approval of Agenda

 

                Mr. Dunlevy moved and Ms. Hatfield seconded that the agenda be approved.  Ms. Haden requested an amendment to the motion to include the removal of Content Agenda item B.3. Amendment – Mercer County Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan (CEFP) and that it be taken up under New Business.  Mrs. Fish seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved.  Dr. Johnson further amended the original motion to move New Business item A. Amendment – Fayette County Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan (CEFP) to immediately follow approval of the Consent Agenda.   Mrs. Manchin seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved.  Superintendent Paine requested an additional amendment to the original motion to move New Business item C. Approval of West Virginia Pre-K Plans to the last item of New Business.  The Board unanimously approved the agenda as amended.

 

IV.        Consent Agenda

 

                Upon motion by Ms. Phillips, seconded by Ms. Haden, the Board unanimously approved the agenda as amended.  (Copies appended to Official Minutes, Attachments A through C and E through Q.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

V.        Amendment – Fayette County Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan (CEFP)

 

        Ms. Heather L. Deskins, General Counsel to the WVBE and the WVDE, presented an amendment to Fayette County Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan (CEFP) for Board’s consideration.  Mr. Chris Perkins, Superintendent of Fayette County Schools, Mr. Leon Newman, Vice President, and Mr. Leon Ivey, member, Fayette County Board of Education, and Mr. Bill Elswick, Executive Director, WVDE Office of School Facilities, addressed the Board regarding the CEFP amendment.

 

        Following discussion, and upon motion by Mrs. Fish and seconded by Mr. Dunlevy, the Board approved the CEFP amendment with eight members voting yes and one member voting no.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment T.)

 

VI.        Amendment – Mercer County Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan (CEFP)

 

        Mrs. Fish requested clarification regarding the proposed amendment and particularly with regard to transportation.  Dr. Deborah S. Akers, Superintendent of Mercer County Schools, and Mr. Ted Gillespie and Ms. Mary Alice Kaufman, members, Mercer County Board of Education, addressed questions regarding the proposed amendment

 

        Upon motion by Mrs. Fish, seconded by Mr. Spencer, the Board unanimously approved the CEFP amendment.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment D.)

 

VII.        Break

 

        President Cook called for a break at 10:30 a.m.  Chancellor Noland departed the meeting.

 

VIII.        Call to Order

 

        President Cook called the meeting back to order at 10:40 a.m.

 

IX.        Reports

 

        Strategic Plan Committee Update Including Proposed WVBE Strategic Plan for 2008-2009.  Dr. Johnson presented the Board’s 2008-2009 strategic plan for the Board’s consideration.

 

        Following a review of the document with a number of suggested and mutually agreed upon changes, Dr. Johnson moved, and Ms. Haden seconded, that the Board’s 2008-2009 strategic plan be accepted as amended.  Upon the call for the question to Board unanimously approved the 2008-2009 strategic plan as amended.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment R.)  [Editor’s Note:  A copy of the amended document is attached to the official minutes as an addendum.]

 

        Board Member/Committee Reports.  President Cook, Mrs. Manchin, Ms. Haden, Mr. Spencer, and Mrs. Fish, provided information regarding their participation in a number of meetings and events.

 

        State Superintendent’s Report.  Superintendent Paine presented Department personnel actions for the Board’s information and provided updated regarding Lincoln, McDowell, and Mingo County Schools.  Upon motion by Mrs. Manchin, seconded by Ms. Phillips, the Board unanimously accepted the State Superintendent’s report regarding Lincoln, McDowell and Mingo County Schools.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment S.)

 

        Ms. Jane E. Lynch, Superintendent of Calhoun County Schools provided an update regarding Calhoun County matters; Superintendent Paine provided an update regarding Preston County matters; and Ms. Susan A. Hinzman, Superintendent of Randolph County Schools, provided an update regarding Randolph County matters.  Ms. Liza Cordeiro, Executive Director, WVDE Office of Communications, distributed the 2008 Online Student Survey In Their Own Words:  Students Respond to 21st Century School Questions and provided a brief overview of the process utilized in the document’s development.  Ms. Cordeiro also distributed a document entitled, Average ACT Score Jumps for High School Class of 2008.  Superintendent Paine asked the Board to consider issuing a resolution (as he will do for the Department), as is being done in other states, urging the federal government to fund equal access to technology for all children.  Upon motion by Dr. Johnson, seconded by Mr. Dunlevy, the Board unanimously directed Superintendent Paine to develop a resolution for the Board’s consideration at its September meeting.  Superintendent Paine provided an update regarding a number of initiatives and meetings in which he has taken part since the Board’s July meeting.  (Copies appended to Official Minutes, Attachment X.)

 

        School Counseling Update.  Ms. Barbara Ashcraft, Coordinator, WVDE Office of Planning, Evaluation, Special Programs and Support Services, distributed a document entitled Strategic Plan for School Counseling 2008-2011 and provided an update regarding school counseling services.  It was requested that another expanded update be provided at a future Wednesday meeting of the Board to include the LINKS Program and Career Cruising.  (Copies appended to Official Minutes, Attachment Y.)

 

X.        Mingo County - Qualified Zone Academy Bond (QZAB)

 

        Ms. Deskins presented a resolution of the WVBE on behalf of the Mingo County Board of Education approving the lease purchase agreement (QZAB) whereby Branch Banking and Trust Company leases certain property to the Mingo County Board of Education and authorizing the execution of the lease purchase agreement and such other documents and certifications on behalf of the Mingo County Board of Education as may be necessary to carry out the transactions contemplated by the lease purchase agreement for the Board’s consideration.

        Upon motion by Ms. Haden, seconded by Dr. Johnson, the Board unanimously approved the resolution.  

 

XI.        Approval of West Virginia Pre-K County Plans

 

        Mr. Clayton Burch, Coordinator, WVDE Office of Special Projects, Extended and Early Learning addressed the Board regarding the pre-k county plans and distributed a letter from the Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, dated August 14, 2008, setting forth the status of all county pre-k plans for 2008-2009.  Pursuant to WVBE Policy 2525, West Virginia's Universal Access to a Quality Early Education System, each county school board, in cooperation with the county collaborative team, is required to submit a plan for collaborating with other early childhood programs to implement the policy.

 

        President Cook requested a motion that the West Virginia Board of Education, congruent with its Policy 2525, acknowledged the approval of 52 pre-k county plans based on the recommendation for approval by the Pre-K Steering Committee.  Calculation of funding is not authorized for the following counties until receipt and review of contracts and budgets by the West Virginia Department of Education as well as receipt of addendums by the Pre-K Steering Committee and subsequent approval by the Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources:  Calhoun, Clay, Grant, Hardy, Marion, Pendleton, Pleasants, Pocahontas Tyler, and Upshur.  Mrs. Manchin moved that the motion as stated by President Cook be approved, Mr. Dunlevy seconded the motion and it was unanimously carried.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment Z.)

 

XII.        WVBE Personnel Matters

 

President Cook requested a motion to move into Executive Session as provided in W. Va. Code §6-9A-3 (matters involving attorney-client privilege) and/or §6‑9A-4(b)(2)(A) (personnel exception).  Upon motion by Ms. Haden, seconded by Ms. Phillips and unanimously carried, the Board entered into executive session at 12:37 p.m.

 

XIII.        Return from Executive Session

 

        The Board returned from Executive Session at 1:10 p.m. at which time President Cook announced that no action was taken and no decisions were made.

 

Upon motion by Dr. Johnson, seconded by Mr. Dunlevy, the Board unanimously approved the Board’s personnel items.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment U.)

 

XIV.        Appointments – WVBE Statutory Units/Liaisons/Presidential

        Committees 2008-2009

 

        President Cook distributed a listing of proposed Board Committee appointments for 2008-2009 for the Board’s consideration.  

 

        Upon motion by Dr. Johnson, seconded by Ms. Phillips, the Board unanimously approved the appointments.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment AA.)

 

XV.        WVBE Regular Meeting Dates and Locations 2008-2009

 

        President Cook distributed a listing of proposed WVBE meeting dates and locations for 2008-2009 for the Board’s consideration.

 

        Upon motion by Dr. Johnson, seconded by Ms. Haden, the Board unanimously approved the 2008-2009 meeting dates and locations.   (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment BB.)

 

President Cook announced that a Board retreat has been tentatively scheduled for October 22 and 23 and that further details will be provided as they become available.

       

XVI.        Board Items for Future Consideration

       

        President Cook requested that items mentioned during the meeting and any others that members wish to be considered for placement on a future agenda be provided to the Board’s executive secretary soon as possible.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment V.)

 

XVII.        Future Meetings

       

        The next regular meeting of the Board will be held September 10-11, 2008 in Charleston, West Virginia.  

 

XVIII.        Adjournment

 

        Upon motion by Ms. Hatfield, seconded by Ms. Phillips and unanimously carried, the Board adjourned at 1:25 p.m.

 

                                           Minutes approved by the Board on September 11, 2008.

 

 

 

                                        _________________

                                        Delores W. Cook, President

 

 

 

_________________ 

                                        Jenny N. Phillips, Secretary

 

 

   Minutes were recorded by

         Virginia M. Harris

Executive Secretary to the Board.  

         Wvbeminutes8/14/08