UPDATE 4:32 p.m. WEDNESDAY: After missing one day of school, students and staff at Kermit K-8 will get their academic year started on Thursday.
An automated call from Mingo County Schools late Wednesday afternoon said that the engineering report the school was waiting to receive came back, and it said the building is safe to occupy during times of “normal river levels and dry periods.”
The report related to a hillside slip behind the building stemming from the bad flash flooding in February.
The message went on to say the following:
“If the building continues to be used and occupied, provisions should be made to terminate the use of building during high water events and not allow use of the building until the slide has been inspected for slopel building movement.”
KERMIT, W.Va. — School started for the new year Wednesday in Mingo County but not for Kermit K-8 school.
Mingo County School Superintendent Dr. Joletta Basile sent out a recorded call to families Tuesday night saying an engineering report on the hillside slip behind the school building has not yet been received.
“Out of an abundance of caution we are delaying the start of school for students at Kermit only,” Basile said.
Parts of Mingo County were hit hard by floodwaters in February–creating many hillside slips.
Parent Lola Preece said Basile’s call left some parents confused because things sounded good at a school open house held Monday night. She also said the building has been used in recent months.
“They’ve had extra-curricular activities there this summer. We had open house on Monday and then all of sudden we received a call saying that it may not be safe,” Preece said during an appearance on MetroNews Midday Wednesday. “We just feel there may be not be full transparency on the (school) board’s part.”
Basile’s phone message said safety is the top priority.
“Thank you for your understanding as we continue to place the safety of our students and staff above all else,” the call said.
Preece agrees.
“I understand, we want safety first for our students and I want safety for my son but be transparent and don’t wait until 12 hours before school starts to let us know there’s not going to be school,” Preece said.