MINUTES

WEST VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION

Board Conference Room

Capitol Building 6, Room 353

1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East

Charleston, West Virginia

December 10, 2008



I. Call to Order


  President Delores W. Cook called the meeting of the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) to order at 1:30 p.m. on December 10, 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, L. Wade Linger Jr., and Gayle C. Manchin, and ex officios Steven L. Paine, State Superintendent of Schools, and James L. Skidmore, Chancellor, West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education.  Student representative in attendance was Lindsay Holmes of Sissonville who attends Sissonville High School (Kanawha County).  Member absent was ex officio Brian E. Noland, Chancellor, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.


II. Ceremonial Oath of Office


Superintendent Paine administered the ceremonial oath of office to Mr. Linger.


III. Delegations


Ms. Donna Auvil and Mr. Don Johnson, employees of Randolph County Schools, addressed the Board regarding the audit of Randolph County Schools by the Office of Education Performance Audits.  Mr. Frank Collier (distributed information), Executive Director, West Virginia Association of Elementary/Middle School Principals (and also representing the West Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals) presented legislative resolutions for the Board’s information.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment G.) 


IV. Approval of Agenda


Upon motion by Mr. Dunlevy, seconded by Ms. Phillips, the Board unanimously approved the agenda. 


V. Chinese Guest Teacher Program


Dr. Amelia Courts, Executive Director, and Mr. Robert Crawford, Coordinator, WVDE Office of ESL – International Schools, provided a brief history of the College Board Chinese Guest Teacher Program in West Virginia and introduced program participants who shared their experience in the program. Information regarding the new program applications was also provided.


VI. Progress Report for the Randolph County School District


Dr. Kenna R. Seal, Director, Office of Education Performance Audits (OEPA), reported that an announced Education Performance Audit of the Randolph County Central Office was conducted February 25 - 28, 2008.  The Board reviewed the report at the May 14, 2008 meeting and directed the county to submit a plan of corrective action for the areas identified in the OEPA report.  The Board further directed the OEPA return to Randolph County in 90 days to review the county’s progress in correcting the items identified in the Randolph County Education Performance Audit Report.  The follow-up visit revealed limited progress in correcting deficiencies since the last on-site review and newly emerging noncompliances were found in personnel and finance.  These and other lingering issues point to the conclusion that the system does not currently have the capacity to correct their deficiencies and provide a thorough and efficient school system.


Upon recommendation of Dr. Seal, Dr. Johnson moved, and Ms. Phillips seconded, that the Randolph County School District be placed on Nonapproval status for extraordinary circumstances, that a state of emergency be declared in the school system, and that a team of improvement consultants be impaneled to make recommendations to the West Virginia Board of Education within 60 days to correct the deficiencies.  The motion was carried unanimously.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment A.)


VII. Initial Individual School Education Performance Audit Report for

Whitesville Elementary School, Boone County


Dr. Seal reported that an announced on-site review as conducted at Whitesville Elementary School on November 6, 2008.


Upon the recommendation of Dr. Seal and a motion by Mr. Dunlevy, seconded by Ms. Phillips, the Board unanimously directed that Whitesville Elementary School and Boone County revise the school’s Five-Year Strategic Plan within 30 days and correct the findings noted in the report by the next accreditation cycle.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment B.) 


VIII. Break


President Cook called for a break at 3:05 p.m.  


IX. Call to Order


President Cook called the meeting back to order at 3:20 p.m.




X. Initial Individual School Education Performance Audit Report for

Lizemore Elementary School, Clay County


Dr. Seal reported that an announced on-site review as conducted at Lizemore Elementary School on October 29, 2008.


Upon the recommendation of Dr. Seal and a motion by Mrs. Manchin, seconded by Ms. Haden, the Board unanimously directed that Lizemore Elementary School and Clay County revise the school’s Five-Year Strategic Plan within 30 days and correct the findings noted in the report by the next accreditation cycle.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment C.) 


XI. Initial Individual School Education Performance Audit Report for

Dunbar Primary School, Kanawha County


Dr. Seal reported that an announced on-site review as conducted at Dunbar Primary School on November 5, 2008.


Upon the recommendation of Dr. Seal and a motion by Ms. Haden, seconded by Ms. Hatfield, the Board unanimously directed that Dunbar Primary School and Kanawha County revise the school’s Five-Year Strategic Plan within 30 days and correct the findings noted in the report by the next accreditation cycle.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment D.) 


XII. Initial Individual School Education Performance Audit Report for

Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School, Upshur County


Dr. Seal reported that an announced on-site review as conducted at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School on October 21, 2008.


Upon the recommendation of Dr. Seal and a motion by Ms. Phillips, seconded by Ms. Haden, the Board unanimously directed that Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School and Upshur County revise the school’s Five-Year Strategic Plan within 30 days and correct the findings noted in the report by the next accreditation cycle.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment E.) 


XIII. School District Approval Status and School Accreditation Status

December 2008 Report of Ratings


Dr. Seal distributed the report of ratings for the Board’s review and consideration.  The WVBE annually rates both schools and school systems on the results of information reviewed from the system of education performance audits.  


Upon the recommendation of Dr. Seal and a motion by Dr. Johnson, seconded by Mr. Dunlevy, the Board unanimously issued the schools and school systems in West Virginia the accreditation/approval status as shown in the December 2008 Report of Ratings.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment F.) 



XIV. Executive Session


As the presiding officer, President Cook informed the members that she had identified various matters that required discussed in Executive Session involving attorney-client privilege, citing W.Va. Code '6-9A-3, and personnel, citing W.Va. Code '6-9A-4(b)(2)(A).


Upon motion by Mrs. Manchin, seconded by Ms. Phillips, and unanimously carried, the Board entered into Executive Session at 3:46 p.m.


XV. Return from Executive Session


The Board returned from Executive Session at 4:20 p.m. at which time President Cook announced that no action was taken and no decisions were made.


XVI. Future Meetings

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


XVII. Adjournment


Upon motion by Mrs. Fish, seconded by Ms. Phillips and unanimously carried, the Board adjourned at 4:21 p.m.

 

   Minutes approved by the Board on January 15, 2009.




_______________________________________________

Delores W. Cook, President




_______________________________________________

Jenny N. Phillips, Secretary



   Minutes were recorded by

         Virginia M. Harris

       Secretary to the Board. 

        Wvbeminutes12/10/08










PAGE  



PAGE  - 2 -