The passage of the school funding bill should remove some of the stress of whether Hancock County School Teachers and staff would be paid. The bill was amended in the Senate by 1st District Sen. Ryan Weld to add language that specifies that the 8 million is a loan. It’s simply a clarification by way of title so I do believe the House will concur. !st District Delegate Pat McGeehan says while you never know, he is confident (the House will concur). The bill, effective from passage, will go off to the Governor to be signed. I have no reason to think the Governor would not sign the bill. HB 4575 which addresses the loan and criteria for receiving the funding is sitting in Senate Education and if it makes it out of there would still have to be approved by Senate Finance. It likely will remain on the back burner.
…….That’s a good thing because the bill calls for removal and prosecution of board members, administration, etc. I think the language was crafted in haste and deserves a closer look .
…….The Hancock County school fiasco may be done in the Legislature, but certainly not in the Board of Education office in Charleston or Hancock County schools. It’s my opinion that the worst is yet to be as the numbers being cited turn into our friends, family and neighbors whose lives are being turned upside down.
…….The dichotomy between what is being said about us by State Board of Education officials and what happened here is troubling and as is often the case the truth probably lies somewhere in between. State Superintendent Michele Blatt told House Finance, Hancock County had been giving out illegal bonuses. That was not the case. The definition of a bonus is additional money. Those two payments were the employees’ own money paid at the end of the year and before summer. Hancock Board President Chris Gillette has asked Blatt to apologize and clear up the matter, but to date she has not done so.
…….The State takeover means we, the citizens, who know our needs best will get no say over our schools’ destiny. One would hope that call for transparency is not ignored, but I’m not seeing it yet.
…….. PRO (police resource officers) officers are vital to keeping our kids and school employees safe. Each person entering the school must go through a scanner which greatly enhances the ability to keep guns, knifes out of school The most recent levy was promoted through enhanced school safety and included funding for officers. We hear that Superintent Saunders has met with Sheriff Scott Gittings to inform him the school would not be funding one, maybe two, pro officers in the north. Weirton Police Chief Charlie Kush was also called to a meeting with the Superintendent to learn the school system would not fund one to two pro officers in Weirton. Each school should be have a pro officer assigned and that should not be negotiable. Saunders did not respond to an e-mail sent Saturday on the subject.
……..It is apparent to me that former Joe Campinelli pretty much had free rein on the finances, not just in the past few years, but since he was hired. The WVEIS reporting system was approved in 2000 and was up and running in 2023. With this system the amount in the account could be entered and it was verified that indeed the money was in that account. We are told that Campinelli used a spreadsheet instead to let the administration and Board know what was in the accounts. He could fill in any number with no way of verification. With 54 counties using the system, shouldn’t the State have seen a red flag when Hancock was not.
…….The audits done by Tetrick & Barlow expressed concern over Hancock County’s non-compliance and late reports in a separate letter we were able to access. Both the State Board and the local Board received the letter. I know that Tetrick and Barlow have been fired and the State Auditor’s Office is doing Hancock County’s audit, but shouldn’t a forensic audit be done? Who makes that determination.
…….I have been told by State Board of Education that an investigation is ongoing in different areas and the prosecution could be Federal, State or County. We need a time frame. I think we all fear that there will be no action taken and we will never know exactly what happened.
….Not only has Hancock County Schools’ reputation been sullied, but individuals on the Board and in the administration’s good name has been damaged. The time for secrecy has passed. The time for transparency is now!
sThe passage of the school funding bill should remove some of the stress of whether Hancock County School Teachers and staff would be paid. The bill was amended in the Senate by 1st District Sen. Ryan Weld to add language that specifies that the 8 million is a loan. It’s simply a clarification by way of title so I do believe the House will concur. !st District Delegate Pat McGeehan says while you never know, he is confident (the House will concur). The bill, effective from passage, will go off to the Governor to be signed. I have no reason to think the Governor would not sign the bill. HB 4575 which addresses the loan is sitting in Senate Education and if it makes it out of there would still have to be approved by Senate Finance. Sen. Said it likely would remain on the back burner.
…….That’s a good thing because the bill calls for removal and prosecution of board members, administration, etc. I think the language was crafted in haste and deserves a closer look .
…….The Hancock County school fiasco may move from the Legislature, but certainly not from Charleston or Hancock County. It’s my opinion that the worst is yet to be.
…….The dichotomy between what is being said about us by State Board of Education officials and what happened is troubling and is often the case the truth probably lies somewhere in between. State Superintendent Michele Blatt told House Finance Hancock County had been giving out illegal bonuses. That was not the case. The definition of a bonus is additional money. Those two payments were the employees’ own money paid at the end of the year and before summer. Hancock Board President Chris Gillette has asked Blatt to apologize and clear up the matter, but to date she has not done so.
…….The State takeover means we, the citizens, who know our needs best will get no say over our schools’ destiny. One would hope that call for transparency is not ignored, but I’m not seeing it yet.
…….. PRO (police resource officers) officers are vital to keeping our kids and school employees safe. Each person entering the school must go through a scanner which greatly enhances the ability to keep guns, knifes out of school The most recent levy was promoted through enhanced school safety and included funding for officers. We hear that Superintent Saunders has met with Sheriff Scott Gittings to inform him the school would not be funding one, maybe two, pro officers in the north. Weirton Police Chief Charlie Kush was also called to a meeting with the Superintendent to learn the school system would not fund one to two pro officers in Weirton. Each school should be have a pro officer assigned and that should not be negotiable.
……..It is apparent to me that former Joe Campinelli pretty much had free rein on the finances, not just in the past few years, but since he was hired
……The WVEIS reporting system was approved in 2000 and was up and running in 2023. With this system the amount in the account could be entered and it was verified that indeed the money was in that account. We are told that Campinelli used a spreadsheet to let the administration and Board know what was in the accounts. He could fill in any number with no way of verification. With 54 counties using the system, shouldn’t the State have seen a red flag when Hancock was not.
…….The audits done by Tetrict & Barlow expressed concern over Hancock County’s non-compliance and late reports in a separate letter we were able to access. Both the State Board and the local Board received the letter.
…….I have been told by State Board of Education that an investigation is ongoing in different areas and the prosecution of could be Federal, State or County. We need a time frame. I think we all fear that there will be no action taken and we will never know exactly what happened. or downright theft. (the last two are mine)
….Not only has Hancock County Schools’ reputation been sullied, but individuals on the Board and in the administration’s good name has been damaged. The time for secrecy has passed. The time for transparency is now!
sThe passage of the school funding bill should remove some of the stress of whether Hancock County School Teachers and staff would be paid. The bill was amended in the Senate by 1st District Sen. Ryan Weld to add language that specifies that the 8 million is a loan. It’s simply a clarification by way of title so I do believe the House will concur. !st District Delegate Pat McGeehan says while you never know, he is confident (the House will concur). The bill, effective from passage, will go off to the Governor to be signed. I have no reason to think the Governor would not sign the bill. HB 4575 which addresses the loan is sitting in Senate Education and if it makes it out of there would still have to be approved by Senate Finance. Sen. Said it likely would remain on the back burner.
…….That’s a good thing because the bill calls for removal and prosecution of board members, administration, etc. I think the language was crafted in haste and deserves a closer look .
…….The Hancock County school fiasco may move from the Legislature, but certainly not from Charleston or Hancock County. It’s my opinion that the worst is yet to be.
…….The dichotomy between what is being said about us by State Board of Education officials and what happened is troubling and is often the case the truth probably lies somewhere in between. State Superintendent Michele Blatt told House Finance Hancock County had been giving out illegal bonuses. That was not the case. The definition of a bonus is additional money. Those two payments were the employees’ own money paid at the end of the year and before summer. Hancock Board President Chris Gillette has asked Blatt to apologize and clear up the matter, but to date she has not done so.
…….The State takeover means we, the citizens, who know our needs best will get no say over our schools’ destiny. One would hope that call for transparency is not ignored, but I’m not seeing it yet.
…….. PRO (police resource officers) officers are vital to keeping our kids and school employees safe. Each person entering the school must go through a scanner which greatly enhances the ability to keep guns, knifes out of school The most recent levy was promoted through enhanced school safety and included funding for officers. We hear that Superintent Saunders has met with Sheriff Scott Gittings to inform him the school would not be funding one, maybe two, pro officers in the north. Weirton Police Chief Charlie Kush was also called to a meeting with the Superintendent to learn the school system would not fund one to two pro officers in Weirton. Each school should be have a pro officer assigned and that should not be negotiable.
……..It is apparent to me that former Joe Campinelli pretty much had free rein on the finances, not just in the past few years, but since he was hired
……The WVEIS reporting system was approved in 2000 and was up and running in 2023. With this system the amount in the account could be entered and it was verified that indeed the money was in that account. We are told that Campinelli used a spreadsheet to let the administration and Board know what was in the accounts. He could fill in any number with no way of verification. With 54 counties using the system, shouldn’t the State have seen a red flag when Hancock was not.
…….The audits done by Tetrict & Barlow expressed concern over Hancock County’s non-compliance and late reports in a separate letter we were able to access. Both the State Board and the local Board received the letter.
…….I have been told by State Board of Education that an investigation is ongoing in different areas and the prosecution of could be Federal, State or County. We need a time frame. I think we all fear that there will be no action taken and we will never know exactly what happened. or downright theft. (the last two are mine)
….Not only has Hancock County Schools’ reputation been sullied, but individuals on the Board and in the administration’s good name has been damaged. The time for secrecy has passed. The time for transparency is now!
sThe passage of the school funding bill should remove some of the stress of whether Hancock County School Teachers and staff would be paid. The bill was amended in the Senate by 1st District Sen. Ryan Weld to add language that specifies that the 8 million is a loan. It’s simply a clarification by way of title so I do believe the House will concur. !st District Delegate Pat McGeehan says while you never know, he is confident (the House will concur). The bill, effective from passage, will go off to the Governor to be signed. I have no reason to think the Governor would not sign the bill. HB 4575 which addresses the loan is sitting in Senate Education and if it makes it out of there would still have to be approved by Senate Finance. Sen. Said it likely would remain on the back burner.
…….That’s a good thing because the bill calls for removal and prosecution of board members, administration, etc. I think the language was crafted in haste and deserves a closer look .
…….The Hancock County school fiasco may move from the Legislature, but certainly not from Charleston or Hancock County. It’s my opinion that the worst is yet to be.
…….The dichotomy between what is being said about us by State Board of Education officials and what happened is troubling and is often the case the truth probably lies somewhere in between. State Superintendent Michele Blatt told House Finance Hancock County had been giving out illegal bonuses. That was not the case. The definition of a bonus is additional money. Those two payments were the employees’ own money paid at the end of the year and before summer. Hancock Board President Chris Gillette has asked Blatt to apologize and clear up the matter, but to date she has not done so.
…….The State takeover means we, the citizens, who know our needs best will get no say over our schools’ destiny. One would hope that call for transparency is not ignored, but I’m not seeing it yet.
…….. PRO (police resource officers) officers are vital to keeping our kids and school employees safe. Each person entering the school must go through a scanner which greatly enhances the ability to keep guns, knifes out of school The most recent levy was promoted through enhanced school safety and included funding for officers. We hear that Superintent Saunders has met with Sheriff Scott Gittings to inform him the school would not be funding one, maybe two, pro officers in the north. Weirton Police Chief Charlie Kush was also called to a meeting with the Superintendent to learn the school system would not fund one to two pro officers in Weirton. Each school should be have a pro officer assigned and that should not be negotiable.
……..It is apparent to me that former Joe Campinelli pretty much had free rein on the finances, not just in the past few years, but since he was hired
……The WVEIS reporting system was approved in 2000 and was up and running in 2023. With this system the amount in the account could be entered and it was verified that indeed the money was in that account. We are told that Campinelli used a spreadsheet to let the administration and Board know what was in the accounts. He could fill in any number with no way of verification. With 54 counties using the system, shouldn’t the State have seen a red flag when Hancock was not.
…….The audits done by Tetrict & Barlow expressed concern over Hancock County’s non-compliance and late reports in a separate letter we were able to access. Both the State Board and the local Board received the letter.
…….I have been told by State Board of Education that an investigation is ongoing in different areas and the prosecution of could be Federal, State or County. We need a time frame. I think we all fear that there will be no action taken and we will never know exactly what happened. or downright theft. (the last two are mine)
….Not only has Hancock County Schools’ reputation been sullied, but individuals on the Board and in the administration’s good name has been damaged. The time for secrecy has passed. The time for transparency is now!
s
