Tag: Dr. James Phares

Calhoun School Workers Sue Over Spring Break Loss

Three Calhoun County school employees have gone to court over the county Board of Education’s decision to cancel spring break.
 
The Charleston Gazette reports that each employee filed a lawsuit Monday in Kanawha County Circuit Court against the county board and the state Board of Education.
 
On Feb. 27, the county board changed the week of March 17-March 21 from out of calendar days to instructional days. Out of calendar days are uncompensated days off.
 
The lawsuits say the employees had made travel plans. They didn’t learn that the state board approved the change until March 5.
 
Like other West Virginia counties, Calhoun County has lost instructional days this winter because of harsh weather.

State Superintendent of Schools Jim Phares says the change was designed to benefit students.
 

Department of Education Says Gov. Tomblin Taking Proactive Steps to Ensure Student Safety

The West Virginia Department of Education said through a news release that they are working with the West Virginia National Guard following a directive from Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin. Tomblin has called for additional water testing to confirm that all schools in the counties impacted by the chemical leak on Jan. 9 are under 2 parts per billion (ppb).

 
“We have been testing water in all of our schools at the governor’s more stringent level of 10 parts per billion which is 100 times more rigorous than Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s  recommend level of 1 part per million,” said Adjutant General James Hoyer in the release.

“After testing thousands of lab samples, chemists can now confidently test at 2ppb.  This additional safety factor is one more example of how the governor has gone above and beyond the federal recommendations to bring added confidence to parents, students and staff to ensure the highest level of public safety,” he added.
 
It is expected that the testing will occur over the weekend and results should be back by mid-week. Any school that tests above the two parts per billion will be re-flushed and retested. Moving forward, the Rapid Response Team established earlier this month to address issues in schools will continue to answer and investigate calls.
 
“Student safety continues to be our top priority,” said Gov. Tomblin. “As a parent, I understand that families need the additional peace of mind that comes with this testing.”
 
In the meantime, schools will continue to provide hand sanitizer and bottled water for drinking and cooking, according to the release.

“We are taking every precaution because we know that parents trust us to keep their children safe,” said Jim Phares, West Virginia Superintendent of Schools.

On The Legislature Today on Tuesday, February 18, Phares said he doesn’t know of any plans for the Rapid Response Team, which includes a member of the Department of Environmental Protection’s Division Air Quality, to begin testing the air quality in schools.  The smell and fumes in school is what is believed to be linked to symptoms of burning eyes and noses, as well as fainting.

Two W.Va. Schools Cancel Class After Chemical Odor

Two West Virginia schools closed early because of an odor resembling the chemical that spilled into a regional water system last month. Riverside High and…

Two West Virginia schools closed early because of an odor resembling the chemical that spilled into a regional water system last month.
 
     Riverside High and Midland Trail Elementary in Kanawha County closed Wednesday morning because of the licorice smell.
 
     The chemical wasn’t detected in previous testing.
 
     State schools Superintendent James Phares said schools were flushing their pipes Wednesday because of a water main break earlier in the week and didn’t finish before students arrived. Phares said some students complained of lightheadedness, itchy eyes and noses. A teacher who fainted and a student were taken to a hospital.
 
     The schools are reflushing and testing for the chemical. No decision will be made about Thursday’s classes until results return. The schools also have hand sanitizer and bottled water

Enrollment Declining in W.Va. Schools

The state superintendent said enrollment numbers in public schools statewide are down and the Department of Education is now left trying to figure out where those students have gone.

Superintendent Dr. James Phares reported to a Joint Committee on Education, student enrollment has decreased by more than 1,200 student since last year.

Harrison County led the enrollment decrease losing 283 in the last five years.

Phares said the state department is going to begin an internal study of all of the possible factors for declining numbers to present to the legislature in December.

“We know our dropout rate is decreasing so we don’t think that it’s because of an increased drop out rate,” he said.

“We don’t the affect that perhaps some of the surrounding online virtual schools (have had), but we’re going to check to see if there’s been a move to that or home school or if it’s because they moved out of state..”

Berkeley County, however, is on the opposite end of the spectrum. It leads the state in growth, adding 775 students to its system in the 2013-2014 school year.
 

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