MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Monongalia County Board of Education (BOE) and leadership will communicate their legislative priorities to local state representatives Monday night.
BOE President Ron Lytle said they want to introduce state lawmakers to the proposed Renaissance Center. The proposed $72 million facility is a flexible learning space for college prep, technical, and vocational disciplines, with the possibility of branching out to serve students from nearby districts. Lytle also envisions the center as a resource for local companies to customize learning or training opportunities specific to their employment needs.
The Renaissance Center smashes the traditional notion of 25 students in a classroom with a teacher in front of them lecturing.
“No one works like that, so why would you teach like that?” Lytle questioned. “No one sits in that type of environment; besides, the things that can be embedded into these classrooms become a lot less boring and a lot more relevant for the kids.”
Staffing continues to be an issue that BOE members appear to be getting creative with. Members are looking for support for a plan that would put teachers back in the classroom and on the payroll for five years after retirement while still drawing their pension. Lytle said that the sector of educators is often the most qualified with the least incentive to contribute from a financial perspective.
“Some of those same teachers go to private schools, or they go to other schools where they can continue to do what they love to do,” Lytle said. “Continue to earn a paycheck and get the benefits of the retirement they’ve worked for and deserve.”
Absenteeism, truancy, and discipline are also high priorities statewide and in Monongalia County. Lytle hopes to forge a fine line between following federal rules when it comes to education and providing teachers with tools to address issues that spill into the classroom from home and other aspects of the lives of students.
“Teachers love to teach, and it just wears them out to deal with all the issues of society that the school system has become the answer to, and we really shouldn’t be the answer to those issues, but we are at this point,” Lytle said.
Lytle said provisions will have to be made if there are mandates for the amount of time guidance counselors are required to spend with students. While increased face-to-face time is vital, more administrative help will be needed to keep up with the basic requirements of the job.
“If that happens, we’re going to need an earmark for a service person to work with the counselors to make sure they’re getting the day-to-day paperwork complete,” Lytle said. “They won’t be able to complete it if they are 98 percent in front of students.”
Constant unfunded requirements for teacher training initiated by state lawmakers are another issue important to the BOE. Lytle wants direct input from district educators on whether contract days should be added to the calendar or if there’s another remedy for the situation.
“I’m hoping the legislators are reaching out to them,” Lytle said. “I’m going to figure out how we can have that conversation and make sure the voices of the people that are actually dealing with it are the people they’re listening to.”