CHARLESTON, W. Va.–The state Board of Education has seized control of the Upshur County school system after a review team uncovered dozens of non-compliances with how the system spent federal pandemic relief money.
The board has also scheduled a special meeting for next Thursday, June 23, to accept the retirement of state School Superintendent David Roach.
The state board approved an 18-point motion that includes declaring a state of emergency in Upshur County and appointing a new school superintendent. The local school board now has limited authority.
The takeover is immediate. State Board President Paul Hardesty said state police troopers arrived at the system’s central office in Buckhannon Wednesday afternoon to secure the area until state Department of Education officials could get there.
Hardesty said some of the spending appears criminal.
“I am a firm believer that there will be people who will have to answer to federal and state authorities for criminal activity from what I see,” Hardesty said.
The state board has agreed to turn over all information gathered during the ongoing review to state and federal authorities.
Upshur County Schools received $16 million over three years in federal pandemic money.
The review team has uncovered dozens of spending issues with only about 1% of the documents reviewed, according to Officer of Educational Accountability Jeff Kelley. Kelley shared some of the initial findings with the state BOE Wednesday including 12 receipts of non-compliant spending for food and beverage charges for staff retreats for Stonewall Resort for more than $49,000, another 14 receipts that include nearly $22,000 of food and beverage charges at CJ Maggies, a local restaurant, and a payment of $1,500 for a staff retreat at a Buckhannon “bed and breakfast” that’s located six miles from the Upshur County Board of Education headquarters.
Also discovered, $75,000 in improper payments to staff that were not approved by the local board. Some employees received payments in addition to their regular salary.
There were also federal funds spent on pool passes.
Multi-count takeover motion
–non-approval status for Upshur County school system
–state of emergency declared
–limiting the authority of the county board of education while state of emergency is in place
–authority given to deputy state school superintendent to oversee Upshur County system
–declaring vacant the Upshur County superintendent’s office immediately
–appointment of former Preston County School Superintendent Stephen Wotring as new superintendent
Roach questioned about review
State School Superintendent David Roach has come under fire for how he has handled the review after learning about it months ago. Former Upshur County superintendent Dr. Sara Lewis-Stankus was Roach’s deputy state superintendent until a few days ago. She was superintendent in Upshur County when the questionable spending took place.
Hardesty said earlier in Wednesday’s meeting that can’t be ignored.
“We cannot discount that the person at the epicenter of those findings was the deputy superintendent, the number-2 person in this department, who was our employee up until June, whatever date that was and the question was asked why was this brought to the board until May 27,” Hardesty said.
The initial federal funds review of the Upshur County system was posted on the state Board of Education website in March. Hardesty said there was “radio silence” from Roach to the state BOE until late May.
State Department of Education ESEA funding Director Laura Pauley told the state board that Lewis-Stankus joined her office’s monitoring call with Upshur County Schools on Feb. 10.
“She actually joined the call as a deputy superintendent with the department. I’m not sure why. Normally it would just be for staff. I think only one or two of their staff joined and she joined that call as well. She would have been involved on that call. Personally, it made it kind of awkward for my staff,” Pauley said.
Pauley said she was concerned about Lewis-Stankus’ involvement on the department level.
“We initially took it to legal and Superintendent Roach just because we were concerned with what we were seeing as potential implications that she was the one that would have approved what we were questioning and then after our meeting and providing documentation to Superintendent Roach…He left and asked legal to leave and had us meet with Sara (Lewis-Stankus),” Pauley said.
Hardesty became frustrated with Roach just before calling for an executive session calling the discussion that Roach was leading during the meeting “nauseating.”
“I apologize to the people of West Virginia because I am embarrassed with the way this going on right now. This (a recommendation from Roach) is something that should have been done prior to coming to a state Board of Education meeting. I have never seen anything of this nature in my 30-year education career. This is bush league,” Hardesty said.
By 6 p.m. Wednesday, the state Board had announced a special meeting for June 23 to accept Roach’s retirement and appoint a new state school superintendent.
Roach performance review
Roach’s performance review was also on the board’s agenda Wednesday. Two separate executive sessions were held. The board voted in favor of a motion declaring Roach’s work as superintendent as “satisfactory.”
Roach was appointed by the board last August after former Superintendent Clayton Burch requested a transfer to the School for the Deaf and Blind.
Hardesty supported Roach’s hiring.
“Look at the gentlemen’s qualifications, first and foremost, and see if this board made a prudent, wise decision. His qualifications are impeccable. They are second to no one and he can hit the ground running,” Hardesty said.
Roach was looking forward to the challenge.
“I look forward to working with him, the board, and the staff at the West Virginia Department of Education,” he continued. “With the exception of student safety, student achievement has always been at the forefront of every position I have held. As a lifelong educator, I am grateful for this opportunity and look forward to starting this new position.”