HUNTINGTON Ƶ The Cabell County Board of Education approved two architectural firms for School Building Authority projects during a regular meeting Tuesday.
Cabell County Schools was awarded more than $17 million in by the West Virginia School Building Authority to build a new Ona Elementary School and for a STEM space and cafeteria renovation at Cabell Midland High School.
The SBA awarded $16,910,069 for the new Ona Elementary School and $1 million for Cabell Midland.
ZMM Architects, which is also working on several of the bond projects such as the new Woody Williams Center for Careers and Technology and the new Meadows Elementary School, was awarded the contract for the new Ona Elementary.
Edward Tucker Architects, which recently completed the new Davis Creek Elementary School, was approved for the projects at Cabell Midland.
Deputy Superintendent Justin Boggs told the board the SBA funds expire in April 2027 and the projects should be completed before then.
Boggs told The Herald-Dispatch the current Ona Elementary School building was built in 1939 and has since had several expansions. He said the ƵantiquatedƵ building is one of the oldest facilities in the district and has several accessibility and HVAC issues among other problems.
ƵItƵs just itƵs aging, different things like that, and by replacing this, we would get a better learning environment and much better air quality, and just overall a better facility,Ƶ Boggs said.
He said the project at Cabell Midland started as a way to create an additional space for engineering students and other programs at the school and would now double as a way to have extra space in the cafeteria.
Boggs also told the board he has looked into solar energy options for the new school sites, including the bond and SBA projects, at the boardƵs request, and he is waiting on quotes.
In other business, the board approved a contract with Prestera Health Services again for the 2024-25 school year for mental health services for students.
Keith Thomas, director of health, wellness and student support services, told the board Prestera provides services not just to students but also for families in need of support. Still, he said, staffing can be an issue, and the contract was for 13 employees across all 26 schools.
There is also an interchange program that provides intensive treatment for middle and high school students who go to Prestera five days a week for educational and therapeutic support and to acclimate them back into schools.
Two schools were also honored for their examples: Huntington East Middle and Central City Elementary schools.
Huntington East was recognized for its commitment to the Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports framework (PBIS), which is a model that rewards good behavior instead of focusing on punishment. Principal Donald Pennington told the board the school also regularly sets expectations by talking to students about the rules and keeping signs posted.
ƵHow you approach some of these students basically decides if theyƵre gonna be suspended or not. And you know, when they kind of butt heads, staff, students, itƵs just trying to get everybody thrown in the same direction,Ƶ Pennington said. ƵIt is a shift that not everybody jumps on board, but when they do, and you get everybody growing in the same direction, and youƵd be surprised how the students will react.Ƶ
Central City Elementary was honored for being a model school at the Model Schools Conference.
According to Deputy Superintendent Kelly Watts, Central CityƵs ƵWalk to InterventionƵ model helped the school progress six points in reading and seven points in math in testing scores, Ƶand they are continuing on the up and up.Ƶ
Wendy Barker, of Nichols and Altizer elementary schools, was also recognized as West Virginia School Nurse of the Year.
The board also approved the July 2024 treasurerƵs report and the rest of the consent and personnel agenda items.
The board will meet again for its regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 3.
