Harrison County Board Starts Review That Could Close Salem and Lost Creek Elementary Schools

Two small-town elementary schools in Harrison County are facing an uncertain future. The Harrison County Board of Education voted unanimously Monday night to begin a formal review of a plan that could close Salem Elementary and Lost Creek Elementary, and it's fair to say folks in both communities are not taking the news lightly.

Under the proposal, Lost Creek Elementary would merge into West Milford Elementary, and Salem Elementary would merge into Mountaineer Elementary. If the plan makes it all the way through, the changes would take effect for the 2027-28 school year.

No schools have closed yet

School leaders were clear on one point: Monday's vote did not close anything. It only starts the process. The district now has to prepare closure impact statements that the public can read, and it has to hold public hearings, including hearings at Mountaineer Elementary and West Milford Elementary, the two schools that would take in the new students. After that, the county board would hold a final vote, and if the plan passes locally, it would still need approval from the West Virginia Board of Education.

Why the county says it's on the table

Superintendent Sheena Van Meter has tied the proposal to falling enrollment and the drop in state funding that comes with it. The county has reported a preliminary decline of roughly 398 students compared with the 2024-25 school year. Van Meter told the board that without significant changes now, the district would not have the money in next year's budget to make payroll.

She also said she believes small community schools are valuable and should get extra funding to stay open, and that the state's school funding formula should do more to account for the cost of keeping rural schools running.

A packed room pushing back

The board room was full Monday night, with 15 delegations speaking up for the two schools. Salem Elementary has about 145 students and Lost Creek Elementary has about 108. Opponents argued that closing them would mean much longer bus rides for young children and would chip away at the identity of two close-knit communities.

Salem city leaders, including Mayor Brandie Garner and City Manager Aimee Comer, were among those urging the board to keep Salem Elementary open. Salem has already lost its middle and high schools over the years, and city leaders say the elementary school is part of what keeps families coming to town. Teachers from Lost Creek also spoke about what the school means to the students and families they serve.

This isn't the first time Salem Elementary has been on the list. A 2024 consolidation plan originally included closing it too, but the board ultimately voted that piece down while other consolidations went forward.

What comes next

Parents and neighbors in Salem, Lost Creek, West Milford and the Mountaineer Elementary area should keep an eye out for the hearing dates once the impact statements are ready. Those hearings are the best chance to be heard before any final decision is made.

Here in West Virginia, our little community schools are more than buildings. They're where generations of families learned to read, cheered at ballgames and gathered on fall evenings. However this turns out, it's worth showing up and speaking your piece.