FOSTER — Boone County Board of Education officials have decided not to reconfigure Ashford-Rumble and Nellis elementary schools, Superintendent Steve Pauley said.

Instead, they will continue to monitor the schools’ declining enrollment on a year-to-year basis and take appropriate action if it becomes necessary, Pauley said.

“As of right now, that is pulled off the table,” he said.

Nellis parents Michael Dangerfield and Terry Rutherford came to the Jan. 8 board meeting to get an update on the proposed reconfiguration. They left Boone County Schools’ operations complex much happier than they expected.

“I’m very thankful,” Dangerfield said.

“I’m excited,” Rutherford added.

Pauley and his staff devised a reconfiguration plan that would have eliminated split-grade classrooms at the schools by turning Nellis into an early childhood facility (pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, first and second) and Ashford-Rumble into an intermediate facility (third, fourth, fifth and sixth).

County officials also considered the proposed reconfiguration because of the rural schools’ declining enrollment.

Ashford-Rumble has 93 students for the 2007-2008 school year compared to 135 students in the 2002-2003 school year, according to county totals.

Ashford-Rumble was expected to have 143 students for the 2007-2008 school year, according to its 10-year Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan.

Nellis has 89 students for the 2007-2008 school year compared to 106 students in the 2002-2003 school year, according to county totals.

Nellis was expected to have 100 students for the 2007-2008 school year, according to its 10-year Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan.

Ashford-Rumble’s operating capacity is 195 students, which means its current program utilization is 47.69 percent. Nellis’ operating capacity is 182 students, which means its current program utilization is 52.35 percent.

The West Virginia Department of Education recommends schools’ current program utilization not fall under 50 percent.

Boone County Schools held a pair of community meetings at the schools last month to discuss the proposal.

Dozens of residents, parents, teachers and officials from Ashford-Rumble and Nellis asked questions, offered objections and voiced concerns. Of those who spoke, none supported the initiative.

County officials were supposed to make a decision by Dec. 31, but Pauley asked the West Virginia Department of Education for an extension so they could do additional research.

In the end, the extension was unnecessary because the issue was tabled.

The schools’ principals had different reactions to the superintendent’s decision.

“We are pleased — we being the school and the community — that Mr. Pauley and the board members are taking a closer look at all possible options to better the educational opportunities for students at Nellis and Ashford,” Nellis Principal Jeff Nelson said. “We feel like we are moving forward at our school, and we want to have an opportunity to continue to move forward.”

“I have mixed emotions about it,” Ashford-Rumble Principal Roger Toney said. “Being the educator I have been for 34 years, I am for what is best for the children.

“People in my family disagree with me — and like I told you before, I am not tickled that my grandchildren would have been in different schools (if the proposal had passed) — but I think they would learn more (in reconfigured schools).”

Toney said both schools likely will have split grades again next year.

“I don’t think there is a chance we won’t have split grades,” he said. “I really don’t. We are going to end up with split grades again and I have already seen what that has done to the school and the community.

“Parents want one teacher per grade, and that is the ideal situation, but that probably isn’t an option (because of the money it costs the county — approximately $60,000 per teacher).”

Administrators claimed the reconfiguration would have saved the school system at least $240,000, which represents the cost of four teachers.

Parents said county officials shouldn’t place a price tag on their students’ education, which is why they should pay the price to fully staff the schools.

“It will do long-lasting damage,” Ashford-Rumble parent Jennifer Arthur said of split-grade classrooms. “I think the WESTEST scores this year will prove that.

“I am definitely worried,” she added. “I am starting to wonder whether my daughter should continue to go to that school.”

Contact Jacob Messer at HYPERLINK "mailto:jacobmesser@coalvalleynews.com" jacobmesser@coalvalleynews.com and 369-1165 or 785-8951.