Martin Elementary Principal Thomas Wheeler speaks to the Wood County Board of Education Wednesday during their second set of school closure hearings held at Fairplains Elementary. Wheeler shared his personal experience and plans to support the transition of students and staff from Fairplains if it is voted by the board to close. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

PARKERSBURG — Wood County Schools, and the Wood County Board of Education, held their second session of school closure hearings Wednesday night with one at Martin Elementary and the other at Fairplains Elementary.

(EDITOR’S NOTE ON AN UPDATE STILL IN THE WORKS: Wood County BOE votes to close VanDevender Middle School, Fairplains Elementary School – click here.)

Superintendent Christie Willis said Fairplains has seen a significant decline in enrollment, dropping by 58 students over the past two years. She said the school currently has an enrollment of 162 students, with a building capacity of 482 students. In contrast, she said Martin Elementary has also experienced a decrease in enrollment, down 54 students over the past two years, with a current enrollment of 254 students. The proposed merger would change the program utilization rates at Martin Elementary from 82.1% to 87.3%. The consolidation would also result in a reduction of 7.5 professional positions and five service personnel positions.

Willis noted that Fairplains Elementary is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, while Martin Elementary is. She said Martin Elementary is located just 1.4 miles fromFairplains, and transportation will be provided to current students, with routes not exceeding a 30-minute guideline. Willis said the closure and merger is expected to save the district $864,244.49 annually, which she said is necessary due to the declining enrollment and reduced state funding.

Speakers at the first hearing of the night at Martin said they were concerned the building was simply not large enough to accommodate the proposed number of students and staff. They said that smaller class sizes are crucial for better instruction, earlier intervention, and stronger relationships between teachers and students.

Melissa Armann, a kindergarten teacher at Martin Elementary, speaks to the Wood County Board of Education Wednesday during their second set of school closure hearings held at Martin Elementary. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

Heather Grant, director of Elementary Education for the district, said enrollment numbers are a “snapshot in time” as they can change, particularly with open enrollment, but the average class size for first grade is between 20 to 22 students district-wide. She said while some classrooms may see increases in size they have the ability to adjust and add classrooms as needed to accommodate enrollment changes.

Administrators, teachers and parents spoke at the second hearing of the night at Fairplains urging the board not to close the school because it would be detrimental to students and the community as a whole.

Shirley Smith, the school’s secretary of 37 years, said the school is a vital part of the community, with families and the local population deeply invested in its success. She expressed concerns that relocating students to larger schools could negatively impact their success.

Fairplains Elementary Principal Julie Gibson said there are disparities in funding and facility maintenance between Fairplains and other Wood County schools. She said the school has higher energy costs due to neglected improvements, such as outdated windows and HVAC systems, compared to other schools that have received recent upgrades.

She argued that this discriminatory allocation of resources must be addressed. She criticized the addition of multiple central office positions while considering cuts to instructional staff, urging the board to listen to the affected schools and community members who want smaller, safer schools for their children.

Fairplains Elementary Principal Julie Gibson speaks to the Wood County Board of Education Wednesday during their second set of school closure hearings held at the school. Gibson asked the board to not close Fairplains. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

Martin Elementary Principal Thomas Wheeler also spoke at Fairplains where he shared his personal experience with consolidation and plans to support the transition of students and staff from Fairplains if the school is voted to close.

Wheeler expressed deep empathy for the “heartache, sadness, and emptiness” the Fairplains community is feeling. Drawing from his past role in facilitating the move of Worthington Elementary students and staff to another school, Wheeler said that many of the suggestions made at the time were not fully implemented, leaving families and students feeling unwelcome.

He said he has outlined several initiatives Martin Elementary is undertaking. This Friday, the school is hosting a community retreat and has reached out to Fairplains for candy donations and participation. He said Martin students and staff have also contributed candy for the event, with the goal of creating a welcoming and inclusive gathering.

Looking ahead, Wheeler said he has plans to organize activities throughout the year to bring the two school communities together.

He recognized the impossibility of replacing what Fairplains families are losing and said Martin Elementary is committed to making the transition as smooth as possible.

“When the Fairplains students arrive there, when the Fairplains staff arrives there, they won’t feel like strangers,” Wheeler said.

James Clark, a teacher at Fairplains for 21 years, said the connection with students at the school is real and asked that the board not just close the building and leave it empty. He also asked that they give the school community time with the proposed closure.

“Please acknowledge the grief and loss that a community feels when the school is closed,” Clark said. “Please provide some way for families to express that, to talk about their mental needs, for staff to get together and share in times of remembrance. Please give them opportunities to do that. … Relationships and personal connections are so valuable, so important.”

Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com