Raleigh County Schools board approves series of routine MOUs, facility contracts and an incentive stipend for early-childhood LETRS completion

The Raleigh County Schools Board of Education approved a package of routine agreements and budgeted facility contracts at its Oct. 21 meeting, including a memorandum of understanding for a school-based truancy probation officer, sports-lighting and bleacher purchases, a utility easement, and a $1,250 incentive for early-childhood teachers who complete the LETRS professional learning program.

Why it matters: The measures permit scheduled projects to proceed and formalize partnerships that affect student services and school facilities. The LETRS stipend aims to encourage early-childhood teachers to complete a yearlong training grounded in the science of reading and to remain in county schools for three years.

What the board did: The board approved by voice vote the following actions (motions were moved, seconded and recorded as "aye" unless noted):

- Place policy D.3.16 on 30-day public comment, following wellness-committee revisions that align the policy with current state guidance.

- Approve the consent agenda items a–d as submitted.

- Reschedule the Dec. 23 board meeting to Dec. 16 (moved by a board member and seconded).

- Approve a memorandum of understanding with the Administrative Offices of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia to continue partial state-funded support for a school-based truancy probation officer; board members noted the state pays roughly half of the funding for the position and the district recently received approval for that share.

- Approve participation support for a counselor to apply for the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) scribe recovery network, enabling trained counselors to assist in crisis recovery across participating districts (presenters said participation would be voluntary and limited to a maximum of about 10 days per school year).

- Renew the annual memorandum of understanding with Burlington United Methodist Family Services to continue the district’s partnership with that provider.

- Approve a MUSCO Sports Lighting LLC cooperative-quote to retrofit and install lighting at Independence High School’s softball field and to proceed with scheduling the work.

- Approve a vendor quote for replacement gymnasium bleachers at Independence Middle School and Liberty High School and authorize budgeted contracting.

- Approve a Beckley Water Company easement request at Daniels Elementary to install a vault housing a pressure-reducing valve; presenters said the company will restore the land and the visible portion will be limited to roughly a foot or so above ground.

- Approve an incentive payment of $1,250 for early-childhood teachers who complete the LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) yearlong professional-learning program and who agree to continue teaching in Raleigh County for at least three years (presenters said the program includes four study units, live sessions and bridge-to-practice activities).

- Approve recommended personnel changes and the hiring of two contractual speech pathologists (Cassidy DeAngelo and Joanna Fitzpatrick) to cover planned leaves.

Board comments and process: President Ford ran the votes by voice; board members asked clarifying questions about program capacity and logistics on several items, including the SREB slots (one presenter noted only about 30 seats are available in a related state program) and the LETRS stipend amount ($1,250). Presenters emphasized projects were budgeted or use cooperative purchasing, and that some agreements (for example, the truancy-officer MOU) include state funding.

Next steps: Contracts and MOUs will be executed as approved. The LETRS program spots and stipend implementation were described as contingent on program enrollment and completion requirements.