SUMMERSVILLE, W.Va. — A group of Nicholas County residents attended a rally Tuesday evening in support of the Nicholas County Board of Education and Nicholas County Schools Superintendent Donna Burge-Tetrick ahead of a Thursday meeting of the West Virginia Board of Education.
The group, who call themselves the “silent majority” on the issue of consolidation in Nicholas County, united to speak in favor of local education control and the county board’s move to consolidate schools.
Heather Glasko-Tully, whose three of five grandchildren attend schools in Nicholas County, said people have been upset in how the consolidation effort has been handled.
“This rally was essentially to support those five elected officials plus our chosen superintendent in their endeavors to better our school system,” she said.
The West Virginia Board of Education has twice rejected the plan to consolidate five schools — Nicholas County High School, Richwood High School and Nicholas County Career and Technical Center, and Richwood Middle and Summersville Middle schools — into two, noting concerns regarding if the local board did an efficient enough job reaching out the community and considering alternatives.
Kanawha Circuit Judge Duke Bloom ruled on Aug. 18 the state board had overstepped its authority in rejecting the proposal. The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals reversed that decision on Oct. 10.
State Superintendent Steve Paine and Burge-Tetrick said in a joint press conference last week they are willing to cooperate on creating a plan that works best for everyone.
Tully said she hopes for such effort.
“These decisions that are made right now will be impacting the education system in this county for probably to next 30 to 40 years,” she said. “It also will be an impact on our taxpayers for the same duration of time.”
Tully did describe a preferred plan going forward, which included a K-8 institution near Richwood, consolidation of the high schools and the county Career and Technical Center and a new Summersville Middle School.
“I do hope that people put the children first,” she added.
The state Board of Education is expected to hear an update on cooperation efforts at its Thursday meeting.