Wood Schools to begin closure process for Vandy, Fairplains
PARKERSBURG - Wood County Schools officials announced Tuesday they will begin the closure process for VanDevender Middle and Fairplains Elementary schools.
Superintendent Christie Willis presented information on the two schools during the Comprehensive Educational Facility Plan (CEFP) presentation to the Wood County Board of Education.
“On Saturday, May 18, there was a budget workshop in preparation of the Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget. Since we closed three elementary schools a few years ago, our student enrollment has decreased by 886 students,” Willis said. “This spring, we have been through a very difficult personnel season, and we are still over the state aide personnel funding formula we receive for both professional and service. Unfortunately, our declining enrollment is impacting decisions that must be made from our Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan.
“It is with deep regret that we need to move forward with school closures,” she said. “Central office staff will begin working on school closure applications to present the closure of two schools to the Board of Education: Fairplains Elementary School and VanDevender Middle School.”
Willis said both schools will remain open for the 2024-25 school year.
Fairplains Elementary has an enrollment of less than 200 students and is one of the highest energy-usage schools in the district. The Energy Usage Index is the consumption of energy per year for a facility divided by the square footage of the building. Fairplains Elementary has a Building Program Utilization of 70% is the student enrollment divided by building capacity. [JR1] The facility also does not have a secure vestibule and is not ADA (American with Disabilities Act) compliant.
“As we plan for the redrawing of district lines, the students at Fairplains Elementary will attend Martin Elementary, Willis said. “Martin Elementary is ADA compliant. Bond funds will be used to construct a secure vestibule on the building.”
VanDevender Middle Schools’ enrollment is under 300 students. The building was constructed in 1955 and is the third highest on the Energy Usage Index among the schools with a program utilization of 43%. Bond funds will be used to construct secure vestibules onto Jackson Middle and Hamilton Middle Schools.
School closure hearings will take place in September 2024 at the school proposed for closure. The school closure hearing for Fairplains Elementary will be on September 16. The school closure hearing for VanDevender Middle School will be on September 30. At a meeting following the scheduled hearings, the Board of Education will vote on the recommendations to close the two schools.
Willis said the school properties from both school closures will continue to be utilized for Wood County Schools.
It was also announced that the property where VanDevender Middle School is located will be utilized for the new North Parkersburg Elementary School. The bond included a six-classroom addition to be added onto Madison Elementary. New district lines will be drawn and students from Criss and Emerson Elementary will attend either Madison Elementary or the new North Parkersburg Elementary School.
Wood County Schools currently uses the former Lincoln Elementary School as a warehouse on the VanDevender property. With the plan of new North Parkersburg Elementary School being built on the VanDevender property, the warehouse location will need to change. Therefore, the property where Fairplains Elementary currently is located will be utilized for a warehouse. The location of the Fairplains property is an ideal location due to its proximity to the interstate.
Willis said while the closure of schools is always difficult, it is necessary to ensure Wood County Schools continues to provide the best possible services for its students.
“Fairplains Elementary School and VanDevender Middle School have both served our community well” she said. “We are managing this by factual data and not by emotional choices. No one wants to see their school closed. The nostalgia of our schools demonstrates how important our learning environments are to us when we are children and the fond memories we hold are forever. Decisions like these are difficult, however they are necessary and fiscally responsible as we plan for the future of our community and our students.”