ELKINS — At least 17 Randolph County Schools professional and service personnel positions are recommended for termination during three separate Reduction in Force (RIF) meetings/hearings scheduled for this week.

The meetings are set for today, Tuesday and Wednesday, and will take place at the Randolph County Board of Education Central Office.

At a recent BOE meeting, it was reported that the county school system was “over formula” by 34.62 professional positions and 26.85 for service positions.

Reduction in Force is the process of laying off teachers and staff and is typically driven by declining enrollment, school closures, and financial constraints. Employees in Randolph County who receive a RIF letter in early spring can request a hearing to speak to BOE members during RIF personnel meetings. 

According to the state education department, West Virginia schools as a whole are 2,685.92 school personnel positions over formula. 

Agendas for the Monday and Tuesday RIF hearings had been posted by the BOE by Friday. No agenda for the Wednesday hearings had been posted by press time.

Professional positions recommended for termination on the agenda for Monday’s RIF hearing include Jennifer Mendelson, a science teacher at Elkins Middle School; Donya White, a special education teacher at Midland Elementary; and Edward Burda, a business education teacher at Elkins High School.

Professional positions recommended for transfer on the agenda for Monday’s RIF hearing include Samuel Everson, a math teacher at Tygarts Valley Middle/High School; Lucy Godwin, a sixth-grade teacher at TVM/HS; Amanda Belan, a physical education teacher at Midland Elementary; Susan Guillembet, a math teacher at EHS; and Dawn Shipman-Binns and Patrick Binns, fifth-grade teachers at Third Ward Elementary.

Professional positions recommended for termination on the agenda for Tuesday’s RIF hearing include Elizabeth Lowe, a kindergarten teacher at Coalton; Erica Roth, a kindergarten teacher at Third Ward; Kelsey Mahanes, a kindergarten teacher at Midland; and Jodie Akers, an itinerant school counselor with the Randolph Technical Center.

Tina Wulin Gomez, a first-grade teacher at Third Ward Elementary, is recommended for transfer, according to the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting.

Service personnel recommended for termination at Tuesday’s meeting include Teresa McCloud, an ECCAT/aide at Midland, and Chloe Sycafoose, an aide VI-Behavioral Support assistant teacher at EMS.

One service personnel position is recommended for transfer during Tuesday’s meeting, Denver Chewning, a custodian III at the BOE Central Office.