W.Va. school board approves closure of Kanawha middle school, seven others in the state
The West Virginia Board of Education approved the closure Thursday of eight schools throughout the state, including Cedar Grove Middle School in Kanawha County. (WCHS)
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS) — The West Virginia Board of Education approved the closure Thursday of eight schools throughout the state.
The closures include Cedar Grove Middle School in Kanawha County, Buffalo Elementary in Wayne County, three schools in McDowell County and three in Mineral County.
Kanawha County’s plan to close the middle school is contingent on receiving funding for renovations to the current middle school building. If approved, middle school students would be moved to DuPont Middle School and the Cedar Grove building would house elementary students.
In Wayne County, school officials plan to close the Buffalo Elementary School and consolidate it with the middle school to create a pre-K through eighth grade school. The project is also dependent on approved funding by the School Building Authority.
The three McDowell County school closures include Fall River Elementary, Kimball Elementary and Welch Elementary, which will be consolidated into one school.
In Mineral County, officials plan to close Fort Ashby Primary, Wiley Ford Primary and Frankfort Intermediate schools to create a consolidated school.
Local school boards in each county have already approved the closures, but they will not become finalized until funding is approved.