Pocahontas County Schools Board of Education meeting held on July 15, 2026:

 

Here is a summary of the main proceedings and discussion topics from the Pocahontas County Schools Board of Education meeting held on July 15, 2026:

Opening and Guidance for the Board [00:04]

• The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance.

• Legal counsel Jason Long opened by welcoming three new board members to the majority. He emphasized that "there is no dumb question" and encouraged the new members to take their time learning about education law and policy management rather than rushing through meetings.

• He reminded the board that a school system is "big business" and a major employer in the county, operating with a $28 million budget, and that Pocahontas County is currently in good financial shape.

Policy, Governance, and Open Meetings [04:47]

• Policy Procedures: Board members discussed the process for changing or updating local policies. Mr. Long explained that policy changes must be coordinated through the board president and superintendent to be placed on the agenda, followed by a standard multi-reading process before adoption.

• Open Meetings Compliance: Mr. Long issued a cautionary note regarding the Open Meetings Act, reminding members that official deliberations must occur in public. Executive sessions are meant to protect the public or employees—not the board—and cannot be used as an undocumented shortcut to make decisions.

Public School Advocacy and Alternative Schooling [15:43]

• Dr. Paul addressed the board regarding the broader landscape of public education in West Virginia, noting that traditional public schools educate roughly 90% of school-age children in the state.

• Enrollment and Funding Support: With persistent regional declines in student enrollment, he emphasized the need for the board to actively promote the value of public education from the ground up (utilizing PTAs and Local School Improvement Councils).

• Hope Scholarship Impact: The board discussed navigating the complexities of the Hope Scholarship and alternative schooling. Superintendent Kelly and the board noted that Pocahontas County currently has 74 Hope Scholarship students and 110 homeschooled students (approaching 200 total outside the traditional setting). The board is actively reviewing and revising its policies regarding participation fees and guardrails for alternative students looking to return for sports or CTE programs.

Oversight, Strategic Planning, and Staffing [45:32]

• Role Clarification: Dr. Paul clarified the distinction between administration and governance. The board's role is to set the broad operational vision (such as emphasizing CTE programs) and handle monitoring/oversight, while the superintendent acts as the CEO managing the actual mechanics and personnel recommendations.

• Recruitment Barriers: Board members raised concerns about filling vacancies. Superintendent Kelly and the board identified local housing availability and technology access as primary barriers that have caused recent employee resignations, indicating a need to collaborate with the county commission to find solutions.

Communications and Public Delegations [57:27]

• The board discussed improving public perception by standardizing communication protocols. To ensure structured, professional meetings, legal counsel agreed to provide a script for handling public delegations to clearly explain why the board is legally prohibited from engaging in back-and-forth dialogue during public comment periods.

Fiduciary Responsibility and Audits [01:12:18]

• Audit Corrections: Board President Rose and Superintendent Kelly addressed past financial audit findings regarding procurement procedures at the high school level. Corrective training on procurement and coding protocols is scheduled for school secretaries, principals, and coaches at the beginning of the school year.

• Baseline Independent Audit: The board discussed the prospect of requesting an additional independent baseline audit (estimated at approximately $20,000) to establish a clear financial "clean slate" moving forward into the new fiscal year. The item will be placed on an upcoming agenda for formal discussion.

Student Achievement and Chronic Absenteeism [01:23:08]

• Attendance Concerns: Superintendent Kelly reported that chronic absenteeism is a severe issue, noting that 62% of seniors were chronically absent (missing more than 10% of the school year) and no single school in the district is currently under a 20% chronic absenteeism rate.

• Targeted Interventions: The district is facing intensive support metrics for attendance. Proposed solutions include forming a community stakeholder group, leveraging LSICs at the local level, and reactivating a student representative position on the board to survey student interests and improve engagement.

Superintendent Evaluations and Goals [01:59:16]

• The board reviewed the structural timelines for setting annual fiscal goals and conducting evaluations under West Virginia Department of Education policies. For the upcoming fiscal year, the board's mutual goals must be finalized by September 15, which will serve as the foundation for the superintendent's evaluation prior to June 30.

Adjournment [02:09:24]

• Board President Rose officially adjourned the meeting. The next regular session is scheduled for Tuesday, July 21 at 6:00 PM.

For more detailed timelines and discussions, you can view the full recording here: Pocahontas County Schools BOE Meeting 07/15/2026.