As a concerned member of the Randolph community, it has come to my attention that Dr. Dilley has yet to come up with a plan for Harman or Pickens School.

He has pushed back the date of voting for the closing of schools, but has yet to meet and discuss with the community leaders of Harman and Pickens to find alternative ways to keep the school open. Is this because he, along with other board members, have made up their minds and want to make it look like they are doing all they can?

We assume that other board members have the best interest at heart. If so, why would they want to close two schools down out of town? Why would they want kids from Harman School to come across four mountains? May I add, during terrible wintertime, to go to Elkins/Middle High School and Midland School.

If you ask me, a concerned member of the Randolph community, it makes no sense whatsoever.

Why would Dr. Dilly tell the state, when he sent in the impact statement, about Harman not having a gas station, a grocery store and a restaurant? I have been over to Harman and found they have a gas station as well as three restaurants and a dollar store (which does sell groceries). What’s more is that Harman also has a senior center, a post office, a pharmacy, a clinic, and a community that supported Harman School when the roof fell in.

Dr. Dilly is also trying to use Harman School and Tygarts Valley Middle/High School against each other. How may you ask? By saying if Harman School doesn’t close, then Tygarts Valley will not be getting the stuff they need.

Dr. Dilley’s plan is to go from 13 schools in Randolph county to 7 schools to save money, yet he wants to build one big school to house all the students and Randolph County together. How was this supposed to save money overall?

Does he expect to pass a bond in hopes that people in Randolph County will vote for raising taxes in Randolph? Where did the COVID money go that was set aside for Randolph County schools, and where did the money come from for Elkins High School’s new football field?

If you ask this concerned member of the Randolph community, it seems fishy that the COVID money set aside is gone and EHS had some upgrades to their football field.

Another thing to consider is where has all the money went? As members of the community we hear rumors of money going to positions all over the board office, or that the board office needs a fresh coat of paint every year or every other year. If the state were to come in, they would find ways to cut costs without hurting children’s education.

Dr. Dilly, along with people at the board office, don’t want the state to come in, because then positions at the board office would be the first thing to cut, along with Dr. Dilley’s superintendent job.

In conclusion, this concerned member of the Randolph community is asking you to think what it would mean for the future of the children if Randolph County Schools were consolidated, as well as keeping Dr. Dilley and the board members in check.

As a community of Randolph County, we must look out for each other. It should never be Elkins versus Harman or Harman versus Tygarts Valley and so on. Each town helps each other out, so we as a community need to fight the closing of schools and the consolidation of schools and Randolph County.

Written by a concerned member of the Randolph community.

Jessica Rae Pennington

Whitmer