Fayette plan realized, school to open in '26

Feb. 8—West Virginia Governor Jim Justice made a stop at Midland Trail High School on Monday. He wasn't the main attraction, however.

Even Babydog, the governor's lovable pet English bulldog who was showered with attention and affection by students from Ansted and Divide elementary schools, played second fiddle to the more important reason for the gathering.

In December, Fayette County Schools was awarded $15,625,860 from the SBA from Fiscal Year 2024 funding to help pay for construction of the new Midland Trail Elementary School that will be built on the Hico campus. FCS has committed $6 million of its own money to create an overall funding pool of $21,625,860 for a project which will combine the student bodies of the current Ansted and Divide elementary schools into a Grades PreK-5 school building adjacent to the Midland Trail high/middle school facility.

The school's construction, which is predicted to be finished by May 2026, brings to completion a Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan (CEFP) put in place in 2015 while Fayette County schools were under control of the state Board of Education.

The CEFP called for the school system to close old, dilapidated buildings, build new ones and upgrade others, trimming the number of buildings operated by the FCS from 18 to 11.

On hand for the ceremony in addition to Gov. Justice and his pup were Andy Neptune, executive director of the SBA of West Virginia, Fayette County Schools Superintendent Gary Hough, Fayette County Board of Education members, McKinley and Associates architects, local school principals and others as the presentation of SBA funding for the school was recognized.

Also on hand for the celebration was Terry George, former Fayette County superintendent of schools, who was appointed to lead the county in June 2015 while the system was under state control. Before his contract expired, the local Board of Education signed George to a four-year contract, trusting him to lead the county through the CEFP process.

Current superintendent Gary Hough was thrilled with the day's celebration. "It's the completion of everything that we set out to do," the superintendent told The Register-Herald Monday. "It's the last project of getting our schools up to top quality and doing what we need to for our children.

"That's why it's really important. The last piece of the puzzle."

George agreed.

"Fayette County is no longer facing putting their students in schools that are old and unsafe. Thank God the kids have got what we told them we'd get. The county's been blessed."

Right there, that's the reason to celebrate. Not some staged event but rather checks delivered on promises made and for the perseverance of education officials to see this through. Paws up, as Babydog would have it, to Fayette County Schools and its state partners for the successful navigation through what's been a sometimes bumpy process. — By Cheryl Keenan

of The Fayette County Tribune

for The Register-Herald.

----Thumbs up to Wyoming County Schools' annual spelling bee winners and participants.

Despite the anxiety and nervousness caused by being in front of a large group of strangers, the spelling bee participants performed admirably.

As the competition heated up and the words became more difficult, the students were able to maintain their composure under the stress of competition.

----Thumbs up to West Virginia being selected as one of National Geographic's "Best of the World" Top 20 Travel Experiences for 2024.

The internationally acclaimed publication selected whitewater rafting in the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve as one of the world's top wonders to experience this year, along with highly acclaimed experiences such as an eclipse in Niagara Falls and glacier treks in Chile.

Each year, National Geographic releases its "Best of the World" list, celebrating travel experiences that illuminate the world and the diversity of communities and people within it. The list is selected and written by National Geographic global editors from around the world, in collaboration with National Geographic experts and expedition leaders.

The designation follows a series of recent major announcements by Forbes Advisor, Thrillist, Condé Nast Traveler, Outside Magazine, Lonely Planet, TIME, USA Today and Frommer's among others, that together rank West Virginia as a leading global destination for travel. — By Mary Catherine Brooks

of The Wyoming County Report

for The Register-Herald.