photo by: Joselyn King
Ohio County Schools Assistant Superintendent Rick Jones speaks during Monday’s board of education meeting.
Public concern about speeders in school zones has resulted in some speeding tickets being issued, with traffic now driving slower, according to Ohio County Schools Assistant Superintendent Rick Jones.
Jones told board of education members Monday night that complaints about traffic speeding past Triadelphia Middle School along National Road started last year, and have increased since the start of this school year.
School Security Officer Jason Chambers reached out to the Wheeling Police Department, and a group of officers on motorcycles was tapped to focus on the area during morning drop off and afternoon dismissal time, he continued.
Speeders were stopped, several tickets were written and people are now driving slower through the zone, Jones said.
“For about two weeks, every other day they were there and they really slowed people down. It has really helped,” he continued.
“Hopefully, we won’t need to do that at Woodsdale (Elementary School). I try to continue to put things on social media to slow people down, but they go pretty fast through the school zone.”
He said the school district also has ordered signage similar to that on Edgington Lane that was placed by the city to stop speeders. These will be placed in school zones where and when needed.
“We don’t want anybody to get tickets, but we also have kids we don’t want hit by a car,” Jones added.
Board member Molly Aderholt said she has received calls from those at Bridge Street Middle School saying that people are “speeding down the hill coming from Bethlehem” past the school.
Jones has set a school safety meeting for 8:15 on Nov. 8 at the board office, 2203 National Road, Elm Grove. The public is invited to come attend for the purpose of discussing other safety matters within the school district.
Jones will be attending the 2023 West Virginia School Safety Conference Thursday and Friday at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center, and he is a board member for the conference.
Also attending from Ohio County Schools will be Nicole Shepherd, behavior specialist and alternative education coordinator; Jessica Broski-Birch, principal at Bridge Street Middle School; Tyler Wilson, school security officer at Wheeling Park High School; David Crumm, maintenance and transportation director; Don Ratcliffe, maintenance supervisor; Jack Doyle, vice principal at Wheeling Park High School; and Nathan Skrypek, WPHS teacher.
In addition, three WPHS students will be attending the conference on Thursday, and Ohio County Schools is expected to be the only school district who will have representation by students. Those selected to attend are Sam Kiger, Danielle Daughterty and Aidan Davis.
Superintendent Kim Miller was not present at Monday’s board meeting, as she was attending the West Virginia Superintendents Conference in Bridgeport, West Virginia.
Board president Andy Garber, Aderholt and board member Erik Schramm attended Monday’s meeting. Pete Chacalos participated by phone, while David Croft was not present.
The next regular meeting of the board will be at 6 p.m. on Nov. 13 at the board office.
