Harrison County BoE

In The News with Harrison County Schools

DeMarco named WV Coach's Association AA Coach of the Year

Coach John DeMarco, who led Lincoln's baseball team to the state Class AA championship, has been named the WV Coach’s Association AA Coach of the Year. He was recognized fo this honor at the Harrison County Board of Education's Feb. 2, 2010, meeting. John is a Title I teacher at Big Elm Elementary and has been the coach at Lincoln for 6 years. He said he enjoys receiving this honor for his home town team. The Board thanked him for all of the time and effort he has given to the Lincoln baseball team. They congratulated him for being named the state Coach’s Association AA Coach of the Year and wished him continued success with the team. He is shown, left to right, with board member Sally Cann, his wife, son, and parents.

**Medbrook Children's Charity**

During the Dec. 8, 2009, Harrison County Board of Education meeting, Dr. Kelly Nelson, center, presented them a check for $40,000 on behalf of the Medbook Children’s Charity. This is the 10th year for the charity, which has so far raised more than $500,000. Plans are in the works to take the charity to endowment status, according to Dr. Nelson. This year’s money will be used for the Children’s Apparel Fund ($25,000) and the School Nurses’ Discretionary Fund ($15,000). Dr. Nelson is shown with Paul Howe, school board president, left, and David D’Annunzio, a member of the charity’s board of directors.

**Academic Achievement Awards**

Harrison County had one team and one individual singled out this year by the WV Secondary Schools Activities Commission for their academic performances. These winners were honored during the pre-game ceremonies of the Class AAA Championship Football game in Wheeling on Dec, 5, 2009, where plaques and banners were presented. A special breakfast was also held. The winners, Sundus Lateef of Bridgeport Middle School, and the Bridgeport Middle School’s Boys’ Basketball team , were again recognized during the Harrison County Board of Education’s Dec. 8, 2009, meeting. Sundus earned the Individual Female Band Student Award, having the best grade point average for a female band student in the state at the middle school level. And the Bridgeport Boys’ Basketball team had the best computed overall grade point average, which happens to be 3.93. Quite an accomplishment. The Board congratulated them and was pleased to know that the students are excelling at both academics and other worthy pursuits. Sundus is shown in the first row, along with the basketball team, the coach and Principal Carole Crawford.

**2009-2010 EXEMPLARY SCHOOLS**

Four Harrison County schools are among only 65 schools statewide to earn Exemplary Accreditation status. A ceremony was held in November in Charleston to mark this milestone. “We have high expectations for all schools in West Virginia and these schools have achieved the state board’s highest level of recognition,” said West Virginia Board of Education President Priscilla Haden. “Educators, parents, students and communities understand that quality is important and are working hard to ensure students succeed. We encourage them to keep up the good work.” On Dec. 8, 2009, the Board of Education recognized Johnson Elementary, Simpson Elementary, Bridgeport Middle and Bridgeport High schools for obtaining this high level of accomplishment. These schools met a set of rigorous standards to garner such an award. This can mean having a high level of student proficiency on the WESTEST; an attendance rate at or above 94 percent; a high school graduation rate at or above 85 percent; post-secondary attendance of 55 percent, and a 5 percent standard of students who successfully take advanced placement or honors classes. Principal Dennis Stomberg, of Johnson and Principal Loria Reid, Simpson, were first recognized. It was noted that their schools are among only 42 in the state that received Exemplary status at the elementary level. Principal Carole Crawford, BMS, was next. Her school was one of 11 middle schools to achieve Exemplary status, something they’ve been able to do six times under the “No Child Left Behind” standards And lastly, Principal Mark DeFazio, BHS, was recognized. His school was one of five high schools this year to be ranked in the Exemplary category – that’s out of 125 high schools in the state. This makes it nine years that Bridgeport has earned this status, every year the category as been in existence. The Board noted it has taken a great effort among the students, their parents, and the staffs to achieve one of the premier levels of recognition. They congratulated them on their success. Shown left to right are Dennis Stromberg, Board member Sally Cann, Loria Reid, Carole Crawford and Mark DeFazio.

**TITLE I DISTINGUISHED SCHOOLS**

Adamston and Norwood Elementary schools have been notified by the State Department of Education that they were named 2009 West Virginia Title I Distinguished schools. In order to qualify for this designation, these Harrison County schools must have met the following state standards: achieved AYP separately in reading and math for three or more consecutive years; acquired full WV accreditation status, and participated in a Title I program for three or more years. A new standard this year raised the bar from 50 percent to 65 percent proficiency for all the subgroups in both reading/language arts and math based on 10 or more students tested. The principals were recognized during the Dec. 8, 2009, Board of Education meeting. Shown left to right are Board member Michael Queen, Adamston Principal Dora Stutler, Norwood Principal Dr. Ben Guido, and Kay Devono, director of Federal Programs.