MINUTES 

WEST VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION 

Board Conference Room 

Capitol Building 6, Room 353 

1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East 

Charleston, West Virginia 

September 11, 2008

I.        Call to Order

         President Delores W. Cook called the meeting of the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) to order at 9:03 a.m. on September 11, 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 officio Steven L. Paine, State Superintendent of Schools.  Student representative in attendance was Isaac Picklesimer of Williamson who attends Williamson High School (Mingo County).  Members absent were ex officios Brian E. Noland, Chancellor, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, and James L. Skidmore, Chancellor, West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education.

II.        Approval of Agenda

                Upon motion by Mr. Dunlevy, seconded by Mrs. Manchin, Board unanimously approved the agenda.

III.        Horace Mann Middle School, Kanawha County

        Superintendent Paine, assisted by Ms. Donna Landin, Coordinator, WVDE Office of Title II – School and School System Improvement, Mr. Maher Shamma and Mr. Ben Glasser, eighth grade students at Horace Mann Middle School, provided an overview of 21st Century instruction provided to Horace Mann geometry students during the last school year that included Teach 21 instructional guides.  The students conducted a mock trial regarding an incident that occurred as a result of a poorly designed parking area and redesigned the parking.  The unit of study also included the building of mobiles, determined the cost associated with extinguishing a forest fire, and constructed sculptures.

IV.        Consent Agenda

        President Cook requested a motion, per the request of Dr. Kenna R. Seal, Director of the Office of Education Performance Audits on September 10, 2008, to amend the motion at Consent Agenda item 14. Final Individual School Education Performance Audit Reports for Man Elementary School, Man Middle School, and Man Senior High School, Logan County, and Consent Agenda item 15. Final Individual School Education Performance Audit Reports for Mountainview Elementary School, Ridgedale Elementary School, Cheat Lake Middle School, South Middle School, Westwood Middle School, and Morgantown High School, Monongalia County.  The amended motion continues the previous accreditation status of the schools as listed in the reports until the 2008 performance data are analyzed and the 2008 Report of Ratings is approved.  Ms. Phillips moved, and Dr. Johnson seconded, that the motion stated by President Cook be approved.  Upon the call for the question the motion was carried unanimously.

         Upon motion by Dr. Johnson, seconded by Mr. Dunlevy, the Board unanimously approved the Consent Agenda as amended.  (Copies appended to Official Minutes, Attachments A through P.)

• Meeting minutes of August 13 and 14, 2008  (Attachment A)

• Budget supplement and transfer requests for the month of August 2008 as follows:  total supplements = $23,723,363 and total transfers = $15,107,596 (Attachment B)

• Amendment to the Boone County Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan to include electrical upgrades at Scott High School and Madison Middle School.  Boone County Schools will follow the established regulatory guidelines of Policy 6200 and the State Fire Marshal's Office  (Attachment C)

• Amendment to the Jefferson County Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan to include a second building on the Blue Ridge Elementary site, an addition of kindergarten rooms and restroom facility at South Jefferson Elementary, and HVAC upgrades at Charles Town Middle School, T. A. Lowery Elementary, and C.W. Shipley Elementary  (Attachment D)

• Amendment to the Roane County Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan to include the addition of three fire exits and improvement modifications to one existing exit at Spencer Middle School gymnasium  (Attachment E)

• Amendment to the Wayne County Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan to include the construction of a new pre-kindergarten through fifth grade school for Fort Gay Elementary and two additional classrooms at Buffalo Middle School  (Attachment F)

• One policy continuation waiver, one textbook continuation waiver, and six new requests for waivers of instructional materials  (Attachment G)

• Five applications for a total of 1,445 applications for Operation Recognition in connection with Policy 4355:  High School Diplomas for Veterans  (Attachment H)

• Four waiver requests for a time extension to complete required professional development as required by the West Virginia Principal Leadership Academy for Experienced Principals  (Attachment I)

• Employment of Substitute Teachers in Areas of Critical Need policies for Lewis and Morgan County Schools  (Attachment J)

• Notifications, per Senate Bill 227, W. Va. Code §18A-4-7a, Transfer of Teachers After Five Days Prior to Starting Instruction, from Wood County Schools  (Attachment K)

• Policy 2340, West Virginia Measures of Academic Progress, for placement on public comment for 30 days  (Attachment L)

• Policy 4336, West Virginia School Bus Transportation Policy and Procedures Manual (Attachment M)

• Alternate Performance Task Assessment (APTA) 2008 Recommended Cut Scores for Science Grades 4, 6 and 11  (Attachment Mc)

• Continued the previous accreditation status of Man Elementary School, Man Middle School, and Man Senior High School until the 2008 performance data are analyzed and the 2008 Report of Ratings is approved  (Attachment N)

• Continued the previous accreditation status of Mountainview Elementary School, Ridgedale Elementary School, Cheat Lake Middle School, South Middle School, Westwood Middle School, and Morgantown High School until the 2008 performance data are analyzed and the 2008 Report of Ratings is approved  (Attachment O)

• Appointments to the West Virginia Board of Education/West Virginia School Boards Association School Board Member Training Standards Review Committee (Attachment P).

V.        Reports

        Board Member/Committee Reports.  Mrs. Manchin, Ms. Haden, Dr. Johnson, and Mr. Spencer [requested that Dr. Howard O’Cull, Executive Director, West Virginia School Boards Association (WVSBA), provide information regarding the WVSBA’s fall conference and other school board topics], provided information regarding their participation in a number of meetings and events.

        Ms. Haden provided information regarding Constitution Day (September 17) and moved that the Board endorse and support Constitution Day.  Mr. Dunlevy seconded the motion and it was carried unanimously.

        State Superintendent’s Report.  Superintendent Paine presented Department personnel actions for the Board’s information and recognized the WVDE Office of School Facilities for providing exemplary assistance to Randolph County Schools in assuring that school facilities were ready for the opening of school.  Superintendent Paine also provided a report regarding the Chinese teacher/global initiative, reported that 1) West Virginia has three Blue Ribbon schools, 2) there is an increase in the number of counties that no longer serve soft drinks during the school day, 3) is concentrating efforts (with the Board’s support) to assure that all classrooms are receiving standards-based instruction, and 4) participated (invited) on a panel at the Republican National Convention.  Upon motion by Mrs. Manchin, seconded by Ms. Phillips, the Board unanimously accepted the State Superintendent’s report.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment Q.)

        School Improvement Update, Calhoun County.  Mr. David Price, Coordinator, WVDE Office of Title II – School and School System Improvement, Ms. Jane Lynch, Superintendent, Calhoun County Schools, and Dr. O’Cull, provided an update regarding progress made at Calhoun Middle/High School and the updating of the Calhoun County Board of Education’s goals.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment R.)  

VI.        Break

        President Cook called for a break at 10:45 a.m.  

VII.        Call to Order

        President Cook called the meeting back to order at 11:00 a.m.

VIII.        Reports (Continued)

        Regional Education Service Agency (RESA) Report.  Mr. Keith Butcher, Executive Director of RESA I, provided an update regarding RESA I activities and initiatives.

        A Chronicle of West Virginia's 21st Century Learning Initiative (2004-2008).  Dr. Jan Barth, Executive Director, WVDE Office of Assessment/Accountability, and Ms. Kristine Chadwick, Edvantia, Inc., provided an overview of the chronology (a living document that will be updated as events warrant or information included in the document becomes outdated) which provides a framework of policies, strategies, and resources to implement 21st century learning and instruction.  In support of this undertaking, Edvantia, Inc., was contracted to work with the WVDE to create a comprehensive chronicle of West Virginia's experience with P21.  The P21 partnership will nationally release the West Virginia chronology to the P21 Board and partner states as a tool to guide the implementation of 21st century teaching and learning.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment S.)  

IX.        National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE)

        Board of Directors Election

        President Cook presented the nominees for the 2009 President-Elect of NASBE.  Upon motion by Mrs. Manchin, seconded by Ms. Haden, and unanimously carried, Dr. Johnson was selected as West Virginia’s nominee to the office of President-elect.

        President Cook requested a motion to designate a voting member and an alternate to represent West Virginia at NASBE’s Annual Business Meeting on October 16, 2008.  Upon motion by Ms. Hatfield, seconded by Dr. Johnson, and unanimously carried, President Cook was appointed as the voting member and Vice President Haden was appointed as the alternate voting member.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment T.)  

X.        Resolution to Support 21st Century Integration of Technology

        Into Classroom Instruction and Learning

        Superintendent Paine presented a resolution to support 21st century integration of technology into classroom instruction and learning for the Board’s consideration.

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

XI.        Lincoln County - Qualified Zone Academy Bond (QZAB)

        Ms. Heather Deskins, General Counsel to the Board and the Department, presented a resolution of the WVBE on behalf of the Lincoln County Board of Education approving the lease purchase agreement (QZAB) whereby Guaranty Bank & Trust Company leases certain property to the Lincoln County Board of Education and authorizing the execution of the lease purchase agreement and such other documents and certifications on behalf of the Lincoln 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 Dr. Johnson, seconded by Mr. Dunlevy, the Board unanimously approved the resolution.  

XII.        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.  President Cook provided a brief update regarding the Board’s professional development/training event scheduled for October 22 and 23 at Heritage Farm and Museum in Huntington, West Virginia.  Ms. Phillips requested that an item be placed on a future agenda regarding school plans for pandemic events.  Ms. Haden requested that Dr. Patsy Shank, Superintendent of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, provide an update at the October meeting.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment V.)

XIII.        Future Meetings

        The next regular meeting of the Board will be held October 8-9, 2008 in Charleston, West Virginia.

XIV.        Adjournment

        Upon motion by Mrs. Manchin, seconded by Ms. Phillips and unanimously carried, the Board adjourned at 12:07 p.m.

                                           Minutes approved by the Board on October 9, 2008.

                                        _______________________________________________

                                        Delores W. Cook, President

_______________________________________________ 

                                        Jenny N. Phillips, Secretary

   Minutes were recorded by

         Virginia M. Harris

      Secretary to the Board.

       Wvbeminutes9/11/08