The executive director of the office of healthy schools for the state Department of Education made a special visit to Harrison County on Monday just to present some awards.
Lenore Zedosky told members of the Harrison County Board of Education that only 12 counties in the state this year received awards for their commitment to healthy schools, and Harrison County by far received more awards than any other.
The Healthy Schools award has three levels, bronze, silver and gold, that are based on the number and kinds of programs that individual schools do to promote student health. Zedosky noted that only six schools in the state received the gold award this year, and four of those schools are located in Harrison County -- Norwood Elementary, Nutter Fort Primary, Simpson Elementary and Liberty High School.
"Harrison County schools really have stepped out in front in recognizing the importance of the health of the students as well as the academic learning, and they've been able to do it in a multitude of ways," Zedosky said.
Silver award winners include South Harrison High School, Wilsonburg Elementary, Nutter Fort Intermediate, North View Elementary, Harden Elementary, Gore Middle School, Bridgeport High School, Adamston Elementary, Big Elm Elementary, West Milford Elementary, Gore Middle School and Salem Middle School. Bronze award winners include Bridgeport Middle School and Robert C. Byrd High School.
Along with plaques for each school, gold award recipients were given $300 and a banner for their schools. The school board was also given a plaque.
In other business, the board approved the first reading of a revision to the county's transportation policy that sets the distance between school bus stops at a minimum of 0.20 miles, and also revises the section on services to child care centers.
If a child care center requests, the revised policy would allow for an additional bus stop along an existing route if the stop is safe, if there is enough room for the additional students on an existing bus, if the stop does not extend the time allotted for the bus run and does not cause any alteration of an existing route.
Friebel said the board considered the revisions to the policy after being approached by the owner of a local daycare center.
In other business, the board:
n recognized Marlene Wesolowsky, speech pathologist at Nutter Fort Intermediate School, as Employee of the Month.
n approved a bid for the purchase of 215 Gateway computers and monitors from Eagle Technologies of Clarksburg for $1,298 per unit, and 80 printers from Pomeroy Computers of Charleston for $170 per unit for use in computer labs and for special education programs.
n approved payment of $6,548.24 and $1,167.78 to WYK Associates Inc. for architectural services for paving projects and ceiling and lights.
n approved payments of $133,0965.60 and $4,572 to Mid-State Mechanical for work completed at Lumberport Elementary Lumberport Middle schools.
Following the regular meeting, the school board held the third of five School Board Effectiveness Meetings. The board heard about the positives and concerns from Gore Middle, Gore Transitional Middle, South Harrison Middle, Salem Middle, Washington Irving Middle, Bridgeport Middle and Lumberport Middle schools.
Adequate staffing continues to be a concern for several of the schools, including Gore Middle. The faculty senate of the school requested that the board consider the addition of an assistant principal because the current principal must also serve at Gore's transitional middle school.
Assistant City Editor Gail Marsh can be reached at 626-1447 or by e-mail at gmarsh@exponent-telegram.com
