The Tyler County Board of Education met in regular session on Monday, April 4 at 7 p.m. at the board office in Middlebourne. All board members were present. The meeting began with the approval of the minutes of the March 21, 2022, regular meeting. Under the superintendentás report, Shane Highly shared with board members he was appointing a special committee of teachers and principals to discuss potential solutions to the shortage of substitute teachers. In some cases, in recent weeks the fill rate for substitutes was around 54 percent and as low as 41 percent. The board is hoping this is not a trend.

Under project updates, Superintendent Highly informed the board the original price for the HVAC installation and renovation package in the auditorium at the high school came in at an estimated cost of $10,500,000. Due to shortages of materials and substantially increased costs of supplies, the board could be looking at an increase of 30% to the original estimation for the total project. This project will be going out to bid, and the board is hopeful they receive some competitive offers for the new construction.

The Board then unanimously approved the following requests:

Amy Yost and Shanna Glover requested permission to take the 4th grade class at AIB to the Carnegie Science Center on May 4, 2022. They also asked permission for Stephanie Landis, Carla Wells and Jason Utt to attend as chaperones. Bus transportation was also requested.

LeeAnn Smith requested permission to take the 5th Grade Class at SES to the Tyler County Fairgrounds and AIB for Progressive Agricultural Safety Day on May 6, 2022. She also asked permission for Hannah Roberts, Tonya Wright, and Lindsay Snider to attend as chaperones. Bus transportation was also requested.

Virginia Dillaman requested permission to take the 8th Grade Class at TCMS to visit MOVTI on April 27, 2022. She also asked permission for Adam Haywood, Ed Underwood, Jeff Maiden, Tomela Paden and Angie Watts to attend as chaperones. Bus transportation was also requested.

Pam Stollings and Laci Strode requested permission to take the STARS team to the STARS awards luncheon on April 7, 2022, in Parkersburg, WV. The group is also seeking bus transportation.

Suzette Miller requested permission for five students to represent Tyler County at the WV Young Writers Day at the University of Charleston in Charleston, WV, on May 13,2022. Students will be transported by parents in their personal vehicles.

Suzette Miller requested permission for one student to represent Tyler County at the State Social Studies Fair competition at Charleston Civic Center in Charleston, WV, on April 29,2022. The student will be transported by his parents in their personal vehicle to and from the event.

Joann Seckman requested permission to take the First Grade Class at AIB to Oglebay Zoo on April 29, 2022. She also asked that Miss Anderson, Martha Hayes, Kayla Morris and Carla Wells attend as chaperones. Bus transportation was also requested.

Leon Ammons and Annie Erwin requested bus transportation on April 8, 2022 to transport the FFA to Jackson Mills for a trip that was previously approved on the 9-7-21 Agenda. They were waiting for final word on the date of this event.

Amanda Goodfellow requested permission to take the Second Grade Class at SES to The Oglebay Zoo on May 6,2022. She also asked permission for Mariah Ennis, Amber Isinghood, Tiffany Hayes and Christina Duke to go as chaperones. Bus transportation was also requested.

Laura Minor requested permission to take the SES High Needs Class to the Oglebay Good Zoo. She also asked permission for Christina Wilkinson and Ayssa Minor to attend as chaperones. Special Needs bus transportation was also requested.

Linda Yoho requests permission to take the SES Kindergarten class to Blennerhassett Island Historical Park on April 29, 2022. She asked permission for Jacki Barron, Jan Miller, Shirley Goodfellow, Tonya Wable, Lindsay Snider, Megan Campbell and LeeAnn Butcher go as chaperones. Bus transportation was also requested.

Stacy Kidder requested permission to take the AIB Pre-K to the TCHS greenhouse on April 25, 2022. She asked permission for Shawna Cochran, Michelle Beagle and Erin Cooper to go as chaperones. Bus transportation was also requested.

Joe Griffith requested permission to take the Advanced Science Classes and Science Bowl Team to go to the Columbus Zoo and The Wilds on May 10, 2022. He also asked permission for Lori Franks, Jacob Myer, Ryan Miglino to go as chaperones. Funding for this trip and bus transportation was also requested.

Joe Griffith requested permission to take the Advanced Science Classes to go to Morgantown to the WVU Arboretum on April 26, 2022. He also asked permission for Lori Franks to go as chaperone. Bus transportation was also requested.

Taylor Hess and Christina Myer requested permission to take the Fifth Grade Class at AIB to Hovatterás Wildlife Zoo on May 3, 2022. They also asked for two special education teachers to go as chaperones and bus transportation funding.

Seth Patterson requested permission for the TCMS and TCHS FBLA Clubs to travel to Chicago, IL, to participate in the nationally- sponsored Leadership Conference as part of the WV FBLA team. The conference will take place on June 28- July 3, 2022. Some funding was requested. Mr. Patterson requests Brandy Glover-Frye and Cindy White to go as chaperones. Bus transportation to and from the airport was also requested.

Steven Nutter requested permission for the TCHS Boys Basketball team to use the middle and high school gyms for a basketball shootout on April 16, 2022, and again on June 17, 2022. They will use the gyms from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The organization will be completely responsible for clean-up. Steven Nutter has agreed to oversee the event.

Josh and Ashley McCoy requested permission for Abigail McCoy to cross county lines to attend AIB in Tyler County Schools for the 2022-23 school year.

Abram Negie requested permission to use the TCHS auditorium for a Public Concert on April 11,2022. The organization will be completely responsible for clean-up. Abram Negie has agreed to oversee the event.

Under Employment, Transfers or Rescissions the following changes were recommended and approved by the Board:

Employ Denise Greene as SPED teacher at SES effective at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. Transfer Katrina Thomas from Kindergarten Teacher at AIB to First Grade Teacher at AIB, effective at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. Employee Melissa West as Summer Cafeteria Manager at TCHS/TCMS effective June 3, 2022. Employee Cheyenne Weekley as Summer Cafeteria Manager at AIB effective June 3, 2022. Employee Trudy Pethtel as Summer Cafeteria Manager at SES, effective June 3, 2022. Employee Bailey Longwell as Summer Cook at TCHS/TCMS, effective June 6, 2022. Employee Jim Drain, Angie Baker, Tracey Bell, and Megan Haught as Summer Custodians, effective June 1, 2022.

Board member Larry Thomas made a motion seconded by member Dave Roberts to go into Executive Session to discuss personnel. No action by the board was taken because of the Executive Session. Following the Executive Session, the meeting was adjourned. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Tyler County Board of Education is Tuesday April 19, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. at the Tyler County Board of Education Office located on Dodd Street in Middlebourne.