Board Reinstates Athletic Buses

The Braxton County Board of Education approved to again provide athletic buses for all sports to all away games during their recent board meeting held on August 1. Larry Hardway led the action for the approval. Previously, parents and coaches were responsible for getting their athletes to all away games. The funding for these athletic buses will be paid from the monies previously set aside for the assistant principal/athletic director position at the high school.
Superintendent Dr. Donna Burge-Tetrick stated she had “heard board members loud and clear.”
“You want to see your students taken care of,” she went on to say. In working to that goal, she noted the “numbers just don’t support the position” and she believes the funds need to be used for the students and not administration.
Kevin Gregory voiced his concern over all of the work that needs done for sports getting completed without the AD position. Dr. Burge-Tetrick will be working on a plan with the principals and assistant principals as well as the assistant athletic directors for both the middle and high school to make sure all sports will be covered with the dissolution of the position. Board President Evelyn Post stated, “This is another huge gain for our students.”
Under regular business and on a motion by Larry Hardway, the board approved the consent agenda items: transportation requests and payment of bills.
After an executive session from 6:02 pm to 6:36 pm, the board approved the following personnel recommendations on a motion by Dr. Kenna Seal: employment of Miranda Wotring, from special education (half-time), Burnsville, to special education (self-contained), Flatwoods, Amy Mullins, special education (itinerant), Flatwoods, Kelly Houghton, special education, Sutton, Andrew J. Shingler, criminal justice/corrections services, BCHS, Mahala Petrulak, from PE/health, BCMS to PE/health (itinerant), Davis, Michelle Shaver, from preschool special needs, Burnsville, to kindergarten, Little Birch, Dawn Hanna Ward, from half-time special education/half-time PE, Little Birch to first grade, Little Birch, Carol Young, from special education (itinerant), BCMS, to special education (self-contained), BCMS, Sue Ann White, from third grade, Frametown, to PE/health (itinerant), Sutton, Melissa Adkins, Director of Legal Services, Meredith Hoover, principal, Flatwoods, Rodney Gillespie, mechanic/bus operator, Sherry Moats, from RIF to special education supervisory/instructional/transportation aide (itinerant), BCMS.
Shaina Shaver, from special education supervisory/instructional/transportation aide (itinerant), Sutton, to special education supervisory/instructional/transportation aide/ECCAT, Burnsville, Jamie Lemon, $1 golf coach, BCHS, and Shane Oney, $1 football (strength and conditioning) coach, BCHS. The board also approved on that motion the employment lists of 60 substitute professional personnel and 27 substitute service personnel for the upcoming school year. Those lists can be located on the Braxton County Board of Education website.
Lisa Ratliff made the motion that led to the approval of the local supplement for National Board Certified Speech Therapist. The supplement is for $2500 and the state matches that amount for those individuals who received national board certification.
The board approved to allow the superintendent to approve transportation requests excluding out of state requests on a motion by Kevin Gregory. Again, this is a way that the new superintendent is trying to streamline board meetings.
Superintendent Dr. Burge-Tetrick requested permission to post for itinerant special education supervisory/instructional/transportation aide at Flatwoods based on student needs at that location. The request was approved on a motion by Larry Hardway.
After a brief discussion, the board approved the settlement for employee compensation for suspension pending an investigation where the employee was cleared. Kevin Gregory made the motion for the approval.
Lisa Ratliff ended the board meeting discussing the upcoming open houses at various schools and the mobile vaccine clinic conducted by the Braxton County Health Department.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 pm. The next regular meeting is scheduled for August 15 at 6:00 pm. As always, members of the Braxton County community are encouraged to attend regular board meetings. Any parent or concerned community member wishing to speak as a delegate or with public concerns may do so by signing in up to 15 minutes prior to the start of the meeting.