The Inter-Mountain photos by Edgar Kelley A group of Harman residents, including Julie Waybright, center, protest the closing and consolidation of Harman School Tuesday evening in front of the Randolph County Board of Education Central Office in Elkins.

ELKINS — Teachers, students, parents and residents protested the plan to close the Harman K-12 School at the Randolph County Board of Education meeting Tuesday night.

More than 20 people picketed outside the BOE office before the meeting got underway at 5:30 p.m., and many stayed outside with their signs until the meeting ended more than two hours later. 

Ten speakers pleaded with the board to keep the school open, in front of a standing-room-only crowd during the meeting. Also on hand were the Harman Faculty Senate and the Harman Local School Improvement Council.

In October, Randolph County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Shawn Dilly proposed to the BOE the closing of both the Harman K-12 School and Pickens K-12 School.

If the Harman school is closed, those students will be bussed to Midland Elementary, Elkins Middle School and Elkins High School.

Harman teacher Johnnie Ann Skidmore spoke on behalf of the Harman Faculty Senate and was backed at the speaking podium by more than a dozen other teachers from the school.

Skidmore said an Impact Statement that Dilly presented to the public in October contains inaccurate information. 

“Based on the Impact Statement as approved by Dr. Dilly, the board should deny any requests for consolidation of Harman School,” Skidmore said. “A board in good faith could not use falsehoods and inaccurate information to substantiate a decision for closure. The submitted proposal and all of its inaccuracies is insulting to our community, parents, students and staff.”

Skidmore said the inaccuracies included information about enrollment, census data and ADA requirements.

“Enrollment, all schools are down, why is Harman being singled out?” Skidmore asked. “And the census data is only within the city limits. Our school district includes the communities of Job, Whitmer, Dry Fork, Allegheny and Middle Mountain, and Sully.

“And Harman School is equipped to meet the needs of students with disabilities. All of the structural areas are located on a single level or are accessible via a handicap ramp. Harman School also employs two certified Special Education teachers, while the potential receiving schools do not have 100% fully certified staff in this area.”

Skidmore said the data does not mention the renovations that occurred during the 2014-2015 school year at Harman School that met all fire marshal codes.

“Our school is well-maintained and has the availability to expand,” she said. “Data shows that Midland Elementary has several systems failing. And though the site is part of the high school and vocational complex, the area to the elementary school is constrained. Why would the county propose consolidating students into a building with failing facility systems when structurally sound buildings are available?”

Skidmore said the Impact Statement insists there are no nearby grocery stores or essential services to the school, and that Harman residents frequently travel to Elkins for items.

“This is false, within city limits we have a Dollar General, a Midway Service Station, which is a gas station, restaurant, and convenience store, Allegheny Restaurant, Pendleton Community Care Health Clinic, Grant County Bank, and the Pill Box Pharmacy,” Skidmore said.

“Camden’s Corner Mart, which is a second gas station, restaurant and grocery store, is within four miles of city limits. Within the school district there are many more businesses. People in the Harman school district have access to all of their basic needs and we do not need to travel to Elkins to obtain essential services.

“As a Faculty Senate we would have appreciated the opportunity to have been notified and been included in the discussions that led to this proposed closure and consolidation of our school,” Skidmore said. “We encourage you (the BOE) to vote against the closure and consolidation of Harman School.”

Doug Shiflett was one of the residents and parents who voiced their concerns about students traveling from Harman to Elkins twice a day.

Some students would be riding a bus for close to two hours one-way just to get to school, he said. 

“My concern is the roads. I drive across the mountains seven days a week for work,” he said. “You want to take our children, put them on a bus and drive them across these mountains, that’s fine. But I’m here to tell you, each and every one of you, if my child gets hurt, I’m gonna hold each and every one of you responsible.”

Eli Ray, a student at Harman School, gave Dilly and the BOE a view from a student’s perspective.

“This change won’t be about a new building or new teachers, it is about our lives, our routine, and our sense of belonging,” Ray said. “Harman School is more than just a place of education, it is a community where we feel safe and valued. The teachers and staff know us personally and understand our strengths and weaknesses and provide the support that we need.”

Jessica Pennington, who has three children currently at the Harman K-12 School, organized the outdoor protest outside of the Central Office and also spoke during the meeting inside.

During her remarks, she asked close to a dozen individuals to stand up when she called their names. All of those she asked to stand up were teachers at the school who also had children that graduated from Harman.  

“We organized this protest because we don’t feel like we are being heard at the county or state level,” Pennington said. “This battle has taken up 90% of my time and we hope this protest will draw attention to this proposal.

“There’s no way you can bus our students over three mountains in the winter time. I’m grateful for all the people who came out to protest alongside me today.”

Public hearings and the BOE votes on whether to close the Harman and Pickens schools will take place in December.

Harman K-12 School teacher Johnnie Ann Skidmore speaks on behalf of the Harman Faculty Senate, surrounded by a dozen other Harman teachers supporting her.