ELKVIEW, W.Va. — When students from Herbert Hoover High School started the 2016-17 school year things were vastly different, the students were on a half-day schedule and splitting time with the student body of Elkview Middle School. When the 2017-18 school year opens, Aug. 14, it will be another adjustment for those Hoover students, but a welcome change as an improved environment awaits.
“The portables are in place,” said Kanawha County Schools Facilities Director Chuck Wilson. “We have ramps, covered walkways throughout the complex, water, sewer, electric. The internet is being hooked up along with intercoms, phone systems, and all the things you need to run a high school.”
Wilson felt confident the temporary space for the Hoover students will be finished and ready by the first day of school. The portables became necessary after flood waters in June of 2016 destroyed the old high school at Falling Rock. The installation of the portables has been wrought with challenges.
“The site is very restrictive so we did a layout here to allow everything to occur,” he said. “Then we worked with the staff on placement so we would know where everybody was going and we could run the proper utilities. Some classes need water and gas.”
The temporary classrooms will include science labs, shop classes, band rooms, choral rooms and other specialized areas along with the regular academic classrooms. The gymnasium and cafeteria will still be shared by the high school and middle school, but scheduling will allocate times for each student body to be there.
“It’s really nice. We’re getting nothing but compliments,” Wilson added. “The staff loves it and I think the students will find it will be an experience for them to remember.’
As pleased as everyone will be to get into the portables, they’ll be just as eager to get out of them and into a new and permanent Herbert Hoover High School building. Work to develop the site for the new school is continuing and Wilson said he anticipated it would be at least a couple of years before the new building is complete.