By Stephen Smoot
In the final meeting of the 2025 calendar year, the Pendleton County Board of Education held an information packed session in a little over an hour’s time. J. D. Wilkins, board president, opened with the customary invocation, praying, “We ask that You would bless us, not just tonight, but through the Christmas season and into the New Year.”
Toward the opening of the meeting, J. P. Mowery, treasurer, delivered the treasury and financial reports. Part of the presentation concerning the 1,400 floor and other school funding remarks will be covered in other articles.
He opened with the information that the “large cash fund balance” reported in the previous meeting that topped $4 million for the first time in Pendleton County Schools history had declined somewhat. That came through the natural processes of paying bills as local tax receipts diminished.
As of the time of the meeting, Mowery reported a total balance of all accounts at $3,741, 459.63, sharing also that the number was approximately $150,000 ahead of the cash position at the same time in 2024, reflecting that “cash flow is still positive.”
Board members then heard an update on an upcoming acquisition of a school bus. The purchase will come in the form of a four-year lease that will, as Mowery stated “give us increased bus replacement funding next year” due to the boost in value of the fleet.
After the 1,400 floor presentation, board members considered a substantial list of policy revisions on first reading. Many of these reflect changes in state law or policy. For example, one policy change will incorporate statutory requirements from last year’s Senate Bill 199 that established new policies on school discipline.
Related to this, another state law related policy defines the term “gang” in the context of schooling and discipline. A number of other policies were named and are available on the Pendleton County Schools website for public review.
Another important policy revision that was officially read includes the West Virginia Parents’ Bill of Rights, included in state code by last session’s House Bill 2070. In its opening, the text states that “the Legislature finds that it is a fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing, education, care, and medical care of their minor children.” It defines the term “parent” for this purpose as a natural or adoptive parent or legal guardian.
Rights named in the bill cover a wide range of potential issues. Schools may not withhold information about a minor child from their parent, as described in this act.
The act extends beyond the school system’s relationship with children and parents and extends to all areas of state government. It reads that “the state, any of its political subdivisions, any other governmental entity, or any other institution may not infringe on the fundamental rights of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, health care, and mental health of his or her minor child without demonstrating that such action is reasonable and necessary to achieve a compelling state interest and that such action is narrowly tailored and is not otherwise served by a less restrictive means.”
Other rights recognized include the right to direct education, the right to conduct moral and religious upbringing, the right to pursue multiple forms of education “as authorized by law,” the right to access records, and more.
Toward the end of the meeting, Carrie Nesselrodt delivered a strong attendance report reflecting the period between the beginning of November and the beginning of December.
The top class in the county was Brandywine Elementary School with a “just phenomenal” 97.22 percent rate. Also, BES narrowly beat out Franklin Elementary School for the unofficial schoolwide attendance crown with both around 95 percent. North Fork Elementary School came in just under at 94.75 percent.
Nesselrodt singled out the eighth grade at Pendleton County Middle/High School for its 85.81 percent rate. Countywide attendance came to 94.4 percent. She did warn that “we’re usually pretty well here” in November and December, but after the new year, usually “sickness goes around.” Nesselrodt added that solid numbers leading to that point help mitigate some of the declines that occur later.
Her report also demonstrated that each school and the county as a whole saw improvements over this point in 2024 in both attendance and chronic absence statistics.
Nesselrodt concluded, “We’re really seeing the work that our schools are doing so kids are in the building… we can’t teach them if they are not there.”
