Nicholas County elementary school to close for rest of school year

NICHOLAS COUNTY, WV (WOWK) — Cherry River Elementary School will be closed for the rest of the school year, according to Nicholas County Superintendent Terrence Beam.

Superintendent Beam said the last day for students is Thursday, and they will start at Panther Creek Elementary next Friday, Oct. 18. They are hoping to have repairs done by the start of the 2025-26 school year.

He said the school is in need of repairs, and it all started with roof problems in an old section of the building. The county health department said there was leaking in the kitchen, making it unsafe to feed children, according to Beam.

Other issues include the State Fire Marshal saying the fire alarms are out of date and the Department of Homeland Security saying one wing of the building only had one exit, according to Superintendent Beam.

Currently, crews are building onto Cherry River to house elementary, middle and high school students. Beam said they will be repairing the wing of the school connected to the new construction.

The Nicholas County Board of Education said if you have any questions, you should contact them at 304-872-3611, ext. 1225 or 1234.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOWK 13 News.