MADISON, W.Va. — Three schools in Boone County will close their doors after this school year.
Following last week’s hearings, the Boone County Board of Education convened Thursday in Madison to vote on the proposed closure of Van Elementary, Van Junior/Senior High School, and Whitesville Elementary following the 2026-27 school year. During the brief, six-minute hearing it was announced that state Superintendent of Schools Michele Blatt has approved the closures and consolidations. Blatt assumed that power due to the state Board of Education seizing control over the district last year.
Whitesville students will be consolidated into Sherman Elementary in Seth, Van high school students will join Scott High School in Madison, and the current Van Junior/Senior High School property will be transformed into a new Van PreK-8 facility.
Boone County education officials visited Scott, Van, Sherman, and Whitesville during a four-day span last week. The visits to Scott and Sherman were “receiving-school hearings” and included just one resident speaking. Meanwhile, the “closing-school hearings” at Van and Whitesville included emotional urges from community members asking education officials to only close their schools as a last resort.
Boone County Superintendent of Schools Allen Sexton reported during last Thursday’s hearing that the district was dealing with $3.5 million in deficits. To battle that, he said the board came up with three options in proceeding forward. He said the first option was to “do nothing,” in which case Boone County Schools would be unable to make payroll three years from now. The second option was to cut 47 positions districtwide, which would equal the $3.5 million needed to be slashed. The third choice was to close two facilities, which is what they ultimately landed on.
Sexton detailed that the system had to draw $3.5 million from its general fund to balance the budget this year. While the general fund had been at $13.5 million, it’s now down to $10 million. That sort of reliance on the fund isn’t sustainable, Sexton said.
Additionally, Sexton said that Whitesville Elementary required $19.8 million in repairs and modernization work.
During last Tuesday’s hearing in Van, resident Maria Gunnoe had one question for the education leaders on hand.
“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.”