WILLIAMSON – Staffing and curriculum reports and other matters were acted upon or reviewed by the Mingo County Board of Education at its regular meeting Tuesday in the central board conference room at Cinderella.

A special visitor from Charleston was Jorea Marple, assistant superintendent of the West Virginia Department of Education. She participated with brief remarks during a Mingo County schools’ curriculum update by Terri Collier, administrative assistant.

Assistant County School Superintendent and Title I Director Randy Keathley presented a preliminary staffing report during the meeting, which was conducted by Board Vice President Jacqueline Branch. Also attending were board members William D. Duty, Dr. J.W. Endicott and Michael Carter, and County School Superintendent Dwight D. Dials.

Collier talked about problem areas in Mingo County schools, which included Reading and Math scores for Special Education students in elementary, middle and high schools, and also Math scores for high school economically disadvantaged students.

She said more time is needed for teachers to have access to resources in order to expand teaching of students.

Collier discussed Reading and Math programs being used to help eliminate the problems, such as a tiered instructional Model; a “Sidewalks” supplement to the county’s adopted reading program for grades K-6; READ 180 program for grades 4-10, and Sunday program geared for grades 4-12.

Strategies and assessment, accelerated reader help; Waterford Reading and Math, APPALREAD reading coaches, benchmark testing, Title I instructional coaches, interventionists, cognitive tutor Algebra, LINKS, and technology for various grade levels were cited as important tools of learning to attack the problem areas.

Reading/Language Arts, Mathematics, Safe and Drug Free, instructional coaches, a Cognitive Tutor consultant, Math Academy and other types of training were listed in her discussion of professional development. She responded to various questions from members of the board.

Presentations also were made by Sid Fragale, West Virginia staff representative of the American Federation of Teachers, and by Felicia Law, Organizational Devel-opment Specialist with the West Virginia Education Association. These concerned requests to the school board that it provide raises for teachers and other professional and service personnel in the budget now being prepared for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.

The board approved minutes of the Jan. 6 regular meeting and the special meetings held Jan. 29, Feb. 10, 19 and 23.

Upon the recommendation of Superintendent Dials, the board approved teacher Bernice Carter’s request for members of her Gifted Education students at the Mingo County Career Center to travel to New York City June 5-9, 2009.

Carter said the trip will be a culmination of a comprehensive study of the history, the monuments and the sites of New York. “We plan to see all of the major sites, as well as a Broadway play,” she said. Several teachers and parents will accompany the group.

Board Treasurer Edward Lovitch’s report concerning budget supplements and transfers, and Mingo County Schools’ monthly financial reports as of Jan. 31 and Feb. 28, 2009 were reviewed by the board.

The February report shows a budget balance of $7.8 million in the General Current Expense Fund, with year-to-date expenditures amounting to $21 million. Eighty-one percent of this budget has been committed.

Other budget balances include: Permanent Im-provement Fund, $1.6 million; Capital Project Fund, ($557,103); Special Revenue Fund, $3.8 million.