By Stephen Smoot
East Hardy Elementary School and Moorefield Middle School are slated for upgrades to their entryways. Early last month in their June 9 meeting, the Superintendent, Board of Education, and other schools officials got to engage the architectural firm and review plans.
After the Pledge of Allegiance, the Board heard the maintenance and transportation report. Quotes should come in soon for new school buses, both with and without air conditioning. Additionally work continues on the HVAC, ceiling times, and other needs at Moorefield Middle School.
Superintendent Sheena Van Meter reported on the continued success of an education partnership between Hardy County Schools and Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College. She said “we completed another round of cohorts” in which service personnel earn their associates degrees.
The program, which Van Meter said “doesn’t cost us much at all,” enhances service personnel skills while enabling them to earn higher salaries and better retirement. “It’s a really good investment in service personnel,” the Superintendent noted.
Next came the presentation and discussion regarding door and window upgrades at East Hardy Elementary School and Moorefield Middle School. ZMM Architects and Engineers of Charleston sent a representative to brief the Board and Superintendent on their qualifications and ideas for the project.
With a “specialty in K through 12,” the company works on projects throughout West Virginia and also along the Interstate 81 corridor in Virginia. They showed completed projects in Frederick County as well as Ripley Middle School in Jackson County.
The Board voted unanimously to move forward with ZMM.
Another topic of discussion centered around a request to use a school gymnasium for gymnastics instruction on Monday evenings. Since the request came from a for -profit company, the Superintendent by law must get Board approval.
Van Meter explained that those requesting the space have an official business license and a $1 million liability policy. This would shield the school system from any issues related to the operation of the class..
Rent to use the gymnasium would normally top out at over $900, but the fact they would be engaged in teaching skills to children led to a proposal to waive the rent altogether. Van Meter noted that this could not occur for two reasons. First, use of the gym also incurs costs, such as electricity and water. More importantly, however, “you have to make sure you are remaining consistent.”
Another Board member proposed that charging a full day of rent for two hours of use was excessive. Van Meter answered that the Board could come up with a prorated fee based on hourly, not daily use. Eventually the Board agreed to invite those making the request to provide more information.
In the Superintendent’s comments portion of the agenda, Van Meter shared that a company trying to place a massive solar farm in Old Fields has proposed to provide financial support to Hardy County Schools as well as pay for the county’s EMS services.
Finally, a group will have a draft completed on July 8 to propose a school cell phone policy. The next meeting, however, will take place on July 7. .
