LOGAN, W.Va. — The state-controlled Logan County school district has approved the closure of Verdunville Elementary School and the consolidation of its students into Omar Elementary during its meeting Tuesday evening.
The closure officially came from state School Superintendent Michele Blatt. The decision follows a rockslide caused by heavy rainfall in April of this year. The rockslide was severe enough to keep the school closed until after Spring Break on April 21.
Because the school system is under state control, Blatt has the sole authority to close the school. There was no vote by the elected county school board.
The initial slip was cleaned up by Williamson Shriver; however, American Geotech determined that fully correcting the slip would require additional extensive repairs costing nearly $600,000.
The approval comes after the board heard from Logan County residents at a meeting on November 18. Many of the residents who spoke at the meeting raised concerns about transportation.
Logan County Schools Superintendent Dr. Sonya White said these recommendations and approvals are never taken lightly; however, due to the challenges the school system has faced, they have become necessary.
“First Verdunville Elementary has faced an ongoing enrollment decline,” White said before the closure was approved. “Second, the facility condition of Verdunville Elementary presents concerns and will require millions of dollars to bring the facility up to current standards.”
She also said the closure and consolidation into Omar will allow students to benefit from broader instructional support, and she assured the board that Omar has the capacity to accommodate all of the students.
White also said the closure of the school aligns with the directives set forth by the state Board of Education.
“The state board’s intervention placed on the Logan County School system requires a duty to make necessary corrections to ensure compliance with state standards, fiscal responsibility, and improve student outcomes, this recommendation aligns with those directives,” she said.
The school is set to close at the end of this school year.
Editor’s note: In an earlier version of this story, MetroNews wrongly reported that the local school board voted to close the school. We apologize for the error.