The Randolph County Board of Education finished its meetings with the Local School Improvement Councils Tuesday during a special call meeting at Elkins High School. The board heard the success of the schools and the needs at the buildings.

Beverly Elementary Principal Paul Zickefoose told the board how the school is working with The June Harless Center to become a 21st Century Learning Center. He said the LSIC, as well as the school's faculty senate, wrote resolutions to move toward the goal. Presentation stations consisting of a projector, laptop and Smartboard in each classroom and a Snowshoe Foundation grant for document cameras are helping the school develop into the center.

Zickefoose said the school needs financial support for a new communication system and facility construction including a kitchen, cafeteria, classrooms and a media center.

Harman School Principal Debbie Schmidlen said the school is proud of the second year of its pre-school, Smartboards and student organizations. She said the school's FFA won the 2009 Mountain State Forest Festival President's Award for its float and the Harman High School band performed in three parades this year.

Harman student Layla Teter told the board about the FBLA participating in conferences and competitive events.

Schmidlen said the school needs a floor buffer, new lockers, updated restrooms and locker rooms, an addition to the building for a music wing and additional storage space.

Midland Elementary Principal Terry Nelson said the school met Adequate Yearly Progress and had no findings with the Office of Education Performance Audits. He said the school has painted and cleaned the hallways of the building.

Nelson said the school needs roof repairs or a new roof because of leaks and a new fire alarm system.

Elkins Middle School Principal David Roth showed the board a video presentation that contained 1,000 pictures. According to Roth, even though the school did not meet AYP its achievement levels were above the rest of the county.

Following the presentation, Randolph County Superintendent of Schools Dr. James Phares asked Roth how long he was principal, what the discipline referrals where when he started and what they were last year. Roth said he has been at EMS for 21 years and when he started there was more than 7,000 discipline referrals and last year there were 540.

EMS staff members at the meeting said it was emotional to see the pictures with the smiling students. They all said the students love to come to school.

EHS Principal Dave Fincham said with EMS located at the high school, it has been a good opportunity for the staffs at the schools to work together.

Fincham was the last to make a presentation for EHS. He discussed the course offering and academic rigor at the school. He said the school offers two pre-advanced placement courses, six AP, 21 honor classes and eight duel credit classes. According to Fincham, 44 students passed AP tests to receive college credit last year. He said the school has always made AYP and had a graduation rate of 57 percent in 2009. In 2009, the dropout rate went down from 5.9 percent in 2008 to 2.3 percent.

Fincham said the school has received $221,794.25 in funding for technology.

LSIC Member Roy Ferguson made requests for the board to consider.

He asked for funding for an after school program in place of detention or suspension of students, to weigh core honors classes, air conditioning in the gymnasium and to continue to provide technology to the students and staff.