KINGWOOD — Members of the Preston County Board of Education (BOE) began their Thursday meeting with an executive session. But that wasn’t the only one, the board went into executive session two more times before adjourning.
The first was to hold an expulsion hearing diversion plan for a student. The hearing for a second student was rescheduled for a future meeting. The second executive session was held to discuss concerns regarding the Aurora School. A delegation concerning fighting at Preston High School was rescheduled to the Jan. 8 board meeting.
The third executive session was held concerning inappropriate behavior at Preston High School (PHS). According to Superintendent of Schools Brad Martin, in December 2022 two board members contacted him about inappropriate behavior at the school. He said following the report both Child Protective Services and the state police were contacted about the matter. Martin said in March of this year an anonymous letter was sent to the State Board of Education claiming the incident was being covered up. He said the matter was looked into and it was found there was no cover up because the alleged
incident had been reported to the appropriate authorities.
In other business, board member Cross Kisner said he would like the board to consider a research study with West Virginia University School of Audiology regarding the use and effects of headphones and earbuds in the classroom. Kisner said he would like to gauge the board’s position about reaching out to WVU to determine if this could possibly be initiated soon.
“I have concerns about the use of headphones,” he said. “I would like to have the kids’ hearing tested at the beginning of the school year and again at the end of the school year.”
Martin said he would contact WVU and see if a project would be possible.
Board members also discussed transportation rules for board approved activities. Board member Lucas Tatham made a motion that, “Preston County Schools shall establish and present to the board for approval rules and protocols to provide transportation according to rules established by the county board — to provide at public expense adequate means of transportation for all school children participating in county board-approved curricular and extracurricular activities.”
Parents can still sign a release to allow their children to ride with approved drivers.
Board member Pamela Feathers seconded the motion; it passed 4-0.
During a discussion about parental contact requirements when a student is removed from the regular classroom setting, Kisner suggested parents should be informed in advance of their children being permitted to attend tutoring sessions, assemblies, hear guest speakers, visit the nurse and other instances that would require their removal from the regular classroom setting.
Feathers suggested rather than calling, a form could be sent to parents at the beginning of the school year that would allow them to check off the circumstances they would like to be contacted about rather than calling them every time their child left the classroom environment.
No further action was taken.
