Feb 28 2022
Superintendent Paxton AKA Pretty Boy.. Mercedes Paxton
School
Superintendent Joe Paxton has had a tough ride in 2022.
Seems like at every corner there's another blow up. So
far in '22, a couple of the biggies: the much
wanted Excess Levy failed miserably.... a widow lady
asked the Board to pay out the unused sick leave days on
her deceased husband with Dave Mullins getting in the
middle of that unwinnable battle; Clay School School
teachers voted overwhelmingly opposing the in school
actions of Principal Crystal Gibson and Vo Ag Director
Bob Morris, a letter of no support was penned and
delivered to Paxton; after the Levy loss, while tomping
his feets, Paxton started pulling funding for school
trips including a ride to a Charleston Ballet; and,
worst yet, three of his trustworthy Boardsters are up
for re-election in May. He also promised parents,
if the Levy failed, he would immediately start closure
proceedings of H E White Elem. Gulp!
It is a quagmire in Clayberry School Land and Joe Paxton knows it.
It is a quagmire in Clayberry School Land and Joe Paxton knows it.
The Peanut Gallery
School
Boardsters met in public session on Feb 28th at the Pentagon
beginning at 6pm. 15 or so were in attendance including
several school board candidates seeking office in the Primary
Election. For those that don't know, Boardsters Dave Mullins,
Morgy Triplett, and Cheryl White are up for public approval in
May. For this meeting, Morgy Triplett participated via the
tele.
During normal times, few attend Board meetings. Often it's just the Ace Cub Reporter in the peanut gallery. Not so in 2022. This year each meeting has had taxpayers in attendance. During one February Board meeting at least 50 citizens showed up to oppose Board actions.
For this meeting Joe Paxton looked a little different. Instead of a normal complexion, his face looked gray, pale. Our guess, something new was chewing his butt. Just a hunch readers but something was different with Joe.
Now for the normal stuff
Lizemore teacher Kimberly Workman resigned.
New substitute custodians hired: Kimberly Belt, Aaron Sivera, Scotty Fitzwater
New substitute cooks include: Kimberly Belt and Janice Moore
Cheryl Mullins is a new substitute bus driver
Angela Walker resigned from her teaching position at Clay High
Now for the gettin good stuff
Most of our regular readers know, right after the Jan 29th Excess Levy failure while Paxton was still fuming, The Super told many, your field trip has been cancelled. Keep in mind, the current Levy is still active and those funds should be available thru June 30th. Now.....
Item 7 was to OK a CCHS field trip in Morgantown March 4 thru 6. Paxton made the presentation. Boardster Cheryl White asked about the money and how much $$$ would be coming from Pentagon coffers. Paxton said the funds would be coming from the WVU Extension Office. She seemed OK with that answer.
Item 8 was the annual field trip (competition) for the CCHS FBLA students. We heard no discussion on this item as it passed unanimously.
Item 10 was also presented by Joe Pretty Boy Paxton. This is a program for High Schoolers to take college qualified classes while at CCHS. The virtual only classes will be aligned with already in use CCHS classes. Again it was Cheryl White that asked the only questions at the meeting.
During normal times, few attend Board meetings. Often it's just the Ace Cub Reporter in the peanut gallery. Not so in 2022. This year each meeting has had taxpayers in attendance. During one February Board meeting at least 50 citizens showed up to oppose Board actions.
For this meeting Joe Paxton looked a little different. Instead of a normal complexion, his face looked gray, pale. Our guess, something new was chewing his butt. Just a hunch readers but something was different with Joe.
Now for the normal stuff
Lizemore teacher Kimberly Workman resigned.
New substitute custodians hired: Kimberly Belt, Aaron Sivera, Scotty Fitzwater
New substitute cooks include: Kimberly Belt and Janice Moore
Cheryl Mullins is a new substitute bus driver
Angela Walker resigned from her teaching position at Clay High
Now for the gettin good stuff
Most of our regular readers know, right after the Jan 29th Excess Levy failure while Paxton was still fuming, The Super told many, your field trip has been cancelled. Keep in mind, the current Levy is still active and those funds should be available thru June 30th. Now.....
Item 7 was to OK a CCHS field trip in Morgantown March 4 thru 6. Paxton made the presentation. Boardster Cheryl White asked about the money and how much $$$ would be coming from Pentagon coffers. Paxton said the funds would be coming from the WVU Extension Office. She seemed OK with that answer.
Item 8 was the annual field trip (competition) for the CCHS FBLA students. We heard no discussion on this item as it passed unanimously.
Item 10 was also presented by Joe Pretty Boy Paxton. This is a program for High Schoolers to take college qualified classes while at CCHS. The virtual only classes will be aligned with already in use CCHS classes. Again it was Cheryl White that asked the only questions at the meeting.
Karen Nicholas
Each year,
the Clay County Public Library Board of Trustees make the
rounds seeking funding for our only public library. Last
year the Pentagon supplied $11,338.00.
Securing local funds and local gifts are required before State grants can be handed out to locals. As a note: Our Republican Legislature has been cutting away stuff that helps local yocals like us. Already in new law, the tried and true W Va Library Commission has been disbanded with employees laid off according to Karen Nicholas. From now on, the State Board of Education will be in charge of all Libraries in the state. It sure seems likely, the long term plan is for all public libraries to be moved into schools and their funding will be part of the local School Board and discretion.
With the Super's toes stubbed, Trustee Karen Nicholas could not have picked a worse night to ask for $$$$. Paxton told Ms Nicholas something along the lines of: we're going to help you with funding and we're crunching the numbers right now.
Note: it's important to keep everything top secret until after the May 10th Primary Election.
Securing local funds and local gifts are required before State grants can be handed out to locals. As a note: Our Republican Legislature has been cutting away stuff that helps local yocals like us. Already in new law, the tried and true W Va Library Commission has been disbanded with employees laid off according to Karen Nicholas. From now on, the State Board of Education will be in charge of all Libraries in the state. It sure seems likely, the long term plan is for all public libraries to be moved into schools and their funding will be part of the local School Board and discretion.
With the Super's toes stubbed, Trustee Karen Nicholas could not have picked a worse night to ask for $$$$. Paxton told Ms Nicholas something along the lines of: we're going to help you with funding and we're crunching the numbers right now.
Note: it's important to keep everything top secret until after the May 10th Primary Election.
Don't say a word Dave!
A week before
the Jan 29th Levy Election, in one of his fits of rage, Dave
Mullins told the Ace Cub Reporter, you can ask questions but
we are NOT going to answer anything. He added that the no
answer policy applies to the Superintendent too.
Of course his words had a major impact on taxpayers supporting the Levy.
OK, some background. Clay High has a We The People civics course which has been very successful over the last many years. Often the students earn high awards for their effort on the State level and do darn good in the National competition.
Before the Levy vote, CCHS Teacher Phil Dobbins asked for funding so his We The People class could travel to Washington DC and compete in the national competition.
For this Feb 28th meeting, the Mel Gibson Look Alike asked Chair Dave Mullins for an update on the funding (16 kids at around $1300 per kid) for the trip. The question was for Mullins but immediately, before Mullins could take even a breath, Paxton: I can answer that.... we're working on it.... and they (kids) are raising money.
I mean instantly came the answer. They could not let Mullins muddy up the wawa or say something incendiary.
There's a lot of interest in widow's request to receive her husband's sick leave dollars. Ms Rogers was front and center during the last public meeting and returned for this event for an answer.
Putting on solemn, sad, face, Joe Paxton: We did our due diligence, Jennifer Paxton checked too, we are not aware of anyway we can pay out the earned sick leave days, the code doesn't allow it, it's an unfortunate situation, as for House Bill 4102 which would allow such a pay out, the bill did not pass .....
A letter was handed to the Sch Bd and Ms Rogers.
The 30 minute meeting was a good un. Paxton and his Board are on high alert and under their best behavior. We can't help Paxton and his Board told Chair Mullins, keep your pie hole shut until after the May 10th Election. It may be too late for Mullins. Worst of all, he may have dragged the other two Boardsters down the rat hole with him.
From Bernard Berenson- Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago.
AW
Of course his words had a major impact on taxpayers supporting the Levy.
OK, some background. Clay High has a We The People civics course which has been very successful over the last many years. Often the students earn high awards for their effort on the State level and do darn good in the National competition.
Before the Levy vote, CCHS Teacher Phil Dobbins asked for funding so his We The People class could travel to Washington DC and compete in the national competition.
For this Feb 28th meeting, the Mel Gibson Look Alike asked Chair Dave Mullins for an update on the funding (16 kids at around $1300 per kid) for the trip. The question was for Mullins but immediately, before Mullins could take even a breath, Paxton: I can answer that.... we're working on it.... and they (kids) are raising money.
I mean instantly came the answer. They could not let Mullins muddy up the wawa or say something incendiary.
There's a lot of interest in widow's request to receive her husband's sick leave dollars. Ms Rogers was front and center during the last public meeting and returned for this event for an answer.
Putting on solemn, sad, face, Joe Paxton: We did our due diligence, Jennifer Paxton checked too, we are not aware of anyway we can pay out the earned sick leave days, the code doesn't allow it, it's an unfortunate situation, as for House Bill 4102 which would allow such a pay out, the bill did not pass .....
A letter was handed to the Sch Bd and Ms Rogers.
The 30 minute meeting was a good un. Paxton and his Board are on high alert and under their best behavior. We can't help Paxton and his Board told Chair Mullins, keep your pie hole shut until after the May 10th Election. It may be too late for Mullins. Worst of all, he may have dragged the other two Boardsters down the rat hole with him.
From Bernard Berenson- Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago.
AW