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Parents and residents urge Shenandoah County School Board to build a new elementary school
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Summary
Multiple parents and residents told the board the county’s three elementary schools face overcrowding, mold, plumbing and HVAC problems, and urged a new centralized elementary rather than piecemeal expansions; speakers also cited traffic and safety risks around Sandy Hook.
Several parents and residents urged the Shenandoah County School Board on Feb. 2 to prioritize building a new elementary school instead of relying on modular classrooms or piecemeal renovations.
Robin Stout, introduced as a parent at Sandy Hook Elementary, said students are working in hallways and that modular classrooms force children and teachers to walk outdoors during bad weather. "Children should be provided with enough classroom space to enhance their learning," Stout said, and she called for a "new centralized elementary school so that our current vision can be ready to use." The board did not respond during public comment.
Anne L. Weinking, who said she has previously shown the board images of conditions, described mold, backed-up sewage, leaking roofs and classrooms with stained carpet. She called the need for a new building "urgent," warning that continued expansion of existing schools would be a "Band-Aid approach" that worsens traffic, discipline and instructional issues.
Deanna Devery, another parent who spoke, said her child has recurring respiratory issues and expressed concern about sanitation and lockdown readiness, saying security may be "not up to snuff." Jesse Pearson, a neighborhood parent who said his family has attended county schools for generations, argued overcrowding causes daily safety and traffic problems and asked why progress has been slow: "We ought to have the funding now... Continued delay has a cost to students, family, and the community," he said.
Speakers repeatedly tied facility problems to learning and staff morale, asking the board for a clear timeline, accountability and funding priorities. The board accepted public comment under its usual rules (three minutes per speaker) and adjourned the public comment portion before moving into the work session.
What happens next: The board heard these comments ahead of a follow-up work session and a later scheduled vote on capital projects; architects and staff presented design options and cost estimates at the same meeting (see related article).
