Published: December 02, 2008 05:09 pm            

Board recognizes Title I schools

Principals and teachers were called to the head of the class at Monday’s Fayette County Board of Education meeting.

Mary Ann Freeman, the school system’s director of federal programs, recognized 12 schools which attained WV Title I Distinguished School status for 2008. Leading the pack were Divide and Oak Hill elementary schools, both which were honored for the 11th consecutive year. Other elementary schools recognized were Valley (DeAnn Bennett, principal), Meadow Bridge, Danese, Gatewood, Oak Hill East End, Rosedale, Fayetteville, Gauley Bridge (Gary Hough, principal), Scarbro and Ansted. Danese was also given accolades because it is a Title I national school award recipient.

“Your hard work is paying off, and it’s making a difference in young people’s lives,” board member Steve Bush told the representatives from the honored schools.

His fellow board members echoed Bush’s comments, as did Superintendent Chris Perkins, in offering praise for the work being done in the elementary schools.

Also during the meeting:

- The board heard from Sid Fragale, a staff representative of the state American Federation of Teachers. Fragale congratulated the board and a committee on their work in establishing a drug-testing program for employees. The goal was to have a policy that was “decent and can’t be challenged in court,” Fragale said. “We have a decent policy; we did what the law would allow us to do.”

- The main thrust of Fragale’s comments centered on legal fees the board paid in a three-year cycle covering the fiscal years prior to the 2008-09 fiscal year. Numbers gleaned from a FOIA request by Fragale showed the county board paid almost $75,000 in 2005-06, over $270,000 in 2006-07, and over $160,000 in 2007-08. Fees were paid to a Charleston law firm and two firms in Fayetteville.

“I’d like to see this board cut down on their legal fees,” said Fragale. “What could you have done to schools with that $500,000? A lot.”

Fragale suggested utilizing the county prosecuting attorney’s office to handle at least some of the representation in employee grievance cases.

- Perkins presented to the board a report by evaluator Chuck Heinlein on the county’s core strategic plan. The report addressed areas such as professional development, mission statement, data analysis, and goals, objectives and actions. The progress “reflects on the hard work done” by central office directors and their staff, as well as in the field, Perkins said.

“This is a very positive report,” said Perkins.

- The board unanimously approved policy E-8, which pertains to student attendance.

— E-mail: skeenan@register-herald.com

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.