WOOD COUNTY, W.Va. — The first new school to be built in Wood County in about 36 years, the new Williamstown-Waverly Elementary School for grades K-5, is on track to open to students in August.
Will Hosaflook, Wood County superintendent of schools, said the school was “almost finished.”
“It is absolutely amazing,” he told MetroNews.
“It’s a community school and we are really excited to get our students in that school starting for next (school) year.”
Funding for the school comes from a $41 million dollar facilities bond voters in Wood County previously approved.
Other school bond projects are scheduled to open for the fall as well.
They are an expansion of the Wood County Technical Center, with support from the state School Building Authority, and the additions of four classrooms and an auditorium to turn Williamstown High School into Williamstown Middle/High School.
“We have great arts programs at Williamstown, but we’ve never had an auditorium,” Hosaflook said.
In November, the state Board of Education approved Wood County’s school consolidation, closure and merger plan.
Currently, students in grades 7-12 attend Williamstown High School.
Plans call for Williamstown Middle/High School to have grades 6-12, with additions of 6th grade students from Waverly Elementary and Williamstown Elementary which will close at the end of the school year.
Also set to shut down this spring are Worthington Elementary, with students going to Emerson Elementary, and McKinley Elementary sending those students to Jefferson Elementary.
Currently, there are 28 public schools in Wood County.
Eventually, all of the schools still in operation will see secure vestibule entrance additions.
Other facility upgrades, like HVAC and window replacements, are also in the works.
The last school built in Wood County was Martin Elementary which dates back to 1984.
In the months ahead, school officials will finalize a new Comprehensive Education Facilities Plan for 2020 to 2030, the replacement for the existing CEFP that expires this year.
“You continually have to look ahead and try to get your vision out there and where we will be in the next ten years,” Hosaflook said.