[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6387122,"mediaKeyId","2116859-482cbaf88a749b12128a545c26cf96d2","parentId",2116859,"title","Board views Mountain Ridge Primary design; architects plan February bid and mid‑2026 opening","audioSeconds",2196,"startMs",7476000,"endMs",9672000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2116859-482cbaf88a749b12128a545c26cf96d2&start=7476&end=9672","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2116859-482cbaf88a749b12128a545c26cf96d2/thumbnail_7476000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6387122/West-Virginia/Board-views-Mountain-Ridge-Primary-design-architects-plan-February-bid-and-mid2026-opening","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387122-cbdf7a287433de571b1df1a4366b1bf3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155197&Signature=aeQNY5CelY1mdEAaF9J9BKdrK7E5glYK4WCSvoXO17a0laqnTlnvt7qT9VGRn81jh8wb8w-L4Q18V9Uppm4c0P3Nr4OQFj1GCGYpymrgF2et-6LpQX3ZFTLKC7H0yDoZFwdsDStFb8EfKVpMF8v2e95pvPsqm5BHqK8AaXlXhxGx41R2Lg6oL8GfTiCUtMKTqgcdth0NhSgfe0zhiVVsT7D9ZfUPcLnml7TMXduR0CBCdoN8XYMoTkzcgR3bYBJthE--W8MSqOQEtBgkb2SuNCD0IcUllJdaSGnVrFk-t~sT2-EH2z6yx7Nh8PQhwJiAgTvoESSZNqv1nnyPQLYhsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Berkeley County Schools","date","2025-01-10T14:28:06Z","article","BERKELEY COUNTY, W.Va. — Architects and district staff showed trustees schematic plans for Mountain Ridge Primary School, a bond‑funded project the district plans to advertise for bids in February and to open for students in August 2026 if the schedule and approvals hold.

District staff member Mr. Tyson introduced the project and said the school will go out to bid in February. \"The next major bond project we have for bid will be in February, which is the Mountain Ridge Primary School,\" Tyson said, introducing McKinley Architecture staff who presented site plans, floor plans and renderings.

Site and traffic design

Architects described a campus approach that adds an access road off Jerrodstown/Sawmill Road to separate bus circulation and parent staging. Presenters said the scheme provides about 10 dedicated bus drop‑off positions with staging and roughly 63 parent staging spaces to reduce traffic pressure on neighboring sites. Staff said the plan also preserves space for future campus expansion and potential long‑term bus parking.

Building program and alternates

Schematic designs show a building just under 60,000 square feet for a baseline enrollment of 358 students, with a bid alternate to add six classrooms (two per wing) that would raise maximum enrollment to about 648 and increase building area to about 66,000 square feet. The design groups the building around a central administrative hub, cafeteria, gym and media/innovation learning space, with kindergarten and first/second grade wings laid out as mirrored classroom clusters and specialist spaces (music, art) and special‑education resource rooms adjacent to grade wings.

Materials, interior and site features

Renderings show a traditional red‑brick palette to visually align with neighboring campus buildings, white/trim accents, and interior zones that include a raised “learning stair” in the media center, acoustical clouds in the cafeteria and multiple entry points for service, parent drop‑off and buses. Architects said playground design and manufacturer selection are in progress and are included in the project budget.

Schedule and approvals

Staff outlined an anticipated schedule: advertise and bid in February, receive bids in mid‑March, approve a contract in late March or early April, and break ground within about 30 days. The target opening for students is August 2026, a construction window of roughly 13–14 months, depending on permitting and the bid process. Project staff said they are coordinating with the state department of education and other agencies for plan approvals and noted that final roadway improvements may require Department of Highways review.

Ending and next steps

District staff said they will finalize documents with the architect before advertising, finalize playground selections and coordinate procurement of furniture and fixtures. Trustees were invited to a cornerstone ceremony and staff said final bidding documents will be posted once approvals are complete.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Workshop Meeting 1-15-25","oneSentenceSummary","Architects presented site and schematic plans for the new Mountain Ridge Primary School, including an access road to separate bus and parent traffic, a 358‑student baseline capacity (expandable to 648), and planned bid advertisements in February with construction aimed at completion in time for school opening in August 2026.","taxTitle","BERKELEY COUNTY SCHOOLS, School Districts, West Virginia","taxId",13060,"location","West Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6387127,"Midyear assessment: district reports improvements in early grades, gaps remain in middle and high school math",329,2391000,2720000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2116859-482cbaf88a749b12128a545c26cf96d2&start=2391&end=2720","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2116859-482cbaf88a749b12128a545c26cf96d2/thumbnail_2391000.jpg","/articles/6387127/West-Virginia/Midyear-assessment-district-reports-improvements-in-early-grades-gaps-remain-in-middle-and-high-school-math","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387127-2c5061ed3594bffb0ca211ac399413a8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155197&Signature=P-56TRmeLBnqGe1cB0IKKMzgzlVkBwroiwUX350HqRi~dmqYE-rsC92tl4tB5knSm7MtOyNAvBQRWN--b7kaP-ZxgsCns4HfNlgX32K1k2VpESm28xbcvaProuKvBKibXHnp8HSdlpgnO48vL2~6s11gSmZ9i-XNYBIxr8YANEZz5PUXyuQx74-awX6-4VpJQPi6H4yuGH5flQXI26kng1OB-tGEHiaVnrC6-KYbjg3JD8qXlLNlhauzqcqEdPRd-VhcL1sbleG24lk~ExODTsnWCAHdpUHs-hPvZJCLUDEwmvHJ6I5AbnxPLI3W0k49N3J-qrhehlNE71gc91-nSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","BERKELEY COUNTY, W.Va. — At a midyear monitoring presentation, Berkeley County Schools staff told the board that districtwide formative assessments show measurable movement for many students — particularly in early grades — but flagged continued challenges in middle‑school reading and high‑school math performance.

A district assessment presenter summarized diagnostic results and growth projections for I‑Ready (elementary reading), IXL (middle and high school math/ELA diagnostics) and the PSAT, noting both proficiency and growth measures. “On average, we had 48% of our students have improved placements,” the presenter said when describing movement from lower tiers toward grade level on the midyear I‑Ready diagnostic.

What the data show

- Early grades: Kindergarten produced the largest reading gains (presenters reported a 41‑point gain in one slide), and first through third grades showed double‑digit score improvements on I‑Ready diagnostics. District staff said stretch growth targets — an ambitious growth benchmark — are essential to move students toward state proficiency on the West Virginia General Summative Assessment.
- Middle school: Diagnostic data for grades 6–8 showed smaller gains and lower proficiency in some buildings, with staff highlighting 6th and 7th grade at one middle school as areas of concern. IXL math benchmarks recorded incremental growth but showed the cohort remains behind grade level; staff said a 150‑point (year‑and‑a‑half) growth target has been set.
- High school: PSAT results were discussed as a separate indicator. The district reported a composite average PSAT score of 793 for tested students, slightly higher than the West Virginia public‑school average but below a typical test‑taker national average (about 920). Staff singled out secondary math as the district’s “Achilles’ heel” and said teacher content PD is a priority.

Why it matters: growth vs. proficiency

Presenters emphasized the difference between ‘‘typical’’ growth and ‘‘stretch’’ growth, noting that typical growth will not close gaps for students who began the year two or more grade levels behind. Staff said repeat stretch growth results across years are correlated with moving students toward proficiency.

Instructional responses and next steps

Superintendent Dr. Sachs and curriculum leaders described several district actions and priorities:
- Expanded summer programming (half‑day enrichment and credit recovery) to be offered if budgets permit;
- Continued training in the science of reading and a planned ELA/textbook adoption to better align curriculum and PD with evidence‑based reading instruction;
- Targeted content PD in mathematics and plans to use IXL/PSAT data to create individualized student learning plans;
- Work with principals to focus DRC (data review committee) meetings on targeted students for summer programming and interventions.

Local examples and classroom practice

Staff highlighted several schools showing strong teacher‑level gains, including one middle‑school teacher with exceptionally high growth for a set of students; presenters said the district plans to capture and share effective classroom practices through recorded instructional videos and peer visits.

Constraints and cautions

Presenters noted implementation caveats: some diagnostic scores can reflect students not taking a diagnostic seriously or taking lower‑level items; teachers and trainers are in the process of building consistent use and fidelity with I‑Ready and IXL; and some high‑school teachers reported concerns about alignment between IXL diagnostics and PSAT/SAT content, prompting a review of assessment and instructional alignment at the secondary level.

Ending

Staff said the next full monitoring report is likely in May after spring testing windows, and reiterated that the midyear diagnostics will guide summer programming invitations and professional development plans. No formal board action was taken during the presentation.","District staff reviewed midyear I‑Ready, IXL and PSAT results showing strong kindergarten gains and districtwide movement toward grade level on some measures, with persistent gaps in middle‑school reading and secondary math; staff framed next steps as targeted professional development and summer programming.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6387131,"Berkeley County Schools begins FY26 budget work with focus on timeline, reserves and board initiatives",518,256000,774000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2116859-482cbaf88a749b12128a545c26cf96d2&start=256&end=774","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2116859-482cbaf88a749b12128a545c26cf96d2/thumbnail_256000.jpg","/articles/6387131/West-Virginia/Berkeley-County-Schools-begins-FY26-budget-work-with-focus-on-timeline-reserves-and-board-initiatives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387131-ae85b6276a84c70d22db7459d157d43d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155197&Signature=h4r9ausbgL3m8PSnmCL5ItzU76olWy~iWu9Oxppd1ylJ5H869PTagZwN6vBM0LAYCkN~3hf6DO0gnNOQyucKoLN2784zk-tVhGLyjPB~NPsCCIZ1jHPYMK12SKi1hdwmWNa00ej9scDCGvYgHmKgBwC5N10CdvG9g1gSDy8Vu-~2u5o5TzIdQl3zv8AsPWjSoL5xYedLD1-Ecq5S6AbQL~y-ke-RfTJ87VHKCfNzzLQyVx0Z6eDxEx6sGIg4mD1cA8rvY8WRFKgMtJhtULEeWfcW61yvU-LuMKXg8096i05zjc19nX7rOXyTsdee~arqNN1xwWebagKE8ce2~1aEKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","BERKELEY COUNTY, W.Va. — Berkeley County Schools finance staff opened the district’s first round of fiscal year 2026 budget work sessions on procedural timing and an early look at projections, saying the general fund balance is expected to decline and asking board members to submit project priorities by March 1.

Finance staff member Mr. Butts told trustees, “Tonight, we're gonna start with the 1st of many budget work sessions for fiscal year 26,” and presented a timeline that includes employee notification windows in early March, statutory levy hearings in mid- and late March and April, a proposed final budget at the May 5 board meeting, and a public hearing May 19 before the district submits the budget to the state by May 30.

The district is still waiting for several key state and county inputs that affect the budget timetable, including legislation outcomes, personal property assessed values, and state computations, speakers said. Butts told the board the district will focus this cycle on the general fund, which holds operating revenue and spending authority; capital projects, debt service and special revenue funds are “pretty much restricted,” he said.

Why this matters: the general fund supports staffing, textbooks, summer programming and day‑to‑day operations. Trustees will be asked to set priorities and consider tradeoffs while staff finish state and county revenue figures.

Projected reserve use and new costs

Butts presented a fund balance history and a projection showing the district will end fiscal 2025 with a lower fund balance than in previous years. He said roughly $9.1 million was drawn from reserves in FY25 for a variety of items, and identified several new or higher costs likely to appear in FY26, including:
- A $1.9 million projected state allocation under a separate program (described by staff as restricted) tied to staffing/mentor funding; staff said that the money is restricted and cannot be used for general compensation.
- About $1.9 million estimated for child nutrition and Universal CEP expansion (staff estimate for next phase; staff labeled the figure approximate).
- Higher fire protection fees passed by county voters that staff expect will increase costs by about $500,000.
- New sheriff’s office charges for game security and other contracted services.

Butts also listed district cost drivers still to be finalized: student transfers (out‑of‑district movement into charter/virtual programs), a K–5 reading initiative (LQRS) with a variable district cost depending on staff signups, and the state’s pending pay‑table adjustments.

Board schedule and requests

Staff asked trustees to deliver written initiative requests by March 1 so the administration can price proposals before the March 12 work session. \"That'll give us enough time to be able to crunch the numbers so that we know exactly how much a certain initiative or a certain project or activity might cost,\" Butts said. He added that the district may schedule an extra board meeting in May if needed to meet legal notice requirements before the public hearing.

Superintendent initiatives highlighted

Superintendent Dr. Sachs described proposed priorities that could be priced into the FY26 general fund: an expanded summer program with half‑day offerings for enrichment and credit recovery; growth in career and technical education (CTE) and workforce certifications; expanded school safety officers (targeting intermediate schools); HVAC upgrades at several middle‑school gyms; and targeted HVAC/geothermal connections at Martinsburg High School, which staff estimated could cost about $3.2 million to connect five classrooms to the existing geothermal system (staff attributed the figure to early engineering work and marked it as an estimate).

Discussion points and constraints

Trustees and staff discussed staffing shortages, mentoring and substitute staffing costs, restricted state funding formulas and the limits on applying certain state restricted funds to general compensation. Board members raised concerns about class coverage, certification gaps and the need to prioritize direct classroom instruction versus support costs.

Next steps

Staff requested board priorities by March 1 and said a March 12 work session will be the next chance to review priced initiatives. If the board approves a proposed final budget at the May 5 meeting, the district would publish the legal notice and hold a May 19 public hearing before formally submitting the budget to the state by May 30.

Ending

Trustees did not take any final votes on budget items during this session; staff characterized the meeting as an initial planning step to gather board priorities, refine cost estimates and incorporate state and county revenue figures as they become available.","District staff presented an initial timetable and a projection showing a drop in the general fund balance for fiscal 2026, outlined superintendent and board priorities, and asked trustees to submit initiative requests by March 1 to allow pricing before the March 12 work session.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board views Mountain Ridge Primary design; architects plan February bid and mid‑2026 opening

Midyear assessment: district reports improvements in early grades, gaps remain in middle and high school math

Berkeley County Schools begins FY26 budget work with focus on timeline, reserves and board initiatives