RESA 2 Director Reports to Logan County BOE
Logan, WV – Members of the Logan County Board of Education heard a special report on projects of benefit to schools and communities that are being carried out across the county by RESA 2, Regional Education Service Agency.
RESA 2 Executive Director Dr. Dee Cockille reviewed RESA’s services,
which include education, health and safety, financial benefits, and technology. “Using these basic concepts to guide our work, we impact schools, the children and their teachers by improving learning, providing benefits to the community and saving taxpayer’s money,” she told the board.
RESA’s overall mission is to provide high quality, cost-effective, life-long education programs and services to students, schools and communities.
Cockrille emphasized the strong partnership she and her staff maintain with teachers and administrators in the county. “As a direct benefit to educating students and improving teaching performance, the agency facilitates and assists with staff development programs for administrators, teachers, teacher substitutes, and service personnel,” Cockrille said.
Further, she said her agency is discussing alternative certification projects in math and chemistry. Plans are also in place to initiate physics and English programs to provide certification for practicing teachers.
Praising the dedication of Logan County educators, she said, “RESA’s achievements are in large measure accomplished through the tremendous cooperation of some very dedicated teachers, principals and administrators, who want nothing less than the best educational tools and programs for their students. They are not 9-to-5 workers. They live their vocations and continue their work long after the school day is over,” Cockrille said.
To improve health and safety, RESA 2 collaborates with the county schools in support of Drug-Free School and Healthy School programs and provides technical assistance to implement tobacco control and cessation policies. In addition, the agency provides diagnostic and prescriptive services for exceptional children and has arranged audiology evaluations and testing for students in the county.
Cockrille emphasized that the repair and maintenance of technological equipment is a high priority, because “it fosters and encourages innovation, individuality and creativity,” she said. RESA 2 impacts 21st century learning and effective instruction by repairing and updating computers and installing software and hardware, providing consultation services and IT and wireless networking support for all Logan County schools.
The director said her agency and other RESAs across the state offer “tremendous” financial benefits in the way of cost savings in the schools and communities. We accomplish these savings, in part, by engaging the professional expertise of agency staff members and county school personnel. By doing this we avoid higher costs that would be incurred by hiring outside professionals, she explained.
“In our RESA we have a dedicated staff of 19, and last year we received approximately $546,662 in state funds out of a total appropriation of $4.2 million for all eight RESAs,” Cockrille said. “However, the need for funds to maintain established programs and initiate necessary new ones consistently exceeds the legislative allotment. As a result,” she emphasized, “RESAs routinely apply for thousands of dollars in grant support and continually look for innovative and entrepreneurial ways to improve education. This increases our effectiveness and efficiency. I believe this gives you an idea of the impact our agencies make on the economy.”
RESA 2 serves Cabell, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, Mingo, and Wayne Counties.
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Serving: Cabell, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, Mingo, and Wayne Counties