Tucker County Board adopts Calendar A pending state approval; approves personnel and budget items

At a meeting of the Tucker County Board of Education, trustees approved a set of routine actions, adopted a recommended school calendar pending state approval and discussed enrollment and funding concerns tied to statewide scholarship programs.

Superintendent presented staff and community survey results and recommended Calendar A. "So we are recommending to you tonight calendar A," the Superintendent said. After a motion and second, the board approved the calendar; the Superintendent clarified, "We will not put [the calendar] out to the community until we submit it to the state for approval. And then after we get the approval back from the state, we'll push it out to the community." The practical concern driving questions was that some college partners, specifically WVU, may start their terms earlier than the proposed local calendar, prompting staff to consider stipends or scheduling workarounds so students do not lose access to partnered courses.

On routine business, trustees approved the consent agenda (minutes, payment of bills, student transfers, travel/trip items and transportation uses) after correcting an erroneous web reference on one travel item. The board accepted professional resignations and retirements (including James Markel and Isaac Kaylor, both math teachers effective 06/30/2026), approved grouped service resignations and removals (including Amber Price and Alexis Thompson), and confirmed several professional and extracurricular hires (including a countywide substitute teacher and multiple summer/extracurricular appointments). All personnel items were approved by unanimous vote.

The board also approved January budget adjustments and accepted the monthly financial statements for January. The Superintendent reported the district’s audit returned no significant findings: "We had nothing. No findings. It was glorious," he said.

Trustees discussed broader state policy effects after hearing concerns from another county’s board about large student losses and state intervention. A board member said she had heard of a county that lost 350 students between school years to scholarship‑driven moves; the Superintendent said Tucker County lost 12 students for the funding formula and expects the trend to continue. Board members questioned whether the Hope Scholarship is moving state tax dollars to out‑of‑state tuition and whether oversight or rule changes are possible.

In new business, the Superintendent recommended — and trustees approved — continuing the district’s contract with Williams and Traver for architectural and engineering services under the current renewal structure.

Votes at a glance: - Adopt calendar A (pending state approval): 5–0 (motion to adopt Calendar A as recommended by staff). Note: calendar will be submitted to state before public release. - Approve consent agenda (minutes, bills, transfers, trips): 5–0. - Approve professional retirements (James Markel, Isaac Kaylor): 5–0. - Approve service resignations/removals (grouped): 5–0. - Approve professional employment (Tiffany Veil, substitute): 5–0. - Approve extracurricular hires (summer school positions and coaches, pending checks): 5–0. - Approve January budget adjustments: 5–0. - Accept monthly financial statements for January: 5–0. - Renew architect/engineering services with Williams and Traver: 5–0.

What’s next: Calendar A will be submitted to the state for approval before it is published to the community; the board expects staff to pursue scheduling workarounds to preserve college partnership opportunities if partner institutions start earlier than the local calendar.