BUCKHANNON – Upshur County Board of Education members received some encouraging news during their regular meeting last week at Buckhannon-Upshur High School. Upshur County Schools Financial Director Jeffrey Perkins told BOE members the school year is 90 percent complete, but their yearly budget is only 69.42 percent expended.

“We have underspent as compared to past years against the budget,” Perkins said. “We have saved money in personnel, which may mean we have areas for some growth. Overall, it represents a $624,000 under-execution.”

Perkins said some of the values will decline because there are still bills that will be paid in June.

“I believe we are in pretty good financial state at this point,” Perkins said.

Upshur County BOE President Dr. Tammy Samples asked Perkins what his expectations are for budget spending once 100 percent of the year is completed.

“I expect it will be 93 percent,” Perkins said.

BOE member Dr. Greenbrier Almond said the Upshur County BOE has been under review because of their past spending and asked if the money they are saving will help the BOE remain in the black.

“Correct,” Perkins said. “I believe this will be the year that we will come off that (watch) list. I think we have made great progress, and I think we are positioned to continue to make that progress. I think this is where we need to be.”

Also, Perkins reported on the need to adjust the cost of school meals for adults. Perkins said the rates have not been updated for the past two or three years and said inflation has caught up.

“There has been an increase in the cost,” Perkins said. “The guidance is, we must charge more than the cost is to those adults who are not under the school feeding program. The cost of our meals for breakfast has gone from $2.60 to $3.08 and the cost for our lunches has gone from $3.60 to $4.07, so my recommendation is we raise the cost of breakfast for adults to $3.10 and raise the cost of lunches for adults to $4.10. Though this is a significant increase, it is still a value for the members of our schools and the quality of the food that is available to them.”

The proposed start date for the increase for meals for adults is August 17, 2021. Upshur County BOE members agreed to put this recommendation on a future board agenda to address before the August start date.

Also, during Tuesday’s meeting, BOE members voted unanimously to end their COVID Leave Program, which paid employees who were exposed to or who tested positive for the COVID virus. The program will end on June 30, 2021.

“All individuals that are eligible for the vaccine have had it,” Perkins said. “We offered it and we believe at this point we will revert to our normal leave system. This has been a very generous program for a number of our employees – a number have taken advantage of it. We have had almost nobody in two months take advantage of the program because of the changing environment.”

Almond said he was proud of the BOE for offering the program to its employees.

“We value our employees and this was one way we could show them,” he said.

BOE members approved each the requests for school bus transportation for field trips during the Summer Learning Academies.

Almond asked if students have other commitments during the summer if they will be allowed to just participate in the trips.

“Absolutely,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Sara Lewis Stankus answered. “All of our students and our staff that are working, we understand this is a big ask to work during the summertime. We are also making it possible for anyone who is willing to work, to give them off a week. If a student can only come for a few days, we will take anytime they will come – including if they only come for the trips. That is fine because that is the experiential piece of our summer learning. Of course, we want them to come for all four days each week – but if they can not because of other obligations we understand. We believe these experiences will enrich our students and hopefully will bring them back to where they were before the pandemic.”

There are approximately 100 students signed up for the academies at each elementary school and there are about 200 signed up through the high school and middle school.

“It is going to be a good summer of learning,” Stankus said.

Rhett Dusenbury, district representative for Congressman Alex Mooney, WV-2, spoke during Tuesday’s meeting. He said he wanted to take the opportunity to commend all the staff and teachers of Upshur County for an outstanding response to the COVID pandemic.

“I can remember when I first met Dr. Stankus, we were dealing with the opioid epidemic,” Dusenbury said. “We were figuring out how to handle that situation along with children being raised by grandparents and great-grandparents and then here came COVID. I tell many people on my travels what a great job they have done during the pandemic. Kids needed food and the bus drivers stepped up to deliver it. The feeding stations opened up. It is a testament to community and I congratulate you.”

Dusenbury said if there is anything his office can do to contact them.

“If families are having any issues with Veteran’s situations, Social Security or other items of that nature, please feel free to contact us and the Congressman will be happy to help take care of the situation,” Dusenbury said.

Please check back with My Buckhannon to learn about the Upshur Star Awards and recognitions given to Upshur County students, teachers, volunteers and staff members during Tuesday’s meeting.

The next regular meeting of the Upshur County BOE is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 25, 2021 at the Buckhannon-Upshur High School auditorium.