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Board postpones Jumping Branch sixth-grade pilot amid budget and staffing concerns
Summary
Summers County Schools trustees discussed a proposal to keep sixth grade at Jumping Branch Elementary but voted to postpone a decision so staff can provide enrollment projections, cost estimates and staffing models after board members raised concerns about an approximate $600,000 budget shortfall and potential need to hire a teacher.
The Summers County Schools board postponed a decision on a Jumping Branch Elementary sixth-grade pilot program after an extended discussion about costs, staffing and student transitions.
A board member raised the district's preliminary fiscal picture for fiscal year 2025–26, saying, “from the predicted starting balance to the predicted ending balance, we're going down about $600,000,” and warned that “if this ends up costing us having to get another teacher ... I just don't see this possibly happening.” That comment framed much of the debate and prompted requests for additional financial analysis.
Proponents described pedagogical benefits and smoother transitions. One participant pointed to local advantages at Jumping Branch, saying there "would be no better class to do it with" because of existing looping and familiarity between students and teacher. Another board member noted potential classroom space alternatives, observing that "there is space at Hinton Area for them to have classroom spaces," but emphasized that renovations to meet safety and accessibility requirements — including water, door and bathroom security updates — would need to be addressed first.
Board members and other participants also raised practical concerns about extracurriculars and transportation. A board member asked whether parents would need to provide transport if sixth-grade schedules conflicted with after-school sports at the comprehensive school; others said the pilot could collect data on participation to inform a possible wider rollout.
The board asked staff to return with enrollment estimates and financial models. One speaker offered a staffing cost rule of thumb cited in the meeting: "when we hire professional [staff], is $70,000. And if we hire service, it's 50,000," a rough salary-range estimate used during budget planning discussion.
After discussion, a motion to postpone the pilot until the next meeting passed so that administrators could supply the requested data and cost estimates. The board did not adopt the pilot or take any binding policy action at this meeting.
Next steps: administrators will prepare and present enrollment projections, detailed cost estimates (including personnel and renovation needs) and information on how extracurricular participation and transportation would be handled if the pilot moves forward.
