APPALACHIA, Va. – The Appalachia Town Council sent a couple of messages to the Wise County School Board on Thursday, since it appears school consolidation is on the horizon.
Appalachia is not giving up the fight to keep its high school open, but it’s time to look at options if the school board is determined to combine its six high schools into three, town council members said.
They plan to offer the county 733 acres of land near the town’s reservoir as a building site for a new consolidated school. The land would be accessible to students from Big Stone Gap, Appalachia and even for Norton students if the independent city decides to join a consolidated school system.
Also, town council members want town manager Fred Luntsford to meet with Norton’s school board and city leaders to explore the legalities of having Norton accept Appalachia’s students into its school system.
The city would gain $7,800 for each of Appalachia’s more than 200 high school students while Wise County would lose the same amount of state funding if students opted to attend Norton schools as many in the town have threatened to do if Appalachia High School shuts its doors.
Town council members didn’t vote on the matter Thursday night because Councilwoman Kim Green was out of town and her colleagues wanted to include her in the action.
However, Mayor Eddie Gollaway and council members Jay Swiney, John Brooks and John Tull were clearly in favor of the two proposals.
"It’s time for us to stand up and show that we’re here to fight for our school," Swiney said. "If we don’t have our school, we’ll lose our town."
Swiney said the town wants its school to remain open, but if closure is inevitable, the town council would make the land available to the county for a consolidated school.
"I’d love to see it come to Appalachia if consolidation does happen," the mayor agreed.
Swiney said the land is a neutral area since many people from Big Stone Gap travel to the reservoir via a road just behind Powell Valley High.
"It just happens that Appalachia owns the property," he said.
Swiney brought up the issue of exploring any legal options with Norton regarding taking Appalachia’s students at J.I. Burton High.
Town attorney Michael Abbott said state education officials would have to study the proposal since a change in school divisions would require legislative action. All parties involved would have to agree as well, he said.
"That’s the whole purpose of having Fred negotiate," Swiney said.
The Town Council will vote on the issues next month, as well as a proposed resolution to ask the Virginia General Assembly to devise a more fair way to distribute coal severance tax revenues to towns.
Wise County’s school board is considering school consolidation to save money in operating costs and to replace its aging high schools.
Those in favor say new schools would improve education while also cutting expenses.
Those opposed fear consolidated schools would harm education and would be too costly for taxpayers. Renovation of each school is the option those opposed to school closure favor.
kstill@bristolnews.com | (276) 679-1338
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