County Superintendent of Schools Bill Jones reported at the Feb. 1 board meeting that five of the six students enrolled at the Energy Lab have successfully complete an 80-hour underground mining course and are work-certified upon graduation, if they choose to follow that training.

He also reported that some $46,000 in state funding was received to join about $25,000 in county funds to broaden the course offerings and certifications available at the lab.

The lab emerged from informal conversations last year Jones, Board Member Willie Baker, and Director of Vocational and Secondary Education Tammy Wells had with industry leaders. The purpose of the lab is to train local students for local jobs in the energy field.

The board approved the retirement of Nancy J. Shewmake as custodian III at Short Line School, effective at the end of the day, Aug. 31. It also approved the resignation of Marla J. LaRue from her contracted services position as special education mentor teacher at Long Drain School, retroactive to Jan. 26.

Also at SLS, the board approved Andrea M. Brewer for employment as licensed practical nurse for the medical supervision of the school’s diabetic student population. Villers explained that SLS has an unusually large number of students whose diabetes is fragile and needs supervision for medication administration.

The board also approved the hiring of Evan M. Jobes as “temporary” bus operator for the Alternative 180/State Rt. 2 bus route aboard bus #30. Steven J. Melott was approved as countywide substitute general maintenance/electrician II, effective Feb. 2.

In addition, Bus Operator Jason T. West’s assignment was changed from Traders Run/Stout Run/Fallen Timber/Arches Fork on bus #11 to the Rt. 20/Chiselfinger/State Run Rd./Fluharty Run route on bus #40.

In extra-curricular hiring, the board approved Beth A. Sigley as 7/8 grade boys’ track coach and the same position for girls’ track at LDS for the 2009-10 WVSSAC season.

At Magnolia High School, Michael J. Findling was employed as assistant boys’ track coach and Heidi K. Johnston was approved as assistant girls’ track coach. Meanwhile, the board approved Robert G. Postlethwait as 7/8 grade boys’ track coach at Paden City High School.

Out of state trips were approved for Jim West at Valley High School and for Greg Richmond at NMS. West will take the VHS baseball team to Myrtle Beach, S.C., on April 5-9 for a baseball tournament with other high school teams on the east coast. That trip is funded by the team.

Richmond will attend the national convention of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance in Indianapolis, Ind., on March 16-20. The trip will be paid with Richmond’s personal funds and the school’s staff development funds.

The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Dawson was released from PCHS to attend school in Tyler County for the remainder of the 2009-10 school year. At the same time, Tyler County resident Amanda Loy was approved to attend MHS for the rest of the school year.