CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state Board of Education is moving forward with the closure of elementary schools in Lincoln, Clay and Harrison counties.
The board on Wednesday voted to approve school consolidations during its monthly meeting in Charleston. Board member Debra Sullivan voted against the closures of H.E. White Elementary and Lizemore Elementary in Clay County and Ranger Elementary in Lincoln County.
“I think we as a state need to be looking at better solutions than continuing to consolidate,” Sullivan told board members. Her comment was followed by an applause of parents and educators who attended the board meeting to speak in opposition of the closures.
The board also voted to close Norwood Elementary in Harrison County. Norwood would merge into the existing Simpson Elementary, Nutter Fort Primary and Nutter Fort Intermediate.
Students from H.E. White Elementary and Lizemore Elementary would attend Clay Elementary in Clay County. Clay County resident Mike Nichols said the elementary schools are the “heart” of the community where kids go to practice athletics but will have to drive even further to sports fields instead.
“There will be no practice facilities in the southern half of Clay County. “In our area, the school and gymnasium is the community center. The ball field and playground is the park. If they go away, we have nothing,” he said, adding some students might decide to drop out of sports or extracurricular activities due to the distance.
The change would be troubling to parents like Lynn Taylor who has several grandkids at Clay County Schools.
“I have four that’s in middle school and high school grandkids and they refuse to go to Clendenin, Hoover or wherever in Kanawha County if they close because they’ve already met their friends. They’ve established their roots with their friends and their schools. They want to be Clay County High School graduates. Our little ones aren’t going to get that chance,” Taylor said wiping away tears.
In Lincoln County, students from Ranger Elementary would merge with Harts PreK-8 and West Hamlin Elementary. Ranger Elementary Principal Christina Mounts told the board she has concerns about longer bus routes because of the merger.
“I have a morning bus run that’s 50 minutes long and there’s GPS on those buses so you can’t lie or deny that. If you add 12-15 more minutes, those students will be on the bus for over an hour. To me, that’s not acceptable,” she said.
The final approval from the state comes after local school boards in Clay, Lincoln and Harrison previously okayed the consolidations last month.
The schools are being closed due to poor infrastructure and declining student enrollment.
The transitions will occur by the end of the 2023-2024 school year.