VAN, W.Va. — The community of Van came together Tuesday night for a public hearing on the proposed closure of Van Elementary and Van Junior/Senior High School.
As Boone County Schools attempts to right the ship on multi-million-dollar deficits, the system is proposing the closure of those schools after the 2026-27 academic year. Van Junior/Senior students would shift to Scott High School starting next fall, while a PreK-8 school would take over the old Van High School property. The Van Elementary facility would be closed.
“I hope that you will remember, behind every enrollment number, every statistic, and every line on a spreadsheet, there is a child,” resident Kristen Green told the Boone County Board of Education. “There is a family. There is a community, our community.”
Boone County Superintendent of Schools Allen Sexton said the changes would bring about much-needed financial relief.
“This proposal and consolidation should generate approximately $1.3 million in annual savings, allowing those resources to be redirected to instruction, staffing, programs, facilities improvements, and long-term financial stability of our school district,” he explained.
Several speakers addressed Boone County education officials to voice their concerns about the potential changes.
One resident, Misty Moyer, said her grandson has special needs. She wondered what would happen to him in the new format.
“My concern is, if they are consolidated in the high school here, (anyone) who has children like that and they are taken to a bigger school, how are they going to be able to function?” Moyer asked. “Some of them can’t handle loud noises. They need more one-on-one attention.”
Sexton reassured Moyer that the existing special programs, at Van Elementary and Van Junior/Senior High School, will remain operational going forward; there’s no proposal to move them.
Calls for consolidations and closures to be considered as last resorts were consistent through the speakers’ messages. Kristen and Nick Green, graduates from Boone County Schools, said they have special places in their hearts for the schools they called home.
“I hope with every fiber of my being that before schools close, and before a decision is made that can permanently change the future of a community, that all other possibilities are exhausted,” Kristen Green said. “Because for us, this is our home. It’s where our story began and where they are continuing.”
Nick Green reported that residents have shared concerns at the Local School Improvement Council (LSIC) meeting following the proposed closures being announced this summer.
“One of the biggest concerns is fearing that this closure and consolidation will create a ripple effect that makes students and families leave the community before reaching the eighth grade,” Nick Green said. “Also, a huge concern is the time that will be necessary to close Van Elementary to prepare ‘the hill’ for our students.”
He wondered about how much it would cost for Van Elementary School to be torn down, and whether the costs could be justified for the end result. Green also pointed out that during previous school closures, such as Wharton Elementary shutting its doors in recent years, were not handled well by the county.
Sexton responded by admitting it will be a fast turnaround to establish the PreK-8 facility at the now-Van Junior/Senior property. He said that they’ve already began the process. Sexton said that he’s heard from staff, specifically from the Wharton closure, that moving was primarily put on teachers to shoulder. That won’t happen again, he said, there will be a plan to support teachers and provide compensation if needed.
As for how the PreK-8 facility would take shape, Sexton said they already have an idea in mind.
“We believe that we can contain the elementary school on the bottom floor and the middle school, or the junior high-aged students on the second floor,” Sexton said. “Creating a schedule so that they do not pass in the hallways. For example, during lunchtime, or whenever they’re moving about, making sure that their schedules are not synced up, so that older students don’t pass younger students in the hallways.”
Sexton said they plan to maintain the Van Elementary property, specifically the athletic field for football and soccer competitions.
Another resident, Marcia Gunnoe, questioned the need for the closures. She expressed concern about travel times for students in the new setup, and worried that kids would spend most of their time on school buses going forward.
“Why is it that our kids are paying the price for the failure of our county and state board of education?” Gunnoe asked. “It’s beyond me.”
The Boone County Board of Education won’t take final action on the proposal until October 8.