KINGWOOD — Preston County Schools’ blueprint for the next 10 years is up for public comment.
State code requires county school systems to write a Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan every 10 years. The plans aren’t set in stone, but they point the direction the county expects to go over the next decade.
A public hearing on the proposed CEFP will be at 5 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Preston High theater. Comments can be made then or by email to Preston Superintendent Steve Wotring at swotring@k12.wv.us through Nov. 24.
The 332-page document can be seen online at PrestonCountySchools.com.
The Preston County Board of Education is to vote on the document Nov. 30. The State Board of Education must act on the county submissions by the end of the year.
The plan was developed by a committee that included representatives from throughout the county.
Preston County isn’t growing, the CEFP says. It notes population “has stagnated with less than 1% of growth or decline seen in any year from 2011-17. In addition, population projections between 2000 and 2035 also demonstrate stagnation and/or decline.”
Also, “between 2011 and 2017 the death rate was in excess of the birthrate in the majority of years contributing to the stagnation in population and resulting in an aging population.”
There’s also been a drop in the amount of acreage devoted to industry.
Preston’s per capita income of $34,542, made it 27th out of 55 counties as of 2017. That was about 89.5% of the state average of $38,479 and 66.9% of the national average of $51,640.
“The county shall use the data collected in the community analysis, the population and enrollment study, the educational plan, the evaluation and inventory of existing facilities, the operations and maintenance plan and the inter-county facility feasibility study to make decisions that will determine the future facility needs of the county,” the CEFP notes.
Those plans include looking at possible closure of Fellowsville Elementary and Rowlesburg School within five to 10 years.
The superintendent recommended closing one or both of the schools in 2018 but was shot down by the board of education after residents opposed it at a series of public hearings. Speakers promised to pass a school maintenance levy if the schools remained open, and in 2019 the five-year levy passed.
Expectations
The committee wrote that feedback it received from Local School Improvement Councils, parents and the general public, “there is a strong desire and expectation for the continuance of community-based schools that are characterized by strong student, parent and community involvement and also characterized ideally with smaller class sizes particularly in the primary grades.”
Parents also expect continued improvements in “student access to needed technology tools and provide more science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) curricular options.”
Expanded vocational programs, adult education, and quality before and after school programs are also in demand.
The CEFP contains a detailed educational plan for the next 10 years for each grade level, including the use of technology in the classroom.
Enrollment
Not surprisingly given population trends, Preston County lost 3.54% of enrollment (161 students) between 2015-16 and 2019-20. The biggest losses were at Fellowsville (36.29%), Rowlesburg (31.86%) and Kingwood (11.13%).
The county has implemented a virtual school program and drew new attendance zones in an attempt to address the enrollment, according to the draft CEFP.
Facilities plan
The CEFP assessed building usage by dividing current enrollment by total program capacity. The desired usage is 85%.
Current usage includes: Aurora, 46%; Bruceton, 68%; Central Preston, 70%; Fellowsville, 31%; Kingwood Elementary, 56%; Preston High, 57%; Rowlesburg, 24%: South Preston, 52%; Terra Alta/East Preston, 58%; and West Preston, 75%.
Should any facilities be targeted for closure, the school system will work with county and municipal governments, and community organizations on possible uses; look at health and safety considerations; need for facility improvements and economies of scale.
The CEFP also includes a detailed list of preventive maintenance and capital improvement projects needed at each school and the estimated cost. The board hired Thrasher Engineering to assess each building.
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