Nicholas County Schools

I want to take a moment to thank our students, parents, and teachers for helping us curtail the use of cell phones during instruction in our schools. It has been a smooth transition, and all I want to thank all of you for its success. A few phones have been taken, but that number seems to be decreasing as times goes on. Also, we have had very few repeat offenders which is great! Teachers have told me it is making a big difference in our classes. The dress code emphasis has been a little more difficult, but we are making progress. I have seen most of our students wearing appropriate clothing, so for those that say you can't find clothes that meet our requirements....well, that is just not so. American Eagle, Aeropostale, and other brands do sell jeans, shirts, and blouses that meet our expectations. Again, thank you for working with us on these two areas. It is much appreciated, and it is making a positive difference. Terrence Beam, Superintendent

Just an FYI. the phones at Summersville Middle and NCHS are out at this time.

Reminder the link for todays live meeting link is here! https://thrillshare.com/s/documents-ncs-nicholascountyschoolswv/browse/698146?query=

Thursday, September 19 is School Service Personnel Day! We want to take this opportunity to recognize and celebrate the important work that our service employees do every day. They are often the first and last employees that our students come into contact with, and their importance is immeasurable in importance. Often, service employees do not get the recognition that they certainly deserve, and we could not have a successful school system with them. Congratulations to all of our service employees and we hope that they realize the appreciation that we have for their service to our schools. Terrence Beam, Superintendent

I would like to take a moment to thank our local law enforcement agencies and community leaders that were so supportive and present at our schools last Friday morning as we navigated through the threat issue that most counties in West Virginia dealt with. I also want to thank our parents for understanding the difficult situation we were dealing with and being as patient with us as we had to make decisions. It is reassuring to know that we have conscientious people that genuinely care about the safety of our children. thank you for all that you do for us every day! Terrence Beam, Superintendent

We have been dealing with an alleged threat to one of our schools. As a result, I made the decision to cancel school, practices, and games for today, Thursday, September 12, 2024. The investigation has continued throughout the day, and it is clear that several counties in WV received the same type of threat. The investigation is ongoing and there are individuals that have been or will be interviewed by the local police departments. I meet with representatives from the Nicholas County Sheriff's Department, the Summersville City Police Department, the Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and have spoken with the local State Police Detachment. After much discussion, it has been determined that no viable threat exists for our students and staff and that school will resume as normal tomorrow, Friday September 13, 2024. There will be added security at our schools tomorrow. It is important for parents and students to understand that we take all threats to our schools seriously and if a student or employee is directly involved in a school threat, we will move to expel that student or terminate that employee immediately. These threats are no joke, (regardless of their intent) and they cause a lot of concern for everyone involved and that type of behavior will not be tolerated. We appreciate your understanding during this stressful time. Terrence Beam, Superintendent

For today September 12, 2024 all extra-curricular activities, practices and games are cancelled.

Important Bus Information! Bus 147, which serves Glade Creek, SMS, and NCHS along with roads in the area of Route 41, Ritchie Farm Road, and Nile Road, will not be running on Friday, September 6, 2024 due to a lack of available substitute bus drivers. If your child cannot attend school due to the cancellation of this bus run, please send a note with your child the next day they attend school. Our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Important Bus Announcement! Bus 145 will not be running today due to the lack of available substitute drivers. This largely impacts student that attend Zela, SMS, and NCHS that live on Whitewater Road. If your child is unable to attend school today due to this, please send a note to school with your child stating this is the reason. Again, sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

According to state code, all board meeting must be live. Here is the link to this weeks board meeting. You will be able to find these every meeting on our website. boe.nich.k12.wv.us. Just click board members and then it will be under the live board meeting links. https://boe.nich.k12.wv.us/documents/board-members/meeting-links/698146

Attention Mt. Nebo Elementary! Due to a power outage, there will be no school today, August 30th.

There will be no school at Cherry River Elementary School on Tuesday, August 27 so that students and staff may attend the funeral services of one of our students. Employees are to report to work on the regular schedule but may attend the services if they choose. Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and the entire school community of Cherry River Elementary School. May God comfort you at this time. Terrence Beam, Superintendent

I need to make a clarification to the guidance concerning cell phones in our schools. I should be using the term personal communication devices because we are not just looking at cell phones. Personal communication devices also include air pods and smart watches. In other words, any personal device that distracts a student from paying attention in class. Each school will meet with their students on Monday and explain the policy and ramifications if the policy is not followed. Oce again, we need the support from our teachers, parents, and community in order to be successful with this endeavor. Terrence Beam, Superintendent

As we begin another school year, I would like to take a moment to thank the citizens of Nicholas County for their support of the excess school levy that was passed in May. This will allow us to continue to offer programs and opportunities that would not be possible had it failed. The levy pays for student meals, admittance into ball games, dental and optical coverage for our employees, school safety funding, public library support, band and athletic team support, and many other things. The levy will be in effect until June 30, 2031. I would also like to give a summary of our two building projects that are currently taking place. The Richwood project is approximately one year from completion. We are hoping to have it ready for students during the 2025-2026 school year. The Summersville Academic Complex at Glade Creek began construction on July 29 and is expected to take approximately three years to complete. We received one million dollars from the School Building Authority for replacing the sewer system at NCHS and another 3.5 million dollars for additional funding for the construction projects. We are currently seeking School Building Authority funding for renovations to the Nicholas County Career and Technical Center also. This year, we will be placing strong emphasis on three areas of concern in our school system. First of all, the use of cell phones for personal use during classroom instruction will not be permitted. We are losing too much instructional time when students are on their phones instead of learning what is being taught. At this point, we will allow students to keep cell phones in their lockers, book bags, or in pockets provided in classrooms. If the students do not follow this directive, I will ask the board to completely ban cell phones from our schools. This practice is taking place nationwide as schools see many problems arise from students on cell phones during the school day. Bullying, texting inappropriate messages and pictures, threatening comments, etc. all lead to discipline issues as well as causing emotional, social, and mental issues. I am asking that employees follow the same guidelines, set the right example, and show professionalism in this manner. Secondly, the dress code is being adjusted to be more specific in what can and cannot be worn. Too many students come to school dressed very inappropriately and this is a disruption to learning. Holes about the mid-thigh area, covering of body parts, and pulling the hoods over a student’s head are areas that need addressed most. The policy will be made available on our county website when it is approved by the board in September. Attendance for both students and employees is unsatisfactory nationwide. That is no excuse for not addressing it as an issue. Our new slogan is Attendance Matters: 9 Days or Less for Student Success. We can’t educate absent students and absent teachers cannot educate students that are present. I realize that some of these priorities are not popular, but I believe them to be imperative if we want students to be more successful in school. In summary, you can see that we have some very positive things occurring and some negative areas to address. We have a very good school system with wonderful employees and students, but we could be better. We must all work together to make this happen. Wishing you a great school year, Terrence Beam, Superintendent

Employees are to report to their home schools on Monday morning, August 12 at your regular schedule times. Principals will give you direction on the week's schedule. All other personnel need to follow the guidance of your direct supervisor. Students report to school on Monday, August 19. We look forward to seeing you!

The Nicholas County Board of Education office will close at 12:00 on Fridays during the summer months. Office staff will be working extended hours to compensate for this early out on Fridays. This is a practice that occurs in many counties in the state.

Well, today is the last day for our students. Our students are our future, and we need to help them make that future as bright as we can. Sometimes that means making decisions in their best interest that they may not understand or agree with. That is what we as adults must do...both teachers and parents. Changes are coming this fall. We must get back to teaching and learning and not spending so much time addressing issues that prevent that from happening. I wish all of our students and parents a safe and enjoyable summer break. To our employees, I of course wish the same. Much is expected out of our employees and much too often they are not thanked enough. Education is a very rewarding, yet challenging, profession. I praise you for your hard work and dedication. I have enjoyed visiting your classrooms or workplaces and getting to know you just a little bit better. I intend to visit all classrooms again next year and get to see some great interaction with our students! Much has been accomplished this year, but I hope that this is just the beginning of making our school system better and more attractive to our community. I appreciate you all so much! Best wishes, Terrence Beam, Superintendent

Reminder, today, Thursday, May 30th is a scheduled 3 Hour Early Dismissal. Students will be released three hours earlier than normal.

Attention Richwood Middle and High School! There will be NO School Wednesday, May 29th at Richwood Middle and High School due to a power outage. Staff does not need to report to the school.

Attention Zela Elementary! There will be NO School Wednesday, May 29th at Zela Elementary due to a power outage. Staff does not need to report to the school.