Board of Ed hears Concerns from Flatwoods Elementary

The most recent meeting of the Braxton County Board of Education was held on September 19 and began with a presentation from Flatwoods Elementary.
Principal Meredith Hoover and Assistant Principal/Behavioral Solutions Specialist Mitchell Wood, updated the board on school improvement efforts and student performance. They reviewed benchmark testing and discussed the attendance issues that need to be addressed. Another concern they noted was behavioral problems. The school is actively working on family involvement to address these issues at the school as well as working on student engagement.
Superintendent Dr. Donna Burge-Tetrick informed board members that she had requested that the principals of all the school come and give updates four times throughout the school year.
She discussed the personnel vacancy list with board members. Currently there are twelve vacancies in the school system that will need to be filled.
She also discussed the K-2 pilot testing program from the previous year. Last year only three schools, Davis, Frametown, and Sutton, participated in the pilot program. Director Linda Sears noted these students were tested last April and will be doing another testing soon for comparison data. This year all elementary schools will participate in giving the school system data on the students in kindergarten through second grade. Third grade and up are part of the regular testing system.
She also noted the success of the community engagement and the student recognition at the recent home football game. Board members thanked all of those involved with the events.
Dr. Burge-Tetrick reviewed her goals for the upcoming school year. She presented the board with five goals: increase academic achievement; increase post-secondary opportunities for students; decrease chronic absenteeism; insure a safe and secure learning environment; and improve public relations and increase community involvement.
Under regular business, the board approved the following consent agenda items on a motion by Lisa Ratliff: minutes of the August 25 special meeting; budget transfers and supplements; and payment of bills.
The following professional, service, and extra-curricular personnel recommendations were approved on a motion by Dr. Kenna Seal: resignation of Colin Sprouse, teacher, Davis, Henrich Harman, special education/transporation/instruction/supervisory aide, Flatwoods, and Brent Rose, PT mechanic; employment of Jessica Smarr, teacher, Frametown, Rebecca Wright, bus operator, 37A, Kevin Armentrout, custodian, BCHS, substitute aides-Morgan Shingler, Kimberly Heater, Cindy Stewart, Jessica Squires, Erica Samples, and Jessica Ward, Christopher Locke, $1 assistant athletic director, itinerant, Andrea Nichols, $1 cheer coach, BCMS, PLC facilitators-Sue White, Lisa Dennison-Brady, Melissa Duckworth, Mary Moyers, Addison Woods, school technology contact, Frametown, Cynthia Sprouse, instructional interventionist, Burnsville, Katrina Dennison, instructional interventionist, Davis, Gail Balcourt, instructional interventionist, Flatwoods, Donna Lambert, instructional interventionist, Frametown, John Schiefer, instructional interventionist, Sutton; and student cooperative placements for student tutors-Karl Boyce, Jadah Hendricks, Kira Cottrell, and Joseph Posey.
On different motions the following agenda items were approved: employee math and special education three step increases; employee medication administration supplement; additional $10,000 supplements for speech therapists and HVAC/maintenance position; Memorandum of Understanding with the SESC for one full time behavior support provider; working agreement between BC BOE and Braxton Health Care Center for the Health Occupations Education program; $44,390 paint bid by Watters Painting Inc. for BCHS gym; post and hire one special education teacher for Flatwoods, one for BCMS and one for BCHS; parent volunteers for Davis-Kate Claytor, Talia Morrison, Bobby Dobbins, Daisy Thomas and Paula Meadows, Sutton-Kelly Wilmoth and Louise Mollohan Maynor, and BCMS-Amanda Gum, Louise Mollohan Maynor, Kelly Wilmoth, Amber Brown, Andrea Miller, Karla Conrad, Paula Meadows, and Daisy Thomas; permission for BCHS marching band to attend Imagination Workshop at Disney World in Orlando, April 1-6, 2024; first reading of Policy 5801 Social Media Public Comment; second reading of Amended Policy 3606 Personal Leave Donation Program; and the third and final reading of Policy 3701 Braxton County Board of Education Professional Substitutes.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:47pm. The board has a special meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 27 at 6:00 pm.