It was last year, on Dec. 2 of 2014 to be exact, that a group of parents and educators associated directly or indirectly with Johnson Elementary School attended a Harrison County Board of Education meeting with one primary goal. The goal was to lobby for a new Johnson Elementary School.

 

Whether the lobbying worked and whether JES is considered the worst of what school officials admit are several schools in the system needing attention that will get said attention will likely be determined the very first week of August. According to Harrison County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Manchin, the decision will likely come during a retreat at the Stonewall Jackson resort.

 

“We’ll be going over goals that the board wants to see in the school system and what the board wants to see with me,” said Manchin. “From that meeting, the first goal is to see that we have six people – the five (elected) board members and my self – working well together, which I think we’ll have and then to have everyone else do the same from principals and staff. That’s the first goal, but there are others that are equally important to the entire Harrison County education community and the individual communities.”

 

While the Harrison County goals are unity and talking about passing the ongoing levy that will soon be up for a vote, there is one thing on the mind of many in the Bridgeport community. And that focuses on the status of what’s next with Johnson Elementary School.

 

“The board will hear my recommendation for our next (School Building Administration) project. There will be discussion about that recommendation at that retreat, both days of which will be open meetings for anyone that wants to attend,” said Manchin. “There will likely be a decision made then due to the fact that Harrison County’s application to the SBA has to be submitted by Oct. 1 so it’s critical that a decision be made.”

 

Manchin’s recommendation doesn’t have to be followed. However, he is asking the BOE members to make a decision sooner rather than later.

 

“Being the former SBA director and knowing this process, I have a pretty good idea of how much time is needed to submit an application that we hope will be successful,” said Manchin.

 

While there are multiple schools needing attention – Lost Creek, Adamston, North View, Washington Irving and several others – they won’t all be getting attention. In fact, all but one will be put on the waiting list as far as a massive makeover or replacement.

 

“Based on the dollars available, we’re looking at one project,” said Manchin. “I can’t tell you what I’m recommending, but I can tell you I’m going to recommend the project to be a new school.”

 

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 complete. While priorities may have changed since then, it’s certain that Johnson is still among the leaders for schools with problems.

 

In the same CEFP, it called for fixing Johnson with $10 million in renovations. Last year, Manchin said he did not believe renovation was the answer for JES’s woes. And the woes are plenty.

 

Mold is a frequent issue, as is the presence of asbestos. The school has four modular classrooms, no gymnasium, a small kitchen, a problematic fire alarm system and an HVAC system that is seeing some major attention this summer that has led some to contact Connect-Bridgeport in belief that’s a sign that JES will not be the priority.

 

Whether that’s the case remains to be seen as the answer will be given in early August. It’s likely no matter what happens, a large part of Harrison County will be unhappy and one community will likely be happy.

 

The meetings will take place Sunday, July 26 and Monday, July 27. Both, said Manchin, are open to the public. Agendas and times will be made available at a later date.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows part a presentation put together by the Johnson PTA to show the school board problems, while students are shown having their "gym class" in a hall way. Below is Superintendent Dr. Mark Manchin.