Paden City residents want to remain ‘Wildcats’ despite shutdown

WETZEL COUNTY (WTRF) – A crowd of “Paden City Green” could be found at the Wetzel County Board of Education Meeting, where they were further discussing the future of Paden City High School.

Wildcats far and wide brought their personal anecdotes, concerns, and wishes to the board – urging them to stop the shutdown despite the EPA’s Superfund site designation.

A main concern has been the identities of Paden City students and families, and if those will remain true to what they have known for the last 74 years.

”Do we just put them there? Do we have them coexist? Do we have them merged together and exist as a campus together? At the end of the day, we felt that it was better that we just let them merge into that facility. They’re currently practicing football together. They are currently practicing volleyball together at the middle school and the high school level.”

Cassandra Porter – Superintendent, Wetzel County Schools

”I can’t do anything about it tonight except tell you and tell this board, I, with all due respect, I believe our superintendent had the right to do what she did as it relates to temporary closure. It’s in the statute. I don’t judge anybody’s motives about safety and health and those kinds of things. People can disagree on that. But this is a matter we could have done something about. But the board was never asked what we thought the path should be about extracurricular activities, which really is the identity of a school.”

Brian Price – Wetzel County Board of Education

It was mentioned that PCHS seniors will still graduate with their green and white caps and gowns and have Paden City High School listed on their formal documents.

The West Virginia state code allows a superintended to temporarily shut down a school for health reasons.

Superintendent Cassandra Porter responded to community members concerns by stating, “To reduce the risk to zero for our students, moving them to a suitable location, which would not cause a disrupt in education and we would still be able to transport them and take care of them, that’s the option that we were left with.”

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