Roane County Schools

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Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the
Board of Education of the County of Roane

July 23, 2026

6:00 pm @ Roane County High School, Spencer, WV

  1. This meeting can be joined remotely. The public could join by calling 1-304-553-7794 and entering the provided conference ID or on Microsoft Teams using the provided link.
  2. Presentations
    1. Superintendents Spotlight- RCHS Wrestling Program and the Raider Wresting ClubAnthony Roberts, President of the Roane County Wrestling Boosters, provided an update on the nonprofit organization's year-round wrestling program. He highlighted the club's downtown wrestling facility, which provides free practice opportunities for youth, middle school, and high school wrestlers, with only a USA Wrestling membership fee required. He discussed the club's fundraising efforts, camps, clinics, and commitment to developing student-athletes through leadership, confidence, and discipline. Board members commended the group for overcoming facility challenges and creating a valuable community resource that supports local students and the growth of wrestling in Roane County.Chairman of the House Education Committee, Joe Statler, addressed the Board regarding ongoing efforts to identify legislative solutions related to the administrative staffing requirements and financial penalties facing Roane County Schools under WV Code 18-9A-4(c). Chairman Statler discussed the challenges associated with declining student enrollment, mandated staffing positions, school funding concerns, and special education funding. He reaffirmed his commitment to working with state leaders to pursue relief measures for counties impacted by these issues. The Board expressed its appreciation to Chairman Statler for his continued support and advocacy on behalf of Roane County Schools.
    2. Public ParticipationMs. Ota set the public participation sign-in sheet out at 5:45 pm and it was removed at 5:55 pm. There was no participation.
    3. Policy 2322 - Special Education Annual ReviewSpecial Education Coordinator Sarabeth Monk presented the annual Special Education determination report. Roane County earned 55.14% on the performance matrix and 86.84% on the compliance matrix, with an overall determination score of 73.70%, resulting in a designation of Needs Assistance, Year One. Areas of concern included a special education graduation rate of 84.62% compared to the state target of 86.21%, a dropout rate of 7.69% compared to the target of 3.17%, and lower performance in 11th grade ELA, 11th grade mathematics, and 8th grade mathematics. The county's special education population was reported at approximately 26% of total enrollment. Administration noted that previously identified preschool compliance issues have been corrected and discussed plans to focus on improving academic outcomes, particularly at the high school level. The Board discussed improvement goals and thanked Ms. Monk for her presentation.
  3. New Business for Consideration and Potential Action
    1. Agape Community Works Foundation ProposalTerri Brown presented a proposal on behalf of Agape Community Works Foundation regarding the potential acquisition and redevelopment of the former Geary and Walton school properties. Brown outlined plans to repurpose Geary Elementary as workforce housing and Walton Elementary as a business incubation and community development center, with the goal of increasing population growth, economic development, and workforce opportunities in Roane County. The proposal included a purchase offer of $50,000 per property ($100,000 total) through a negotiated sale for economic development purposes. Board members asked questions regarding funding, governance, property reversion provisions, project timelines, and long-term sustainability. No action was taken at this time.
    2. Roane County Universal Pre-K for 2026-27Superintendent Stellato presented the 2026-2027 Universal Pre-K contract, budget, calendar, and program structure amendment for Board approval. The Universal Pre-K Core Team met to finalize the program, including adjustments resulting from the closure of Walton Elementary and the relocation of preschool classrooms to the Roane County Early Childhood Center. The calendar mirrors the Roane County Schools calendar, with preschool beginning one week later and ending one week earlier. The Board also reviewed the continued partnership with Appalachian Council Head Start, which provides classroom space for preschool special needs students. Motion by John Gray and seconded by Terry Miller to approve. Motion carried. (7:30 pm)
      1. Contract
      2. Budget
      3. Calendar
      4. Amendment of Program Structure
  4. Continuing BusinessDaris Harper asked to move the Update on Roane County Schools' State of Emergency to be discussed first under Continuing Business.
    1. Property matters involving Walton Elementary Middle and Geary Elementary Middle SchoolsSuperintendent Stellato reported that surplus sales were completed at three school properties: Spencer Elementary School, Geary Elementary School, and Walton Elementary School. Community participation exceeded expectations, and a significant amount of surplus property was sold. Spencer Elementary has been fully cleared, while Geary and Walton still contain remaining items. Administration is exploring additional opportunities to make those items available to the public and 501(c)(3) organizations before determining final disposal or transfer with the properties. The district encouraged interested community members and organizations to contact the central office regarding available items.Motion by James Minney and seconded by Eileen Richardson to go into an executive session to discuss property matters, as per WV Code 6-9A-4(b)(9). Motion carried. (7:57 pm)Motion by John Gray and seconded by Eileen Richardson to return to open session. Motion carried. No action was taken in closed session. (8:50 pm)
    2. Update on Roane County Schools' State of EmergencySuperintendent Stellato provided an update on the district's compliance with West Virginia Code 18-9A-4c, explaining that Roane County currently employs 91 instructional professional personnel, representing 89.4% of its professional staff, below the required 91.07% for sparsely populated counties. The district's non-instructional staffing rate is approximately 10.6%, exceeding the allowable 8.93%, with 10.9 non-instructional positions counted under the formula. Administration reported that approximately 122 instructional personnel would be needed to meet the requirement, requiring the addition of about 31 positions at an estimated cost of $1.44 million in state aid funding and nearly $2 million in actual salary costs. House Education Committee Chairman Joe Statler discussed ongoing legislative efforts to address the issue, noting that five counties were affected by the provision last year and that counties without excess levies face significant challenges in meeting the staffing requirements. The Board discussed the financial impact of potential penalties and the need for legislative relief for small, rural school systems experiencing enrollment declines.
  5. Consent Agenda - (Action) Motion carried. (9:38 pm)
    1. Approval of minutes of regular board meeting on July 9, 2026
    2. Finance
      1. Transfers/supplements to the budget
      2. Payments of bills as submitted; pre-approval to release checks not to exceed $20,000 prior to the next board meeting
      3. Financial ReportsTreasurer Hardman reported that cash flow remains stable and that travel reimbursement checks were reissued to reflect the new IRS mileage rate of $0.76 per mile effective July 1. Year-to-date General Current Expense Fund revenues totaled $18,902,354 and expenditures totaled $18,410,398, resulting in a positive difference of approximately $491,956. Current balances were $691,847.69 in the Poca Valley Bank account and $926,627.45 in the investment pool, for a total cash position of $1,618,475.14. Surplus sale deposits totaled $791 from Spencer Elementary, $3,040 from Geary Elementary, and $4,391 from Walton Elementary. Hardman also reported that Roane County's FY26 child nutrition reimbursement was $1,322 per pupil, compared to the state average of $667 per pupil. Additional surplus items were presented for declaration as surplus property.
    3. Policies
      1. First Reading
        1. Policy 260 - Education Service Provider - Hope Scholarship Program (new)Student Support Services Director Knopp presented a new policy allowing Roane County Schools to serve as a Hope Scholarship vendor under WV Code 18-31-8. The policy establishes fees for Hope Scholarship students who participate in district classes and activities, including $679.45 (1/8 of the annual scholarship) for a year-long course, $452.97 (1/12) for most extracurricular activities, and $494.15 (1/11) for football and band. Administration reported that the current Hope Scholarship award is $5,435.62, that 24 counties are currently registered as vendors, and that Roane County has 280 active Hope Scholarship students, including 95 middle and high school students.
      2. Second Reading
        1. Policy 227.1 - Parent and Family Engagement (revision)Motion by Terry Miller and seconded by John Gray to adopt the policy. Motion carried. (9:29 pm)
    4. Contract(s) / Bid(s) / Agreement(s)
      1. Glenville State University MOU for Student pre-service teachers, interns and residents
      2. Appalachian Council Head Start Rental Agreement at RCHS
      3. MOU- WV Military Authority- Future Leaders ProgramThis item was pulled to discuss at a future meeting.
      4. Contracted Services- Anthony Thornabar- FLP InstructorThis item was pulled to discuss at a future meeting.
      5. MOU - WV Birth-to-Three Regional Administrative Unit - River Valley Child Development Services for Birth-to-Three transition
    5. Field Trips
      1. RCHS Band to Disney World, Orlando, Florida to perform at Disney (4/29/27 to 5/4/27)
    6. Volunteers
    7. Student Transfers
      1. 3 Students from Calhoun County Schools
      2. 1 Student from Wirt County Schools
  6. Personnel Consent Agenda - (Action) Motion carried. (9:42 pm)
    1. Resignation(s)
      1. Proctor, Joy - Teacher / Science (Spencer Middle School), effective July 16, 2026
      2. Chapman, Sara - SOAR After School Teacher (Spencer Elementary School), effective July 20, 2026
      3. Hoffman, Loana - Assistant Principal (Spencer Middle School), effective July 21, 2026
      4. Smith, Destiny - Substitute aide (RCS - Substitutes), effective July 22, 2026
      5. Mills, Ashley - Teacher / Special Education (Roane County High School), effective July 24, 2026
    2. New Employment(s)
      1. Hammonds, Christian - SOAR into Summer Aide/ECCAT (Spencer Elementary School), effective July 28, 2026
      2. May, Lori - SOAR Into Summer Teacher (Spencer Elementary School), effective July 28, 2026
      3. Moore, Wendy - SOAR in Summer LPN/Aide (Spencer Elementary School), effective July 28, 2026
      4. Seabolt, Anita - Teacher / Science (Roane County High School), effective August 10, 2026
    3. Transfer(s)
      1. Casto, Donald - Substitute bus operator (RCS - Substitutes) to Bus Operator (Bus #06) (RCS - Operations), effective August 10, 2026
    4. Extracurricular(s)
      1. Ashley, Kimberly - Coach, Golf (Spencer Middle School), effective July 24, 2026
      2. Taylor, Stephen - Coach, Cross Country Track (Spencer Middle School), effective July 24, 2026
    5. Suspension(s)
      1. __________________________, Service Personnel. Effective from June 11, 2026 with pay. The end date to be determined.Motion by James Minney and seconded by John Gray to go into an executive session to discuss item 5.a., as per WV Code 6-9A-4(b)(2)(A). Motion carried. (9:43 pm)Motion by Terry Miller and seconded by John Gray to return to open session. Motion carried. No action was taken in closed session. (9:53 pm)Motion by James Minney and seconded by Terry Miller to follow the Superintendent's recommendation to suspend service personnel Amy Morris, with pay indefinitely pending the outcome of an investigation, effective June 11, 2026. Motion carried. (9:55 pm)
  7. Reports of Committees
    1. Roane-Jackson Technical Center Administrative Council (8/21/2026)Mr. Gray reported that the Administrative Council approved financial reports, expenditures, transfers, supplements, and personnel recommendations for the upcoming school year. The Council also approved clinical and job training sites, reviewed CDL handbook and refund policy revisions, and received updates on adult education programs. The CDL program is full, the LPN program has one opening remaining, and Building E construction has been completed.
  8. Superintendent's RemarksThe Superintendent reported that preparations for the upcoming school year are underway, with enrollment being closely monitored and staffing adjustments to be made as needed. School open houses are scheduled for the Thursday before school begins, with staggered start times at each school. Students in grades 1-12 will begin school on Monday, August 17. Kindergarten students will follow a staggered schedule, with half attending on Tuesday, August 18, half on Wednesday, August 19, and all kindergarten students attending on Thursday and Friday, August 20-21. Preschool students will follow a similar staggered schedule the following week. Board members also discussed information from the WVSBA President's Retreat, expressed appreciation to the leadership team and central office staff for their work during the recent school surplus sales, and extended thoughts and prayers to neighboring communities impacted by the recent devastating flooding.
  9. AdjournmentMotion by John Gray and seconded by Eileen Richardson to approve. Motion carried. (10:01 pm)
    1. Adjourn until the next regular meeting on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 6:00 pm at Roane County High School.