Kanawha County BOE to consider more school closures this week

Belle Elementary is the next school to be considered for closure by members of the Kanawha County Board of Education on Oct. 15.Photo byGMSV

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Kanawha County Board of Education members will continue a series of public school closure hearings on Tuesday and Thursday, following a week that saw the shuttering of two local middle schools.

Board members voted to close East Bank Middle School and McKinley Middle School on Tuesday, Oct. 8, and Thursday, Oct. 10, respectively. The votes came after two separate hearings in which most speakers denounced the plan.

Both campuses will be vacated at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year. East Bank Middle students will be consolidated with DuPont Middle School, and McKinley students will be sent to Hayes Middle School.

More school closures are possible this week.

On Oct. 15, the board will consider closing Belle Elementary School. The hearing will take place on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Riverside High School, 1 Warrior Way in Belle.

On Thursday, Oct. 17, a closure hearing for Mary Ingles Elementary will also take place at Riverside High School. The meeting begins at 6 p.m.

The district is considering six school closures in total. Two were closed last week, and two will be considered during hearings this week.

The final two hearings, for Malden Elementary and Midland Trail Elementary, will be held on Oct. 21 and Oct. 22.

Education officials say the closures are necessary because of a continuing decline in enrollment and a decrease in school funding.

Other West Virginia school districts are also considering closures and possible consolidations.

The Nicholas County Board of Education decided to move Cherry River students to Panther Creek Elementary last week, after the county health department and state Fire Marshal’s Office noted some health and safety concerns at the school. A new Richwood K-12 school is currently being built beside the Cherry River building.

The Wetzel County Board of Education is also considering a plan to consolidate four county high schools. That plan is expected to be determined by December 31.

The school closures in Kanawha County are just the latest in a years-long consolidation campaign.

Last year, board members voted to close Grandview Elementary, Weimer Elementary and Marmet Elementary schools, sending those pupils to Mary C. Snow West Side Elementary, Edgewood Elementary, Alban Elementary, Bridgeview Elementary and Chesapeake Elementary.

Proposals for each school being considered for closure can be read on the Kanawha County Schools website.

Belle Elementary School is the next campus up for deliberation on Tuesday, Oct. 15.

Michael Ramsburg is a Kanawha County communities reporter. He can be reached at ramsburgreports@gmail.com or by calling 304-370-3067.