By HEATHER SMITH

Staff Writer

The Tyler County Board of Education meeting was, in part, a celebration of accomplishments, as a group of high school students updated the members on their endeavors so far this year.

Tyler Consolidated High School Band Director Wayne Smith and band members Emily McNees, Jordan Palmer, Rusty Lemasters, Christine Keplinger and Andrew VanCamp shared their experiences.

“I have brought some outstanding members of the Knights Marching Band with me tonight and they are going to tell you some of the things they do and some of the awards they have won,” stated Smith.

The five members spoke to the board members on their accomplishments, stating they won the grand champion award at the Sissonville competition and a week later brought home several other awards at the field competition at the Spencer Black Walnut Festival.

Christine Keplinger, field commander, said she won first place in AAA and tied for first place overall field commander at the Black Walnut Festival.

Emily McNees, percussion leader, stated that they placed third in class-B.

Andrew VanCamp, lead trumpet player and soloist, said that he won the outstanding soloist award and that they won first place in marching, first place in music and second in show design.

Jordan Palmer, lead drummer and co-captain of the drumline, said that they won first place band and first place percussion.

Rusty Lemasters, also a co-captain of the drumline, won first place drum line at Ripley.

Superintendent Jeff Hoover commented, “We are very proud of you and you bring such pride to Tyler County.”

Hoover then recognized six employees within the Tyler County school system. Mike Hickman and James Long, bus operators; Art and Patty Kester and Roger Ankrom, custodians at TCHS/MS; and Carolyn Wilson, teacher at TCMS, were recognized for perfect attendance for the 2008-09 school year and were each given a $100 Walmart gift card for their service.

Under the superintendent’s report, the status of the creek bank lighting repair at the school was discussed. Hoover stated that all the bulbs were replaced and the status on the water well project at AIB is going very well. He stated that they are at 115 feet right now and that they are getting 30 gallons of water a minute. According to Hoover, they plan to go down to 150 feet for a nice pocket of water.

Hoover stated that he is very pleased with the results on the project.

Susan Boyles was on-hand at the meeting to give an update on the WESTEST results from last year.

She stated that this year, the students will be taking a new test, though some areas need improvements. She also said that the State works very hard on this and the tests are going to be more rigorous.

Boyles told the board members that test scores for Tyler County Schools dropped a little but she thinks that it will improve. In spite of lower than average scores, Tyler County is still in top 10 of the state.

The next meeting will be held on Monday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. at the Tyler County Board of Education Office at TCHS.