Trending
PARKERSBURG -- Wood County Schools beginning Monday will hold seven school closure hearings concerning the consolidation and merger of three area elementary schools.
McKinley, Worthington and Waverly elementaries are being considered for closure and consolidation for the 2020-21 school year. The Wood County Board of Education, in accordance with state law, will hold public hearings at the three schools and at four schools directly affected by the consolidation.
Board President Rick Olcott said he is hoping for the community to join with officials to share information and to better understand the process.
Olcott said he is hoping for "purposeful behavior by all involved so that the board of education can enhance its understanding of the complexities related to school closures and mergers/consolidation as a critical part of decision making after all hearings are conducted. My personal goal is to ensure the integrity of the seven hearing processes and that the Wood County Board of Education makes the right decisions for the students, staff, and the citizens of Wood County."
The first hearing will be held at 5 p.m. Monday at Waverly Elementary School. Officials say members of the public may submit requests for comment up to an hour before the start of the hearing.
Olcott said members of the public fill out a speaker card and list any questions they want to be answered by the board. Each speaker will be given the chance to make a brief statement, then ask their questions and Superintendent Will Hosaflook and, if needed, other Wood County Schools officials will answer. Depending on the number of people who register to speak, a time limit of no less than three minutes may be applied to speakers to ensure everyone has an opportunity to address the board.
By state code, the format does not allow for a speaker to give another speaker their allotted time or allow the speaker to respond to the answers given by school personnel. A hearing cannot go past 11 p.m. without being recessed and reconvened the following day. New speakers cannot sign up to address the board during the reconvened session. Any recessed session ends at 11 p.m. the day it is reconvened.
Olcott said the format will "assist a more structured process" which will allow everyone the opportunity to speak and ask questions.
The Wood County Board of Education will hold a vote on the school closures at the end of the last hearing on Thursday.
"Right decisions must be focused on the overall mission and our responsibility to ensure the essential balance of educational, financial and safety attributes of the Wood County school system," Olcott said.
Michael Erb can be contacted at merb@newsandsentinel.com.
***
To Attend
Wood County Board of Education schedule of closure hearings
* Monday: Waverly Elementary, 5 p.m., at the school.
* Tuesday: Williamstown High/Middle School, 5 p.m.; Williamstown Elementary School, 7:30 p.m. Both hearings will be held at the high school.
* Wednesday: Worthington Elementary School, 5 p.m.; Emerson Elementary School, 7:30 p.m., each at their respective schools.
* Thursday: McKinley Elementary, 5 p.m.; Jefferson Elementary Center, 7:30 p.m., each at their respective schools.