Philippi Middle School students will report to high school Tuesday amid electrical issue

PHILIPPI, W.Va. (WBOY) — After not having school on Friday, Sept. 27 or Monday, Sept. 30, Philippi Middle School students will return to school on Tuesday but not in their usual classrooms.

Barbour County Schools Superintendent Eddie Vincent told 12 News Monday morning that parts had to be ordered to fix a “fuse and wiring issue,” and now repairs are taking place.

Starting Tuesday, Oct. 1, Philippi Middle School students will be placed at Philip Barbour High School “until the problem is fixed.”

Vincent said that while middle school students are at the high school, the two student bodies will be completely separated. Buses will run as normal and drop-off times remain the same, although middle school parents will need to drop their children off at the high school by using the entrance near the old State Police barracks, Barbour County Schools said on social media .

Vincent hopes that students can return to Philippi Middle School by the end of the week.

Vincent said that repairs are also being done on the schools PA and fire alarm systems but that those issues are not related to the electrical problem. Vincent confirmed that the fire alarm system is in the process of being replaced but clarified that the West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office (WVSFM) is assisting the school with accommodations while those emergency systems are out of commission.

“I understand concerns, but we would never put kids in a building where we had any concerns about their safety,” Vincent told 12 News.

Vincent said that the school is following a plan developed by the WVSFM until the system is fixed.

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