Editor’s note: Since the publication of this story, Upshur County Schools said the closure of Tennerton Elementary School will no longer proceed and those public hearings will be canceled.
Upshur County residents will soon have the opportunity to share their thoughts on a proposal to close two elementary schools, the first step in a dramatic shakeup of local school facilities.
Four public hearings are set for November as part of a state-managed process that could see Rock Cave and Tennerton elementary schools shuttered and their students consolidated into other county schools. The hearings will be held on Nov. 13 and Nov. 17, with a final decision coming just three days later, on Nov. 20, 2025.
Superintendent Christy Miller introduced the consolidation plan earlier this year. Under the proposal, Rock Cave Elementary would close at the end of the 2025-26 school year, with students moving to French Creek Elementary, while Tennerton Elementary would close at the end of the 2027-28 school year and merge into Buckhannon Academy Elementary.
The Tennerton closure was pushed back two years to allow for $19 million in necessary upgrades to Buckhannon Academy.
Although the hearings will be conducted by the Upshur County Board of Education, the local board currently has no decision-making power. Upshur County Schools remains under state control, meaning any final determinations will be made by the West Virginia Board of Education in Charleston.
Public hearings for the Rock Cave and French Creek proposal are scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 13, at 5:30 p.m. at French Creek Elementary and at 7 p.m. at Rock Cave Elementary. Hearings for the Tennerton and Buckhannon Academy merger will follow on Monday, Nov. 17, at Buckhannon-Upshur High School (B-UHS), with the Buckhannon Academy hearing at 5:30 p.m. and the Tennerton hearing at 7 p.m.
Residents wishing to speak must sign in at the site during a 30-minute period prior to the start of each hearing. Each speaker will have five minutes to share comments, and written statements will also be accepted if they are submitted prior to the conclusion of the meeting.
According to the public notice, during their five-minute allotment, speakers may “make statements, offer testimony, or question school officials.”
A decision on the consolidations will be made at the Board of Education meeting on Nov. 20, 2025, starting at 5:30 p.m. at B-UHS.
Miller has said the closures are necessary to address declining enrollment, aging facilities and reduced funding for public schools. Enrollment at Rock Cave Elementary had fallen to just 74 students this year, including six kindergarteners, she said at a previous meeting.
French Creek Elementary, located about four miles away, currently has room for those students without any new construction. Buckhannon Academy Elementary, on the other hand, has submitted a major construction proposal to the West Virginia School Building Authority (SBA) to expand and update the facility before the arrival of students from Tennerton.
That proposal, totaling nearly $19 million, was submitted to the SBA in September. It would fund a multi-phase project at Buckhannon Academy Elementary designed to replace outdated sections of the building, add a new gymnasium and 16 classrooms and upgrade systems like HVAC and lighting.
“The additional needs beyond our initial thoughts of the need for a boiler and chiller included the addition of a gymnasium and a teardown of the 1920s and 1968 buildings,” Miller said during a recent board meeting. “A project cost has been developed and we’ve prepared, along with the architects, a needs project to be submitted to the West Virginia School Building Authority.”
A final funding decision on the project is expected in December.
The proposal has drawn opposition from several teachers, parents and community members who question both the need for closures and the wisdom of consolidating so many students into a single large elementary school.
Tennerton Elementary teacher Christy Gaudet told the board that merging her school with Buckhannon Academy would create one of the largest elementary schools in the state.
“It seems ridiculous to have such a large elementary school in the middle of Buckhannon,” Gaudet said.
Others who have spoken during public comment periods include Tennerton Elementary graduate Maddie Bennett, now a freshman at Buckhannon-Upshur High School.
“Tennerton is thriving,” she told the board. “Education levels are strong, the school is full, and it’s one of the few places in the county where staffing has never been a problem. That alone is worth paying attention to at a time when schools everywhere struggle to hire certified teachers.”
At Rock Cave Elementary, staff members have voiced similar concerns. First-grade aide Sara Collins urged the district to consider ways to bring virtual students back into the classroom before closing a school that, she said, still serves an important role in the community.
“We are a small school, but we are an important school, and we would like to stay open,” Collins said.
Miller has acknowledged that some redistricting may be necessary if the mergers go forward. She also outlined a state-mandated process for determining staff placements and seniority at the consolidated schools.
The superintendent has repeatedly pointed to declining enrollment and the growing impact of legislation such as the Hope Scholarship on public school funding. The program, established by the state legislature in 2021, allows parents to use taxpayer funds for private school tuition or home-schooling costs.
Miller has said 150 Upshur County students currently participate, resulting in an estimated $1 million annual loss in state aid for the district.
A later phase of the facilities plan presented by Miller earlier this year would involve closing the current Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School and moving those students to the high school. Although B-UHS has excess capacity, that phase would likely require extensive new construction.
A document outlining the reasons for the current consolidations — an official impact statement and supporting data — is available at all four schools, as well as the central office, 102 Smithfield Street in Buckhannon.
Here are the full announcements from the school system:
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
Proposed Closure of Rock Cave Elementary and Merger into French Creek Elementary – Upshur County Board of Education
The Upshur County Board of Education will hold two (2) public hearings on the Superintendent’s recommendation to close Rock Cave Elementary School at the end of the 2025–2026 school year and merge it into French Creek Elementary School.
Public Hearing #1 – French Creek Elementary
Location: French Creek Elementary School, 7619 Route 20 South, French Creek, WV
Date and Time: November 13, 2025, at 5:30 p.m.
Sign-in: Between 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Public Hearing #2 – Rock Cave Elementary
Location: Rock Cave Elementary School, 12292 Route 20 South, Rock Cave, WV
Date and Time: November 13, 2025, at 7:00 p.m.
Sign-in: Between 6:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Capacity and Continuation
If, at the time a hearing is called to order, the Board determines that the location is of insufficient size to accommodate all who wish to attend, the hearing will be recessed and moved to a larger venue. The new location will be posted at the original site.
If a hearing is not completed by 11:00 p.m., it will be recessed and continued on a date and time designated by the Board prior to adjournment. Each hearing, or any reconvened session, shall end at the conclusion of business or at 11:00 p.m., whichever occurs first.
Alternate Dates and Times
If, due to inclement weather or other causes, a hearing cannot be held on the scheduled date, it will be held at the same location and time on the following alternate date:
- French Creek Elementary Hearing: November 18, 2025, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
- Rock Cave Elementary Hearing: November 18, 2025, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
If a hearing cannot be conducted on the alternate date or time, the Board will determine another suitable date and time.
Hearing Procedures
For a period of 30 minutes prior to each hearing, individuals may register at the hearing location to make statements, offer testimony, or question school officials.
- Speakers will be recognized in the order of registration.
- Each speaker will be limited to five minutes.
- Written statements may be submitted in lieu of oral testimony, provided they are received before the hearing concludes. All written comments will be given full consideration before the Board takes final action.
Reasons and Supporting Data
Until the date of the first hearing, written reasons for the Superintendent’s recommendations — in the form of an Impact Statement and Supporting Data — are available for public inspection at:
Office of the Superintendent of Schools
102 Smithfield Street, Buckhannon, West Virginia
Hours: Weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The same materials are also available for review at Rock Cave Elementary and French Creek Elementary.
Final Action
The Upshur County Board of Education will take formal action on the Superintendent’s proposal to close Rock Cave Elementary and merge it into French Creek Elementary School at its meeting scheduled for:
Date: November 20, 2025
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Buckhannon-Upshur High School, 270 BU Drive, Buckhannon, WV
If that meeting cannot be held as scheduled, it will be conducted at the same location and time on the alternate date of November 25, 2025.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
Proposed Closure of Tennerton Elementary and Merger into Buckhannon Academy Elementary – Upshur County Board of Education
The Upshur County Board of Education will hold two (2) public hearings on the Superintendent’s recommendation to close Tennerton Elementary School at the end of the 2027–2028 school year and merge it into Buckhannon Academy Elementary School.
Public Hearing #1 – Buckhannon Academy Elementary
Location: Buckhannon-Upshur High School, 270 BU Drive, Buckhannon, WV
Date and Time: November 17, 2025, at 5:30 p.m.
Public Hearing #2 – Tennerton Elementary
Location: Buckhannon-Upshur High School, 270 BU Drive, Buckhannon, WV
Date and Time: November 17, 2025, at 7:00 p.m.
Capacity and Continuation
If, at the time a hearing is called to order, the Board determines that the location is of insufficient size to accommodate all who desire to attend, the hearing will be recessed and moved to a new location large enough for all attendees. The new meeting location will be posted at the original site.
If a public hearing is not completed by 11:00 p.m., it will be recessed and continued on a date and time designated by the Board prior to adjournment. Hearings (and any reconvened sessions) will end either at the conclusion of business or 11:00 p.m., whichever occurs first.
Alternate Dates and Times
- Buckhannon Academy Elementary Hearing:
November 19, 2025, beginning at 5:30 p.m. - Tennerton Elementary Hearing:
November 19, 2025, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
If a hearing cannot be conducted on the alternate date or time, the Board will determine another suitable date and time.
Hearing Procedures
For a period of 30 minutes prior to each hearing, persons may register at the hearing location to make statements, offer testimony, or question school officials.
- Speakers will be recognized in the order of registration.
- Each person will be limited to five minutes.
- Written statements may be submitted in lieu of oral testimony and must be submitted before the conclusion of the hearing. Written statements will receive full consideration by the Board before any final action is taken.
Reasons and Supporting Data
Until the date of the first hearing, written reasons for the Superintendent’s recommendations — in the form of an Impact Statement and Supporting Data — are available for public inspection at:
Office of the Superintendent of Schools
102 Smithfield Street, Buckhannon, West Virginia
Hours: Weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The same materials are also available at Buckhannon Academy Elementary and Tennerton Elementary.
Final Action
The Upshur County Board of Education will take formal action on the Superintendent’s proposal to close Tennerton Elementary and merge it into Buckhannon Academy Elementary School at its meeting scheduled for:
Date: November 20, 2025
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Buckhannon-Upshur High School, 270 BU Drive, Buckhannon, WV
If, due to inclement weather or other cause, the meeting cannot be held on the scheduled date, it will be held at the same location and time on the alternate date of November 25, 2025.
