Cabell County schools

Tomorrow afternoon, Cabell County school Superintendent Bill Smith is scheduled to meet with The Herald-Dispatch editorial board. The prime topic of discussion is likely to be the construction of the new middle and elementary school buildings. Other topics likely will come up during the discussion, such as the new program for all high school freshmen next year.

The school system is doing a good job though the Internet of keeping people informed on the planning process for the new schools. From what I have seen of my limited time in them, Barboursville, Milton and Cammack middle schools needed to be replaced. It will be a shame to lose West, but the numbers probably aren't there to sustain West over time without some redistricting to bring new people into its territory. But redistricting is a bigger problem than consolidation, so there's little likelihood of that happening anytime.

I still wonder, though, about the future of Enslow and Beverly Hills middle schools. Beverly Hills could use some improvements, notably access, but it appears to be servicable for the foreseeable future. For what little I've seen of Enslow, it could use replacing. And that's the rub. The problem with saving Enslow as a free-standing school is similar to West's: long-term enrollment trends and problems finding a suitable site in the neighborhood.

Consolidating Enslow with Beverly Hills may be inevitable, but let's hope it's not done by simply moving Enslow kids to the Hill. If there is to be any consolidation, the county should build an entirely new school so the Enslow-Beverly Hills kids have the same quality of building as the other kids do.

This is sure to be a topic we will discuss with Smith tomorrow. If you have any thoughts, please send them this way.