The Wetzel County Board of Education Oct. 5 passed on second reading changes in two policies, one of which requires teachers to give notice of retirement by Dec. 1 of the year preceding in order to be eligible for a $500 retirement bonus from the West Virginia Legislature. That date was Feb. 1 of the year of retirement.

The Dec. 1 notification date now also applies to service personnel who want to remain eligible for a $500 retirement bonus from the school system.

Also approved on second, and final, reading was a revision that gives band directors a total of 40 “discretionary” days during a school year to schedule band activities.

That time period had been defined as 30 days before the opening of school and 10 days after school closes.

The policy revisions became effective immediately.

A change in assignment was approved for Bus Operator Regina L. Lemley from the Trader’s Run/Stout Run/Fallen Timber/Arches Fork route to Richwood/Buffalo/ Jacksonburg/Upper Run/ Reader on Bus #45.

James M. Daugherty’s assignment also was changed from bus operator, Richwood/Buffalo/Jacksonburg/Upper Run/Reader on Bus #45, to countywide supervisory teacher aide for special education, based at New Martinsville School.

The board employed Evan M. Jobes as a temporary bus operator, Mobley/ North Fork/Four Miles/Barker, aboard Bus #1. The board also approved the employment of Robert J. Nice a countywide substitute bus operator and of John M. Boswell, pending his completion of certification requirements.

The board accepted the resignations from Felicia D. George as Spanish teacher at Magnolia High School and Paden City High School and from John L. Ice’s as sanitation plant operator/carpenter II/general maintenance.

In new employment, Kimberly L. Nelson was approved as reading intervention teacher at Short Line School and Ashley N. Goddard was approved for the same position on a halftime basis.

The board okayed a change in assignment for Carolyn E. Hostutler from countywide supervisory teach aide/LPN based at SLS to countywide supervisory teacher aide for special education based at Long Drain School. Hostutler was moved from Pay Grade G to Pay Grade E.

Also at LDS, Kimberly D. Ueltschy was employed as countywide temporary supervisory teacher aide for one-on-one special education. And Gary R. Partridge was employed as assistant volleyball coach at Valley High School for the 2009-10 WVSSAC season.

At the Wetzel County Center for Children and Families, JoDell S. Ritchea’s assignment was changed from countywide halftime supervisory teacher aide for special education, to countywide supervisory teacher aide for paraprofessional special education. She moves from Pay Grade E to Pay Grade G.

The board filled several countywide positions, including those of Jeremy D. Joy and Malinda J. Laugh as a non-certified substitute teachers. The board also approved the employment of Jami Kay Nelson as countywide MI/LD/BD with Autism teacher, based at SLS.

The board failed to authorize an out-of-county student to attend Wetzel County Schools this year, but it did authorize Holly Groves to take the Valley High School yearbook personnel to the Central Ohio Yearbook Workshop Sept. 28 in Hilliard, Ohio. It approved the same request from MHS yearbook advisor Mark Lemasters. Both trips will be paid from school funds.

Lemasters also was authorized to take six Magnolia students to a cover design workshop in Marietta Oct. 15, paid from student-generated fees and MHS funds.

The board’s next regular meeting has been set for 7 p.m. Oct. 19 at SLS, when it will hear reports from the principals and Local School Improvement Council representatives of both SLS and VHS.