BUCKHANNON – Upshur County Superintendent Dr. Sara Lewis Stankus helped convince voters to pass the excess levy for Upshur County Schools in January, so on Tuesday, the Upshur County Board of Education voted for Stankus – specifically, to renew her contract for a term of two years.

The levy renewal and other successes led BOE members to vote unanimously to extend Stankus’ contract for two years during a special meeting, which took place at the Title I Office Conference Room Tuesday.

Board members met in an executive session for more than an hour as they discussed the superintendent’s contract and then voted for the contract extension. Upon returning from the executive session, board vice president Katie Loudin said the board would like to offer Stankus the two-year extension.

“Year one being $105,000 and year two being $108,000,” Loudin said of the superintendent’s salary.

The BOE offered a press release regarding the superintendent’s contract, which said Stankus’ role in facilitating the passage of the five-year excess levy was critical to renewing her contract and noted Stankus had been instrumental in the levy’s success.

The release went on to say that together with other board office staff, Stankus had worked to form partnerships with entities such as Community Care of West Virginia and the Child Advocacy Center to provide much needed mental health services for students.

She and other staff members have also worked to secure grant funding for Upshur County Schools throughout the year, the prepared statement added. During her recent one-year evaluation, Board members stated that Dr. Stankus met or exceeded expectations in all categories.

The contract includes a salary of $105,000 for the 2019-2020 school year and a cost of living increase of approximately 3% for 2020-2021 for a total of $108,000. Contract terms related to pension will remain the same.

According to information from the West Virginia Department of Education, for the 2018-2019 school year, Stankus’ salary was ranked 50 out of 55 counties – only slightly higher than the superintendents in Calhoun, Gilmer, Roane and Summers and equal to the Tucker County superintendent.

Stankus said her major goals for the next two years include the completion of the 10-year plan for the school district’s future growth and continued improvement of academic offerings, which will include the provision of free college and career technical offerings for students.

“Additionally, we want schools to be a place where students feel they are in a safe and supportive learning environment,” Stankus said in response. “I feel very fortunate because I have great board members who I have served with over the past year, and it comes back to the shared vision for our county. When we are making decisions based on what’s best for the kids, it keeps us focused, so we can accomplish great things as a team. We still have so much to accomplish, but we can achieve these goals together.”

Stankus said the passage of the excess school levy shows the support of the community, which is academically-focused.

“I grew up in this community and attended school in Upshur County. It is a great place to live, learn and work. With families who care and support our children in growing up to become productive adults, we will see our community grow,” Stankus said.

She said as a community, Upshur County loves its children and wants the very best for them.

“Our children deserve to be educated in the best school system in the state. The levy passage exemplifies the trust that people have in the schools of Upshur County. Our children are our future. Who could be more precious and important?”

“We take this investment seriously and are going to work hard to continue to earn our community’s trust in our educational system,” Stankus added. “Together, we can be sure Upshur County is the best school system in West Virginia. I am excited and grateful to be a part of this important work and want to thank the community and the board for their support. We are blessed. Together, we are Upshur Strong!”

Also, during Tuesday’s BOE meeting, members voted unanimously to approve the following personnel recommendations.

Resignations

• Anissa R. Cox as sixth-grade reading teacher at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School, effective at the end of the day May 30, 2019.

• Christina Sterck as seventh-grade science teacher at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School, effective July 1, 2019.

• Melody A. Powers as ECCAT kindergarten aide at Rock Cave Elementary School, effective June 30, 2019 due to retirement.

• Jackie Crites, pre-K special needs teacher, effective June 30, 2019.

Employment, pending appropriate certification and background check

• Sherri Frederick as cook II at Buckhannon-Upshur High School, effective for the 2019-2020 school year.

• Terri Egress as itinerant special education aide multi-categorical/personalized alternative learning schools (PALS) at Stockert Youth Center, effective for the 2019-2020 school year.

Transfers

• Thelma Hamner from special education aide at Rock Cave Elementary School to itinerant special education aide multi-categorical/personalized alternative learning schools (PALS) at Buckhannon Academy Elementary School, effective for the 2019-2020 school year.

• Billy Demastes from custodian III at Buckhannon Academy Elementary School to custodian III at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School, effective May 1, 2019.

• Randall M. Daugherty from itinerant custodian at Union Elementary School and Buckhannon-Upshur High School to custodian III at Buckhannon-Upshur High School, effective May 1, 2019.

• Mary Hawkins from executive secretary at Fred Eberle Technical Center to secretary III at Union Elementary School, effective for the 2019-2020 school year.

• Irene Miller from cook II at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School to cafeteria manager/cook III at Washington District Elementary School, effective for the 2019-2020 school year.

• Catherine Coffield from guidance counselor at Buckhannon-Upshur High School to itinerant school counselor personalized alternative learning schools (PALS).

• Christopher H. Ware from special education teacher at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School to personalized alternative education/special education multi-categorical teacher (PALS) at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School, effective for the 2019-2020 school year.

• Jonathan Sloan Baisden from science teacher at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School to mathematics teacher (grades 9-12) at Buckhannon-Upshur High School, effective for the 2019-2020 school year.

• Amy Kelley from cook II at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School to itinerant special education aide multi-categorical/personalized alternative learning schools (PALS) at Buckhannon Academy Elementary School, effective for the 2019-2020 school year.

• Barbara McVaney, ISS teacher at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School, to itinerant physical education teacher at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School and Rock Cave Elementary School, effective for the 2019-2020 school year.

• Larry Lance from guidance counselor at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School to itinerant guidance counselor with current location at French Creek and Rock Cave Elementary, effective for the 2019-2020 school year.

Placement for field experience/observational hours within the Upshur County schools for the purpose of completing coursework toward a teaching certification through West Virginia University

• Taylor Jean Cain, placement for Fall 2019 as a student teacher with Michael Lane at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School

Employee leave

• Crystal Shaw, secretary III at special education department, BOE, requesting medical leave without pay following exhaustion of accrued sick leave until released by physician to return to work.

• Kimberly A. Lantz, Title I teacher at Buckhannon Academy Elementary School, requesting leave without pay on May 2-3, 2019.

• Tammy Kelly, cook III at Buckhannon -Upshur Middle School, requesting leave without pay on May 23, 2019.

• Lena Samples, itinerant art teacher, requesting leave without pay on May 23, 2019.

The next Upshur County BOE meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 14, at 7 p.m. at Fred Eberle Technical Center.