The Inter-Mountain photo by Brooke Binns Teachers and school service personnel hold signs during peaceful demonstrations across Randolph County Thursday, as part of a statewide two-day walkout.

ELKINS — A work stoppage continues today for teachers and school service personnel across West Virginia, closing schools around the state.

Despite the West Virginia State Legislature approving a multi-year pay raise for teachers, school service employees and the West Virginia State Police, the work stoppage will continue today.

Frank Caputo, American Federation of Teachers representative for West Virginia, said all efforts being made are for the students in the state.

“This is about the children that we serve, that’s what this all comes down to,” Caputo said.

Throughout the day Thursday, representatives from schools in Randolph County held up signs in areas around the county, attempting to send a message to legislators and the general public.

Citizens of the county showed support for state workers by honking their horns while driving by the workers holding signs.

Ellen Shepherd, president of West Virginia Education Association for Randolph County, said, “I think that here in Randolph County, the pickets went amazingly well. Some community members stopped to talk and find out information; many stopped with snacks and treats for picketers; and we received tons of donations for our backpack program.

“We want to thank everyone who honks, waves, stops to talk or stops to picket with us and offers support in whatever way they can. It means so much to those of us who are out fighting for public education and state workers,” Shepherd continued.

Caputo added people around the state have shown great support.

“In many of our counties, businesses have been dropping off food – there is unbelievable community support,” he said. “The only support we can’t get is from the majority party down here; everyone else seems to be supporting our efforts to fix (Public Employees Insurance Agency) and receive an adequate pay raise.”

State workers have been hosting informational pickets and rallies throughout recent weeks in an effort to promote awareness about their concerns — insufficient pay raises and higher insurance costs.

Caputo noted the Capitol building in Charleston was flooded with teachers and service personnel.

“It went beyond my wildest dreams,” he said. “The upstairs, where the chambers are, we had to stop letting people go up — it actually became a fire hazard. It was unreal — I’ve never experienced anything like this.”

“We had many of our teachers and service personnel represent us in Charleston and many more going (today),” Shepherd said.

“I would love to see some progress made in Charleston. At this point, there has been very little progress and that is disheartening. We want our classrooms full of certified teachers with high expectations for our students. We want to see legislators showing us, through the legislation that they are working on, that they have the same goal,” she continued. “Locally, I hope to see the continued support, donations for the backpack program and bagged lunch program in Mill Creek, and community members stopping to talk with us if they are unsure of what we are fighting for or why.”

During a Randolph County Board of Education meeting Tuesday, Superintendent Gabriel Devono said students are scheduled to go to school Monday.

“We will go to school Monday because it’s a make-up day,” he said. “They probably won’t make any decisions at all until possibly late Sunday night. … We are going to be sending out a message Sunday night (to parents) saying we will have school Monday.”

He said if teachers do decide to picket again, he believes school will have to be canceled.