CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia has the oldest teachers in the country, and the state struggles to retain young teachers.

State Superintendent of Schools Steve Paine wants to use economic stimulus dollars to help teachers work together - and alongside retired teachers - to improve student achievement and retain more teachers.

With 67 percent of its teachers older than 50, West Virginia leads the nation, state school board members learned at a meeting Thursday. One in three new teachers leaves the profession within three years. Half leave within five years.

One of Paine's top priorities for the stimulus money is to lay the groundwork for a system where teachers can find time to work together in the classroom to master new teaching strategies. The stimulus money will be available over two years.

The effort might require changes to state board policy and West Virginia law, Paine said.

Paine also wants to invest stimulus funds to increase Internet bandwidth and offer teachers and students more computers and technology.

Also Thursday, Paine said he wants to meet with members of the Gilmer County school board to help resolve building problems at three elementary schools.

Paine told state school board members he wants to see what plans Gilmer school board members have for Normantown, Sand Fork and Troy elementary schools in one of West Virginia's smallest counties.

Students have already moved into portable buildings at the Normantown site, and many worry that Sand Fork and Troy might be structurally unsafe for students.

State Superintendent of Schools Steve Paine wants to use economic stimulus dollars to help teachers work together - and alongside retired teachers - to improve student achievement and retain more teachers.

With 67 percent of its teachers older than 50, West Virginia leads the nation, state school board members learned at a meeting Thursday. One in three new teachers leaves the profession within three years. Half leave within five years.

One of Paine's top priorities for the stimulus money is to lay the groundwork for a system where teachers can find time to work together in the classroom to master new teaching strategies. The stimulus money will be available over two years.

The effort might require changes to state board policy and West Virginia law, Paine said.

Paine also wants to invest stimulus funds to increase Internet bandwidth and offer teachers and students more computers and technology.

Also Thursday, Paine said he wants to meet with members of the Gilmer County school board to help resolve building problems at three elementary schools.

Paine told state school board members he wants to see what plans Gilmer school board members have for Normantown, Sand Fork and Troy elementary schools in one of West Virginia's smallest counties.

Students have already moved into portable buildings at the Normantown site, and many worry that Sand Fork and Troy might be structurally unsafe for students.

"If they are or if they are not, we have to make that determination," Paine said.

Engineers are expected to issue structural reports for Sand Fork and Troy.

Last month, state School Building Authority members questioned why Gilmer school officials wanted to build a new Normantown school and had not considered replacements for Sand Fork and Troy.

"Their project presentation was not a very favorable presentation," Paine said.

Also last month, a 3-2 majority of Gilmer County school board members voted to not renew Superintendent Ed Toman's contract.

Desi Garrett, a former teacher, has approached state board on at least two occasions. On Wednesday, she said the Gilmer school system is on the way to "financial suicide" at the hands of three board members.

Howard O'Cull, executive director of the West Virginia School Boards Association, said Thursday the two Gilmer board members in the minority don't plan to participate in the search for a new superintendent, "which is unheard of."

"We're a long way from healing this," said O'Cull. He spends much of his time training school board members to work effectively.

Reach Davin White at davinwh...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1254.