Mercer Schools approved for $9.6M for new elementary school

Apr. 21—PRINCETON — Mercer County Schools will receive $9.6 million in state funding needed to construct a new elementary school which will replace the aging schools in Brushfork and Bluewell.

The West Virginia School Building Authority (SBA) selected public school projects in seven counties for a total of $75 million in funding. Mercer County is receiving $9.6 million.

"We're very excited," said Superintendent Deborah Akers.

Mercer County Schools had applied for state SBA funding previously. That application was not accepted, but the board education tried again this year.

"The presentation was made for that again in March and the school building authority met (Monday) and through that process the school building authority personnel will evaluate the projects and make their recommendations to the school building authority," Akers said. "We are very thankful that we were funded for our consolidated school for Bluewell and Brushfork."

Akers said that preparations for the new school can start immediately since the board of education has already hired an architect for other work and upgrades in the school system. The school board will be meeting with groups of teachers and administrators about the project and the architect will design it.

"Hopefully, we'll be ready to bid next spring," Akers said. "We need a new school for that area and this will be great for those kids."

Akers said that Montcalm Elementary School was not part of the consolidation plan.

The schools being replaced have numerous problems.

"Bluewell and Brushfork are both aging schools with floor problems and roof problems and access problems," said Amy Harrison, data and information specialist for Mercer County Schools. "Renovations have been added on, additions have been made, but it's to the point now where it is necessary to build a new school."

The school system has a 30-acre piece of land on Route 20 that is about 2 miles from Bluewell Elementary School and 6 miles from Brushfork Elementary, Harrison said.

"There will be plenty of parking and room for buses," she added.

ZMM Architects & Engineers out of Charleston will be designing the school. Mercer County Schools will be adding $5 million in local funding to the project, and the total project cost is $14.6 million, Harrison said.

The new school, which will be similar to the new Bluefield Primary School and Mountain Valley Elementary School in Green Valley. It will be a PreK through fifth grade school and serve about 375 students.

The SBA did not fund a proposed new school project in McDowell County

The authority did not fund proposed projects involving eight public schools including one in McDowell County.

Additional SBA funding is expected to be awarded in December. The West Virginia Board of Education on April 15 approved the closing of Fall River, Kimball and Welch elementary schools in McDowell County. A new McDowell County elementary school is planned on 350 acres near Mount View High School, which is located close to Welch. Closing the schools is contingent on funding approval from the state SBA.

— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com