Resident urges Summers County Schools to fix Hinton Area Elementary, accelerate levy outreach

A resident who addressed the Summers County Board of Education on July 9 urged immediate action to address conditions at Hinton Area Elementary and pressed the board to speed outreach for a planned levy. The commenter asked the board to share the State Department of Education's inspection findings, to schedule pressure-washing before the school year starts and to improve interior and exterior lighting, saying, “students cannot learn without proper lighting.”

The commenter also urged clearer communications from the district, citing a lack of visible notices about the meeting on Summers County Schools’ Facebook page and called for a website “facelift” so parents can find timely information. She said there was an urgent need for a marquee at the school and questioned how remaining county funds were being spent, saying she had previously calculated about $1.9 million remaining and asked for a current accounting.

Superintendent (speaker identified on the agenda as delivering the superintendent’s report) said the State Department of Education representatives visited Hinton Area Elementary and that staff had collected samples and tests. “We will give you their full report findings as well as what we’re doing to rectify any of the situations that are going on at that school,” the superintendent said, adding the building is “definitely stay structurally sound” and describing ongoing repairs: bathrooms gutted and renovated, new lighting installed in some areas, and two remaining construction items (bulletproof glass) expected to arrive by the end of July. He said power washing of the building is scheduled for August after construction work is complete.

Board members and staff discussed levy strategy and outreach at length during the meeting. The board said it is considering running a levy in November and may propose a shorter two-year levy to show results and seek further support later. Staff described plans to recruit PTO members and parent volunteers to assist with community outreach and to refine levy items based on community feedback. The board left levy planning on the agenda for future meetings and requested timelines for required election notices.

What’s next: The superintendent said the district will provide the state inspection report and a summary of corrective steps to the board; levy details and outreach plans will remain on the agenda for the next meeting, scheduled for July 23 at 6 p.m. at the central office.