ROCK CAVE – With the approval of the State Superintendent of Schools for West Virginia, the Upshur County Board of Education is set to close Rock Cave Elementary by the end of the school year.

During a special hearing Thursday night that lasted less than 10 minutes, Upshur County Schools Superintendent Christine Miller, who read from a document, requested, “on the (Upshur County School) board’s behalf,” that the West Virginia Board of Education approve the closure of Rock Cave Elementary and its consolidation to French Creek Elementary.

Assistant State Superintendent of Schools Jeff Kelley, who was present at the hearing, then read a statement from State Superintendent of Schools Michele Blatt approving the measure.

“Michelle Blatt, State Superintendent of Schools, in her acting capacity as the Board of Education in Upshur County, hereby approves the closure of Rock Cave Elementary School and its consolidation into French Creek Elementary School,” Kelley read during the Thursday special hearing. “This closure is scheduled to occur at the end of the 2025-2026 school year.”

No vote on the measure was taken by Upshur County Board of Education members.

The state intervened to take control of the Upshur County Schools system in 2023.

Blatt’s action of approving the school’s closure and consolidation will now be brought before the West Virginia State Board of Education for final approval during their Dec. 10 meeting at 9 a.m. in Charleston. Kelley noted that members of the community will be allowed to speak during the State Board’s meeting.

If the State Board of Education approves the closure and consolidation, Rock Cave Elementary will be closed by the end of the 2025-2026 school year with students being transferred to French Creek Elementary, effective the 2026-2027 school year.

In her formal recommendation to close the school, Miller explained that the recommendation came after a “thorough review of instructional, operational and financial conditions” in the county. 

Miller acknowledged statements given by community members during the public hearings on Nov. 13, during which community members were provided the opportunity to comment and ask questions of the board. She also made note of statements from delegations, emails and letters the board had received regarding the closure.

“The decision to recommend closure is not made lightly, it is made out of responsibility,” Miller said during the special hearing. “Responsibility to our students, to the safety and integrity of our facilities, to the effective use of taxpayer resources and to the obligation placed on Upshur County Schools by the State Board of Education to correct longstanding deficiencies and improve educational outcomes.”

Miller then spoke on the school’s “significant and ongoing” enrollment decline. Rock Cave Elementary was projected for Fiscal Year 2025 to have an enrollment size of 143 students, however, during a special meeting in March, Miller said the school had only 112 students. In August, Miller told the board that Rock Cave Elementary’s enrollment had dropped to 74 students.

The smaller class sizes, according to Miller, limit the school board’s ability to offer Rock Cave students “equitable programing,” such as specialized instruction, intervention services and extracurricular activities.

Miller also addressed the condition of the Rock Cave Elementary building, saying that it “presents substantial concerns.” The conditions of Upshur County School facilities have been a topic of discussion in the past year. During the March special meeting, BOE Facilities Director Tim Derico did not mince words when he told the board how the county’s facilities were faring.

“To put it as politely, probably, as I can, our buildings are aging and have been for some time,” Derico said during the March special meeting. “Union (Elementary) is our newest school and it was built in 1988.”

During Thursday’s special hearing, Miller added that sending students from Rock Cave to French Creek will allow students to benefit from “broader instructional supports” and  “improved access to specialists and certified staff.”

Miller explained that French Creek Elementary has the capacity to receive the additional students. In August, Miller informed the board that there would be no additional construction needed to absorb the current Rock Cave students into French Creek Elementary.

During the March special meeting, Miller mentioned that many parents in the Rock Creek area already send their children to French Creek Elementary, which is 4.2 miles from the Rock Creek school, and that the two schools already share buses.

“The State Board’s intervention on June 15, 2023 placed on Upshur County Schools system a duty to make difficult, but necessary corrections to ensure compliance with state standards, fiscal responsibility and improve student outcomes,” Miller said on Thursday. “This recommendation aligns with those directives. It fulfills our responsibilities to use public funds wisely, to improve system-wide efficiency and, most importantly, to provide students with access to a stronger and more comprehensive educational experience.”

In closing, Miller expressed her appreciation to the Rock Cave community and their on-going support of the children. Miller stated that, while a school building may close, “the commitment to serving the students and families of this community remains unchanged.”

The Upshur County Board of Education will meet next on Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. at Buckhannon-Upshur High School.