MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Employees and students at Monongalia County Schools will see several changes to their guidebooks ahead of the 2022-23 school year.
The Monongalia County Board of Education passed several adjustments to the teachers and staff employee policy, as well as parts of the student policy. The changes, were focused on the Monongalia County School Determination of Employee or Independent Worker Policy, with student policies for school choice, attendance and due process rights passed on second reading. The changes, for student policy, were done after board discussion last week and a public comment period ahead of the vote.
“School choice options, this has been out for public comment, this is for second reading and adoption, and the Superintendent recommends that the board approve Policy 5113.02,” said Monongalia County School Superintendent Dr. Eddie Campbell ahead of the vote.
Changes are also expected to be seen in Monongalia County Schools’ nondiscrimination and equal employment opportunity policy. In a presentation to the board, Monongalia County School Legal Counsel, Jennifer Caradine, stated that the policy changes are intended to update them with federal Title IX changes that are expected to take effect in April 2022. The three changes, are expected to be formally voted on by the Monongalia County Board of Education by the end of the month.
“This is just changing language and tweaking language, so it’s consistent with that Title IX policy, so that the definitions are in alignment,” said Caradine in a presentation to the board.
The Monongalia County Board of Education, also approved the hiring of a contracted counseling intern to assist at Clay Battelle Middle High School. This decision, was made in response to several employee changes, in particular in-house transfers at the school, and staffing concerns that are a result of them. Ashley Ford, who was named as the contracted counseling intern, is expected to start the position on April 18.
“Staffing is a challenge and providing substitutes is a challenge,” said Monongalia County School Deputy Superintendent Donna Talerico. “And so, this is a creative way to provide some services at Clay-Battelle,” she said.
Updates were also given for the Monongalia County Schools’ summer programs, also known as “Summer Sizzler” and “Summer Avalanche,” respectively. As a result of the growing success of the programs, Monongalia County School Director of Student Programming, Susan Taylor, stated that there will be expanded local stops for the “Summer Sizzler” program, which will take place from June 13-16. For the “Summer Avalanche Program,” over 178 programs have already proposed by teachers from elementary school up to high school ahead of the April 27 student sign up date, which is expected to see a lot of traffic based on previous year’s student turnout.
“The program is offered four weeks, four days a week and it’s free,” said Taylor with regard to the “Summer Avalanche Program.” “They provide transportation at eighteen school locations, sixteen days and over a hundred programs with endless possibilities,” she said.
The Monongalia County Board of Education also approved approximately $11,000 in fire alarm, extinguisher and automatic suppression systems for the board’s headquarters on South High Street in Morgantown. The fire alarm system, will be worked on by Brewer and Company at the price of approximately $6,200, the extinguisher and automatic suppression system will be completed by Fire Protection and Products Inc. at the price of approximately $4,800.