When the Harrison County Board of Education holds its Dec. 2 meeting at Bridgeport High School at 6 p.m., the elected group and Superintendent Dr. Mark Manchin will be greeted by a large group of parents and community members. And that group will likely be there because they are less than pleased with the condition of Johnson Elementary School.

 

One of the individuals working to rally community support for the meeting – Johnson PTA President Rose Rossana –said her group are going to be both cordial and direct with their wishes. And their wish is a new school.

 

“This is our opportunity to present a request for funding consideration and approval to the Board of Education for a new Johnson Elementary School,” said Rossana. “ … It’s often the ones who speak the loudest who get heard, but I can assure you that everyone involved will go about this in a very respectful way.”

 

Since 2010, Johnson Elementary School – built in 1950 – has been targeted by the Harrison County Board of Education as needing replaced. In fact, in the BOE’s 2010 Comprehensive Educational Facility Plan (CEFP), Johnson Elementary was listed as the number two priority (Page 3 of the CEFP) behind the building of a new Lumberport Middle School, which is already a project. That would seem to mean that Johnson is now the top priority.

 

Rossana said the reason to bring the community together to formally request action was the result of an Oct. 7 school board effectiveness meeting she and Johnson Local School Improvement Council (LSIC) President Belinda Kirby attended. The meeting, she said, focused on submitting projects for funding assistance to the School Building Authority – that Manchin previously led – and how the projects listed as being needed in the CEFP were part of the process.

 

“The problem when we were sitting there and Johnson wasn’t talked about. I was pretty sure we were number one on the list or near the top at one time. I raised my hand in the meeting and asked them, as a PTA and as a school, what are our options to get our concerns in front of you? The answer then and when I approached board members was to approach them at a meeting as a group and this is that meeting,” said Rossana.

 

Rossana said their group doesn’t begrudge the Lumberport community for getting a new middle school and are happy, as well, for the recent project at Simpson. However, she said it’s time for Johnson to get much-needed attention. The good news is that Manchin is keenly aware of problems at the school.

 

“We’re aware that the next priority on the CEFP is Johnson Elementary, but we’re also aware that there are several needs around the county,” said Manchin. “The question becomes, what’s next?”

 

Manchin won’t be the one answering that question. The elected BOE will have to take a position, he said, “almost one year from now on Oct. 1,” to submit recommendations for funding to the SBA.

 

“I think over these next several months a lot of discussion will be talking place to determine the highest priority,” said Manchin. “I can’t tell you where the board is going to go, but I can tell you that Johnson is a worthwhile project. It’s an aged school and we have several like that in need of attention.”

 

In the CEFP that currently exists, it calls for a near $10 million renovation of Johnson Elementary. Manchin said he doesn’t think renovation is the answer.

 

“Whatever we do and whenever we do it, renovation is probably not the best route to go. I personally don’t think renovation is a viable option for Johnson Elementary School,” said Manchin. “The best option would be to build a new elementary school.”

 

Manchin said the board will have to tackle projects such as Johnson Elementary School, Washington Irving, Lost Creek, Adamston and others. He said one of his early goals as he’s yet to reach six months serving as the superintendent, is to map out a strategy of a master plan for at least three years so that schools in need will know that they’re going to get addressed.

 

Rossana, of course, would like to see Johnson be next on the list. She listed a myriad of problems with the school.

 

“The list is endless, but at the top you know we’re negative 13 bathrooms down in our school. We have no gymnasium and a school that was built for 300 students have close to 600 students,” said Rossana. “The roof is in desperate need of repair and even though the Board addressed concerns about mold, I think most people believe that there is absolutely mold still there and the fix was a Band Aid fix.”

 

Because of the problems, kids often have gym class in the hallways. There is a stage that kids go on with inadequate lighting. And the problems grow from there, she said.

 

“The thing that’s deceiving is that if you come into the school, it’s clean and it looks nice. The staff, parents, teachers and custodians make sure of that, but the building is in disrepair and it’s been that way for years now,” said Rossana. “A failing building will not remedy itself. Things have been and will continue to get progressively worse. We’re doing this for our children and our community.”

 

Community members are encouraged to wear red for the meeting.

 

In order to stay up to date on the what’s taking place, Rossana said there is a “Johnson Elementary Students Need a New School” Facebook page that she encourages individuals to like to follow news and information  that becomes available. You can go to that page by clicking HERE.

 

There is also an online petition asking for a new school that already has more than one signature. You can access that by clicking HERE.

 

“We welcome the feedback and knowing that the community is concerned for the welfare of their children and their students is a good thing,” Manchin said. “I look forward to a productive meeting.”

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows a gym class having to take place in the hallway due to poor weather outside, while the second photo is of Superintendent Dr. Mark Manchin. In the bottom photo, the school - despite its woes - is neatly kept and cleaned.