Tag: Education

Schools Request Nearly $130 Million for Building and Upgrades

Over the past two days, 18 counties presented their facility needs to the state School Building Authority in Charleston. The requests totaled more than $100 million, but the agency only has about $45 million to give. That means some tough choices between deserving projects across the state.

Here is a list of those projects and their estimated costs.

Doddridge County:

  • $898,128 for two new classrooms at Doddridge County Elementary School
  • $398,128 in SBA funds

Gilmer County:

  •    $15,496,818 to construct a consolidated Gilmer Elementary School
  •    $13,618, 671 in SBA funds

Greenbrier County:

  •    $6,671,958 for an addition to Frankford Elementary School
  •    $6,327,898 in SBA funds

Jackson County:

  •    $17,816,041 to construct a new Ravenswood Middle School
  •    $17,066,041 in SBA funds

Kanawha County:

  • $2,791,352 to add on to and renovate Andrew Heights Elementary School
  • $2,091,352 in SBA funds

Mercer County:

  • $11,136,000 to construct a new Green Valley Elementary School, consolidating a portion of students from three schools
  • $8,908,800 in SBA funds

Mineral County:

  • $4,000,000 in renovations for Keyser Elementary/Middle School
  • $3,500,000 in SBA funds

Mingo County:

  • $10,108,879 for additions and renovations at Burch Middle School in order to consolidate and close Burch Elementary School
  • $9,108.879 in SBA funds

Monongalia County:

  • $15,952,803 to consolidate students from two schools and build a new Suncrest Elementary School
  • $10,952,803 in SBA funds

Ohio County:

  • $6,772,932 for renovations at Ritchie Elementary School
  • $5,892,451 in SBA funds

Pocahontas County:

  • $8,892,426 for renovations at five schools
  • $8,817,426 in SBA funds

Preston County:

  • $2,169,000 to replace the roofs at six schools
  • $2,060,550 in SBA funds

Randolph County:

  • $3,959, 749 for renovations to Tygart Valley Middle-High School
  • $3,709,749 in SBA funds

Ritchie County:

  • $6,641,016 in renovations and an addition to Collins Ferry Elementary School
  • $6,391,016 in SBA funds

Wayne County:

  • $42,200,000 to build two new elementary schools and an addition and renovations to Wayne County High School
  • $18,000,000 in SBA funds

Webster County:

  • $2,357,713 for renovations at Webster County High School
  • $2,257,713 in SBA funds

Wirt County:

  • $2,395,038 for renovations at Wirt County High School
  • $2,270,038 in SBA funds

Schools for the Deaf and Blind:

  • $7,800,000 for three new residential facilities and the demolition of a dilapidated cafeteria
  • $7,100,000 in SBA funds

You can read each county’s proposal in detail at the state School Building Authorities website.

The SBA will meet again on April 28, 2014, to determine which schools are awarded aid.

Some W.Va. Teachers Already "Move to Improve"

The Senate recently passed the “Move to Improve Act” which could change the daily grind in state classrooms. The bill is in response to the Healthy…

The Senate recently passed the “Move to Improve Act” which could change the daily grind in state classrooms. The bill is in response to the Healthy Lifestyles Act, which was passed by the legislature in 2005 without a mechanism to assure implementation. Lawmakers say they’re trying to address an epidemic of childhood obesity in West Virginia. 

Children and teens spend more than half of their waking hours at school.

West Virginia has some of the highest rates of the highest-cost health problems related to obesity and physical inactivity such as type 2 diabetes and obesity-related cancers.

About 33 percent of children age 10 to 17 in the state are overweight or obese according to a national survey taken between  2011 and 2012.

 

 

Senate majority leader John Unger is one of the main sponsors for Senate Bill 455. It would mandate 30 minutes of  physical activity three days a week in elementary schools.

It’s meant to help address the growing health problem and possibly save the state some cash.

The bill states that in West Virginia, the direct medical cost of obesity was $8.9 million in 2009.

In elementary schools, some teachers say the transition would be simple.

Mercer County Kindergarten Teacher Billie Wood says she already uses movement in her lessons and it’s the way to go.

“We put motions to songs we’ll do Vimeo with the smart board where they actually get up and move and dance and it’s surprising how fast they learn with movement,” Wood said.

Wood says she also uses ‘old time records’ like Whip Hap Palmer to help children in her classroom move to the educational beat, and she often joins them in the dance.

Still a lack of resources, pressure to increase test scores, and even age create challenges. Elementary students are generally easier to motivate with physical activity during a lesson than say a middle school or high school student.

But science teacher Edward Evans is finding a way.  His students keep moving –  frequently walking around to different stations for lab.

“Is it challenging, yea,” Evans said. “Is it doable, absolutely. It’s just a matter of creative scheduling.”

The bill requires middle-school students to attend at least one full period of physical education per day with 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity.
 
High school students would need one full course of physical education for graduation and would have the opportunity to enroll in an elective lifetime physical education course.

West Virginia Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers in West Virginia have both supported the bill.

PBS KIDS is a Vital Resource in Preparing Children for School

Parents Overwhelmingly Agree No Other Media Brand Meets Their Children’s School Readiness Needs Like PBS KIDS

West Virginia PBS airs 11 hours of PBS KIDS programs each weekday and serves children and their families statewide through its Ready To Learn service.

Arlington, VA — February 25, 2014 – A national survey of parents with young children age 2-6 has found that media and technology are an essential part of preparing children to enter elementary school. Overwhelmingly, PBS KIDS stands out as the most trusted and relied upon media brand for this school readiness, ranking first in delivering on every measured skill. The findings were announced yesterday by PBS KIDS, who commissioned the study with a leading youth and family research firm. The survey looks at PBS KIDS and other major children’s media brands.

Results show that American families are struggling to prepare their children for kindergarten and five out of 10 parents worry their child won’t have the skills they need when they start elementary school.

In addition to academic skills like math and reading, parents recognize that a broader skill set is needed for early learning success today. When asked to name school readiness skills, parents cite math and reading first, but social and emotional skills rank first when parents are asked to rank skills in order of importance for learning success, with 88% saying it’s important that social skills be mastered before school. Among the resources used by parents to help develop kids’ social and emotional skills, TV shows are No. 1 for both categories (56% and 59%, respectively), followed by books (48% and 53%), electronic learning toys (25% and 21%), computer games (25% and 21%), websites (20% and 19%) and apps (18% and 14%).

In fact, the survey shows that parents clearly understand the educational benefits of exposing their children to media and technology, with 89% in agreement that these resources can be partners in educating kids. Three-quarters (75%) have used new technology – computer games/activities, websites and apps – to prepare their child for kindergarten. Of those, 82% have used new technology to help their child develop math skills, 75% for reading skills and 67% for writing skills.

PBS KIDS Is a Vital Resource

Helping All Children Succeed: PBS KIDS has the greatest benefit to those most in need, the survey confirms. In fact, PBS KIDS reaches nine million low incomes families each year. Families with a lower household income report having fewer resources for school preparedness and are less likely to use technology or formal education to prepare kids for school. These families recognize PBS KIDS’ ability to help them prepare their children for school, with nearly two-thirds (63%) reporting that PBS KIDS “helps a lot” to prepare kids for school.

Diverse Reach: PBS KIDS is especially important in African American and Hispanic households for school readiness help. Specifically, 71% of African American parents and 63% of Hispanic parents agree PBS KIDS helps prepare their kids. In comparison, on average, 37% of African American parents and 29% of Hispanic parents say the same for other networks. 

Preparing Kids for School: Parents confirm that no other media brand meets the readiness needs of children like PBS KIDS. When asked how well networks prepare children for school, 86% say PBS KIDS helps a lot/somewhat, topping the next closest network by 14%. Parents also rank PBS KIDS as the kids’ media brand most likely to offer activities and products that support basic math (86%), basic reading (83%), life skills (78%), social skills (77%), emotional skills (75%), personal hygiene (69%) and basic writing (67%).

Improving Kids’ Behavior: In addition, PBS KIDS leads all networks in improving kids’ behavior, with 74% of parents saying their child exhibits more positive behavior after engaging with the network. Other networks have a smaller positive impact on behavior, with the next closest at 61%.

Serving Families: No other brand serves families as well as PBS KIDS. Results show that parents are far more likely to use PBS KIDS content for school readiness than content from other networks in every category, including TV shows (65%), websites (58%), computer games and activities (58%) and apps (56%).

Trusted by Parents: PBS KIDS is also the most trusted media brand and the brand parents are most likely to use for school preparedness. Sixty-six percent of parents say they completely trust PBS KIDS to provide high quality content, and 60% confirm they are extremely likely to use PBS KIDS for school preparedness, topping the next closest competitor by 12% in both categories.

These findings follow recent industry recognition for PBS KIDS. In February 2014, PBS KIDS was named Channel of the Year and Best Channel Website at the Kidscreen Awards, which celebrate the year’s best in children’s media and broadcasting. PBS KIDS was also honored at the iKids Awards, which recognize the best digital media products and platforms, where PBS KIDS won for Best Website (Preschool) and Best Streaming Video Platform (Preschool).

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted January 11-25, 2014, by Smarty Pants. More than 1,000 parents with children age 2-6 completed the online survey. All respondents were aware of PBS KIDS and the survey base is representative of TV-viewing households with young children with regards to household income and ethnicity. Any statistical differences are at a 90% or higher confidence level.

Public Television Remains #1 as a Trusted Media Source

Nationwide Research Confirms that PBS and Member Stations are America’s Most Trusted Institution and an “Excellent” Use of Tax Dollars for 11th Consecutive Year.

During a time of significant increase in broadcast audience numbers and growing reach on digital platforms, PBS and its member stations were again named #1 in trust among nationally known institutions, and called an “excellent” use of tax dollars by the American public in a national poll for the 11th year in a row.

This same survey found that the American public considers PBS KIDS the most educational TV/media brand, the safest place for children to watch television, the safest online media destination, as well as the top provider of content that helps children learn reading, math and essential skills. PBS KIDS significantly outscored cable and commercial broadcast television in each one of these categories.

The research was conducted in January 2014 by the independent, non-partisan research firm ORC International. Each year, PBS commissions research to measure its performance and value as judged by its most important stakeholder – the American public.

PBS Ranks #1 in Public Trust – Significantly Higher Level of Trust Than Courts of Law

Four in 5 people trust PBS (80% “trust a great deal” or “trust somewhat”). The 2014 study marks the 11th time in a row that PBS was called the nation’s most-trusted institution among a consideration set that includes courts of law, newspapers, and others. The study found that respondents had a significantly higher level of trust in PBS (42% “trust a great deal”) over the nearest institution, courts of law (25% “trust a great deal”).

PBS Considered Top Use of Tax Dollars and “Money Well Spent”

  • Only military defense outranked PBS as the best value for the American tax dollar. More than 7 in 10 (71%) of those polled called PBS an “excellent” (19%) or “good” (52%) use of their tax dollars. Military defense was described as “excellent” or “good” by 73% (23% “excellent” or 50% “good”).
  • More than 3 in 4 participants (77%) believe federal funding for PBS is money well spent.

PBS KIDS Called #1 Educational TV/Media Brand, Top Builder of Critical Skills, and Safest
On-Air and Online Destination

  • More than 4 in 10 respondents (44%) named PBS KIDS the most educational TV/media brand, significantly outscoring the second most highly rated brand, Disney, which was considered most educational by 16%.
  • Eighty-five percent (85%) agreed “strongly or somewhat” that PBS “helps children improve their reading and math skills.” Cable and commercial broadcast television received this rating from 47% and 42% of respondents, respectively.
  • Eighty percent (80%) agreed “strongly or somewhat” that “PBS helps prepare children for success in school and life.” This statement was equated with cable television and commercial broadcast television by 47% and 33% of participants, respectively.
  • Eighty-seven percent (87%) agreed “strongly or somewhat” that PBS “is a trusted and safe place for children to watch television.” Fifty-one percent (51%) and 49% of respondents agreed with this statement regarding commercial broadcast and cable television, respectively.
  • More than 3 in 4 respondents (76%) agreed “strongly or somewhat” that PBS “is a trusted and safe place for children to visit online,” while this statement was attributed to cable television and commercial broadcasters by only 37% and 40% of the sample, respectively.
  • Seventy-nine percent (79%) agreed “strongly or somewhat” that PBS is “the innovator” in children’s educational media. Forty-seven percent (44%) percent and 37% of participants also applied this statement to cable and commercial broadcast television, respectively.

Public broadcasting is America’s largest classroom, its biggest stage for the arts and a trusted window to the world, providing a place for all Americans to access new ideas and information to help every citizen build a brighter future.
Full results are available at http://to.pbs.org/most-trusted-2014.

Survey Methodology

The 2014 Public Opinion Poll was conducted by phone, including landlines and cell-phone only homes, within the United States by ORC International’s CARAVAN on behalf of PBS from January 9-12, 2014 among 1,004 adults ages 18 and older. The sample included 502 men and 502 women. Survey results are weighted to be nationally representative of the U.S. adult population.

 

Meet a W.Va. Water Hero

Water donations from across the country have poured into Wyoming County since our original report.  The folks in Bud and Alpoca were dealing with unpotable water, running a dark brown at times, months before the chemical spill in Charleston. Another donation arrived at Herndon Consolidated School Tuesday, but this time it from another elementary school in northern W.Va.

January 9 a chemical spill contaminated the water source for more than 300,000 customers in West Virginia’s capitol city and the surrounding area. A state of emergency was declared, the National Guard was called in to assist with water distribution, and donations arrived from groups across the country.

Around that same time, Sarah Haymond was teaching a lesson to her 3rd grade class at Blackshere Elementary in Marion County. Haymond decided the best way to teach about community service, was to coordinate a water drive for the folks affected by the chemical spill.

The state of emergency is still in effect for nine counties but Haymond didn’t feel the need was as great. So she began looking for other places in W.Va. with a water need and that’s when she found the town of Bud.

About 500 people have been on a boil water advisory since September and it’s not a state of emergency. The Alpoca Water Works system is dated and without an operator. The owner is working to turn the utility over to the Eastern Wyoming County PSD but it’s not a simple sale.

While it’s worked out, residents seem to be caught in the middle; purchasing water for things like drinking, laundry, and cooking for about six months.

“I showed the students in my class the pictures that I found on the internet from the sinks and the waters and they couldn’t believe it,” she said. “For little kids it’s just something they don’t think about not having water.”

The third graders collected about 65 to 70 gallons of water. The shipment arrived at Herndon Consolidated School on Tuesday. The school has served as central drop off place for donations and residents to find relief.  

MacKenci Fluharty is one of several Blackshere Elementary third grade students that contributed to the Bud water drive.  Listen below as she shares what she learned from the project.

FluhartyWaterHero.MP3
Listen to Mackenzie Fluharty, a W.Va. third grader, read her lessons from the water drive.
Mackenzie Fluharty (right in blue shirt) along with her class was excited to help with the water drive.

Lecture Series Explores Coal History and Legacy

Since the recent chemical spill in Charleston, the issue of clean water in West Virginia is a topic that many Southern West Virginians are discussing.  The Coal Heritage Lecture Series, an annual program presented by Concord University’s Beckley Center and the Coal Heritage Highway Authority, kicks off the 2014 programs with a look at this critical issue. 

Each spring, the Coal Heritage Public Lecture Series explores the legacy of coal in West Virginia. The series is a part of an academic class offered at Concord University called, Coal Culture in West Virginia.

The first lecture explores Industry and the Environment and Responsible Development.  Eric Autenrith and members of the Plateau Action Network, are expected to discuss their take on how industries can create responsible economic development. Speakers are expected to address past situations in the state and examine how to maintain a sustainable environment.

Plateau Action Network, based in Fayetteville, is an advocate for clean water issues.

Lectures take place on the first Tuesday of February, March, April and May at the Erma Byrd Center. located in Raleigh County, in Room E 10 at 7:00 p.m. 

Students taking the course for credit hear lectures, watch films and participate in field trips that help them better understand the rich history of coal in the state, but all lectures are free and open to the public.

The lecture series will continue on March 4 with singer/songwriter Kate Long as she performs Songs of the Coalfields.  April 1, National Park Service Interpretive Ranger, Billy Strasser, will discuss the recent work the New River Gorge National River has completed in the town of Nuttallburg in the lecture Nuttalburg: Then and Now. 

The series will conclude on May 6 when Gordon Simmons, historian and Marshall University Instructor, will explore the culture of resistance in coal miners.  The Miner’s Freedom considers the history of coal miners and their ability to exert some control in the workforce, despite the autocracy of the coal camps.

Exit mobile version