A New Beginning
We've
actually got ramblings from two Board of Edumacation meetings
held in June 2023. Here goes, first with the June 12th meeting
where the 12 month School Board rift came forth loud and
clear.
Here comes the great divide.
Dave Pierson is the senior Boardster. Some things set in stone by State Code or State Bd rules, Pierson knows them or at least knows one version of those precedents. One year ago a new quarrel of the Sch Bd took their seats after thumping three old guard members. The voters had spoken, they wanted something different from local leaders.
With Phoebe Nichols, Brooke Jones, and Lo Nutter in position for change, Pierson and his side kick Susan Bodkins no longer were on the tried and try, we'll do it our way, side.
Generally, before meeting time, there's chit chat in the room, Boardsters smile, talk about stuff in their life, tell some story. That wasn't the case June 12th.
Pierson entered the room minus any howdy doody everybody. Once seated he immediately started talking with Bodkins and quietly referencing paperwork. As the meeting opened, he requested secret time to discuss personnel. It was obvious, he had something on his mind.
Item 6 c was the hiring of Anita Stephenson for a cushy spot up at Big Otter Elem. Pierson motioned with Bodkins making the second, to table the hiring of Stephenson. The vote came in 2 for the motion and 3 against it. Ms Stephenson was hired with a split vote majority.
We think Dave dug back into his gray matter and remembered issues back when Anita worked here several years ago. His experience led to that motion to table the hire. The newbees don't have that remembrance and she's back.
Split votes use to be rare things. With the make up of our new leadership, split votes are more frequent. Dave Pierson has lost his power wedge stroke with the new make up of Boardsters. Ditto for Bodkins. They are the minority
During Board meetings, various school leaderships makes presentations on how wonderful life is in the edumacational arena. Those presentations included colorful power point displays, music, and video of smiling faces.
For June 12th, the dog and pony show highlighted Clay County High School with Principal Alan Tanner leading the charge. Yelp, everything he said sure looked and sounded wonderful. He covered everything from cover to cover. The 20 minute dog and pony show covered everything but education. With their dismal and downward trending test scores, there was nothing on changes in classroom teachings to improve on the 80+% of students unable to learn on grade level. Nothing!
We understand that each presentation tries to polish the poo but actual approaches to making edumacation a reality should come into play as well.
Here comes the great divide.
Dave Pierson is the senior Boardster. Some things set in stone by State Code or State Bd rules, Pierson knows them or at least knows one version of those precedents. One year ago a new quarrel of the Sch Bd took their seats after thumping three old guard members. The voters had spoken, they wanted something different from local leaders.
With Phoebe Nichols, Brooke Jones, and Lo Nutter in position for change, Pierson and his side kick Susan Bodkins no longer were on the tried and try, we'll do it our way, side.
Generally, before meeting time, there's chit chat in the room, Boardsters smile, talk about stuff in their life, tell some story. That wasn't the case June 12th.
Pierson entered the room minus any howdy doody everybody. Once seated he immediately started talking with Bodkins and quietly referencing paperwork. As the meeting opened, he requested secret time to discuss personnel. It was obvious, he had something on his mind.
Item 6 c was the hiring of Anita Stephenson for a cushy spot up at Big Otter Elem. Pierson motioned with Bodkins making the second, to table the hiring of Stephenson. The vote came in 2 for the motion and 3 against it. Ms Stephenson was hired with a split vote majority.
We think Dave dug back into his gray matter and remembered issues back when Anita worked here several years ago. His experience led to that motion to table the hire. The newbees don't have that remembrance and she's back.
Split votes use to be rare things. With the make up of our new leadership, split votes are more frequent. Dave Pierson has lost his power wedge stroke with the new make up of Boardsters. Ditto for Bodkins. They are the minority
During Board meetings, various school leaderships makes presentations on how wonderful life is in the edumacational arena. Those presentations included colorful power point displays, music, and video of smiling faces.
For June 12th, the dog and pony show highlighted Clay County High School with Principal Alan Tanner leading the charge. Yelp, everything he said sure looked and sounded wonderful. He covered everything from cover to cover. The 20 minute dog and pony show covered everything but education. With their dismal and downward trending test scores, there was nothing on changes in classroom teachings to improve on the 80+% of students unable to learn on grade level. Nothing!
We understand that each presentation tries to polish the poo but actual approaches to making edumacation a reality should come into play as well.
That's CCHS Principal Alan Tanner on the right.
Between the two June Clayberry Bd of Ed meetings, a bunch, a
whirlwind of change went on under the Gold Dome in
Charleston during the June 14th State Bd of Ed meeting. In a
nutshell and compliments TV-8's Kenie Bass reporting, we
learned on June 12th, Upshur County schools were in big
trouble. Their Superintendent as well as top dog
leadership had their thingy's in the wringer After an
investigation revealed lots of financial wizardy with misuse
of Fed funds, the whole gang were tossed out and the State
took over the problem plagued school system. Badges showed
up and padlocked their Upshur County office space.
After getting his arss chewed during that meeting, later that day, State Superintendent David Roach quit his top perch. Roach took the heat on what the Upshur County leaders tried to hide under the rug State Bd President Hardesty, "[there is] potential criminal actions... info has been handed over to the Prosecutor...".
County Clay schools were in (nearly) that same boat back around Christmas time after a state investigation revealed serious problems with our previous local leadership action and the voting off the island of Superintendent Pretty Boy Paxton. That tossing came with 7 months left on his 3 year employment contract.
After getting his arss chewed during that meeting, later that day, State Superintendent David Roach quit his top perch. Roach took the heat on what the Upshur County leaders tried to hide under the rug State Bd President Hardesty, "[there is] potential criminal actions... info has been handed over to the Prosecutor...".
County Clay schools were in (nearly) that same boat back around Christmas time after a state investigation revealed serious problems with our previous local leadership action and the voting off the island of Superintendent Pretty Boy Paxton. That tossing came with 7 months left on his 3 year employment contract.
Joan Haynie
Enter
interim Clayberry Superintendent Joan Haynie who came into
office by a unanimous vote of the local school board. With
nearly 50 years of training and experience on many levels of
school operations, Haynie came to the top spot just when we
needed someone who could truthfully walk the walk and talk the
talk. During her mid Winter spiel before the State folks,
Haynie alone probably saved this County from the Upshur County
fate.
Haynie went to work correcting findings from that earlier investigation. Some things got done. Others like the closing of H E White and Lizemores Grade schools, both got side stepped. While it's true both have to be closed, she got in the cross hairs of the local Board whose votes draw from those two school service areas. We also think Ms Haynie took guidance from dumb bunnies, at least one, that led to her down fall.
Haynie held the Superintendent's perch thru June 30th.
Here comes the June 26th County Clay Bd of Ed meeting held at the Pentagon on Gump Street. 10 or so sat in the peanut gallery with the rain coming down and thunder whirling outside.
Work continued on cutting out the "fat" and filling other spots like the hiring of a head girls' basketball coach at Clay Middle -Catherine Turley; hiring Greg Knopp as Asst Football Coach at CCHS; and Ronald Starcher for Asst Cross Country Coach at CMS.
As for hiring an Athletic Director for CCHS, didn't happen. Look for that during July 10th meeting.
Haynie went to work correcting findings from that earlier investigation. Some things got done. Others like the closing of H E White and Lizemores Grade schools, both got side stepped. While it's true both have to be closed, she got in the cross hairs of the local Board whose votes draw from those two school service areas. We also think Ms Haynie took guidance from dumb bunnies, at least one, that led to her down fall.
Haynie held the Superintendent's perch thru June 30th.
Here comes the June 26th County Clay Bd of Ed meeting held at the Pentagon on Gump Street. 10 or so sat in the peanut gallery with the rain coming down and thunder whirling outside.
Work continued on cutting out the "fat" and filling other spots like the hiring of a head girls' basketball coach at Clay Middle -Catherine Turley; hiring Greg Knopp as Asst Football Coach at CCHS; and Ronald Starcher for Asst Cross Country Coach at CMS.
As for hiring an Athletic Director for CCHS, didn't happen. Look for that during July 10th meeting.
Phil Dobbins during swearing in for the School Superintendent slot.
Dobbins
has served in many capacities in this county including CCHS
Principal, Athletic Director, Cross Country track Coach and
teaching the award winning advanced placement class, We The
People.
With a unanimous vote, Dobbins was hired to replace Ms Haynie a few weeks back. During this June 26th meeting, he was sworn into office as School Superintendent.
This is a biggy for students in Clayberry. While it can't get much worse testing wise, the lad has a bunch to get done on a hurry up demand from the Charleston folks. He takes the helm on July 1st.
From W H Auden: A professor is one that talks in someone else's sleep
With a unanimous vote, Dobbins was hired to replace Ms Haynie a few weeks back. During this June 26th meeting, he was sworn into office as School Superintendent.
This is a biggy for students in Clayberry. While it can't get much worse testing wise, the lad has a bunch to get done on a hurry up demand from the Charleston folks. He takes the helm on July 1st.
From W H Auden: A professor is one that talks in someone else's sleep
AW