(Photo by Ed Parsons) A crowd at Hundred High School for consolidation hearing.

HUNDRED — Hundreds of people packed the Hundred High School gymnasium and dozens got up to offer their opinions on the proposed consolidation of Hundred and Valley high schools.

That consolidation is part of an overall plan to consolidate Hundred and Valley, as well as Paden City and Magnolia high schools, while moving Paden City’s seventh and eighth graders to New Martinsville School.

If the Wetzel County Board of Education approves the plan, the moves will happen for next school year. Hundred and Valley students will use Valley High School, while Paden City and Magnolia high schools will use Magnolia. New school names, colors and mascots will be created.

The hearings are part of the legal requirements that allow residents of each community affected to state their positions on the proposed consolidation and ask questions to Wetzel County Schools Superintendent Cassie Porter and school administrators.

More than 300 people crowded into Hundred High for Monday’s hearing and 62 signed up to speak. Porter opened the meeting with a statement concerning the closure of the school.

Several students then stated to Porter and the board their displeasure with the plan and objection to Hundred’s closure.

Hundred football coach Jason Sleeth discussed the effects the consolidation of Hundred and Valley would have on the kids. Sleeth told the board it must put the best interest of the students first and he doesn’t feel board members have the students’ best interest at heart.

Other speakers spoke about travel time, dangerous roads, safety of the students, long bus rides, loss of residents, students choosing to attend other schools, impacts on the community, disbelief that a new consolidated school will ever be built. They spoke about bullying and mental health, no opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities due to long bus rides, special relationships they have between students and teachers that will be lost if the consolidation happens. Many asked the board to consider the legacy of Hundred High School and all the great things they have accomplished.

Wetzel County Assessor Scott Lemley addressed the board and said Hundred High should not close, and doesn’t believe an impact statement or study exists that would support or provide credible results that show students from low-income families or bad home lives would receive a better education with consolidation.

“Longer bus rides, less time with family, and unfamiliarity with classmates are all factors that lead to worse outcomes, not better,” Lemley said. “With the potential closure of Hundred High School, we will have students left behind.”

Lemley said he believes Wetzel board members care about student learning, and there are enough resources to keep Hundred open.

“Wetzel County schools have more tax dollars today than at any point in history,” he said. “Given the availability of funds and resources in Wetzel County, educational needs and opportunities should be met for all students.

Other speakers in support of Hundred High School included Hundred Mayor Charles “Chip” Goff, local businessman Eric Yost and Long Drain teacher Courtney Dennis, among others.

Goff said the closing of Hundred High School would affect much more than the school itself.

“This proposed consolidation plan will impact our local businesses,” he said. “This school is the heartbeat of our town and has been for 102 years. … This is going to impact the value of people’s homes and people are going to be moving.”

Eric Yost spoke to the board on Tuesday morning as they reconvened to finish up from the previous evening which lasted from 6 pm to 11 pm.

He stated he is in the oil and gas business, he said he has traveled the roads back and forth from Hundred and Valley and there was a time when he took Barker road that he would stop and put his chains on his 4-wheel drive. He said it is not a good road to be hauling children back and forth from school on.

“The geographic barrier between Hundred and Valley makes consolidation not feasible period!, “said Yost. “Transporting children across Barker hill is the key issue. Your impact statement in very inaccurate and exhibits some quickly obtained data that is outdated and verifies that it was thrown together in a few days to satisfy the state code that regulates closures and consolidations”

He said, “We have proven in our letter of rejection that a minimal amount of effort was made to evaluate the impact of this for the students and families as well as all the community. There were no meetings with staff and the community to try and inform everyone of the issue and to work together for an amicable solution.”

He spoke about a recent newspaper editorial that addressed the economic effect of consolidating the schools. “According to the editorial consolidation would Destroy businesses, devalue all properties in the county, reduce the tax base, destroy home values, people have worked their entire life to pay for, and decrease the population significantly,” stated Yost.

Yost said Wetzel County is one of the wealthiest counties in WV and by the board’s own admission consolidation is not an economic necessity. He asked the board if they would want our students, teachers and families to go to other counties. He stated by design

You have driven teachers and students to other counties by mistreating the teachers and cutting programs. “This has no mutual benefit!”.

He went on to say the bus routes are neither safe nor feasible. He said this is a calamity and he can prove that this is not safe and will jeopardize children’s lives, and he has the data to prove it.

Other speakers addressed the board on Tuesday morning with questions concerning the programs, curriculum and activities that Hundred students are involved in now versus what they will have available to them if consolidated with Valley high school.

The meeting lasted over 6 hours, starting at 6 pm on Monday and recessing at 11 pm before reconvening at 9 am on Tuesday and ending at 10:09 am. At which time the the board entertained a motion to adjourn.