RICHWOOD, W.Va. — Richwood can now finally turn the page on the June 2016 flood.
Faculty and staff welcomed students to the new Richwood Middle/High School building for the first time Friday.
The new school was constructed around Cherry River Elementary.
The old Richwood High building was destroyed on June 23, 2016 when floodwaters ravaged central and southeastern West Virginia. Richwood students began attending school in portable buildings in Craigsville starting in the fall of 2016. That’s been their school until Friday.
The road to Friday’s opening has been long and windy.
In the months after the flood there was disagreement in Nicholas County about which federal government funding plan for new schools should be accepted. Summersville Middle School was also destroyed in the flood. The county chose FEMA’s 428 funding method which would allow Nicholas County to consolidate schools instead of separately replacing each school. The dollars from the federal government for that plan eventually ran out.
Initial bids for the Richwood project were way over bid because inflation had driven up the prices of materials. The project had to be redrawn and then rebid. The actual ceremonial groundbreaking for the project was held in June 2020 but there were more delays including the pandemic. After a rebidding, the school board approved a low bid of $42.5 million in November 2022.
The Richwood High Class of 2025 just missed getting into the new building. Principal Scott Williams said gave the 74 graduates credit when he spoke with MetroNews in May.
“Sometimes opportunities don’t knock loudly, they whisper. Hopefully this is something they can look at and say, ‘Even if it’s not a perfect situation we can still overcome and be successful.’ I hope that is something they take with them going forward in life.” Williams said.
He said everyone was looking forward to being in the new building.
“It’s the end of a long road and I think everybody is excited for the opportunity that will bring,” Williams said.