2A TO 1A

[bucfan64 307]

Which 2A schools in SWVA will be classified 1A within the next 5 YEARS,  10 YEARS? (Where are you seeing enrollment declines significant enough to see this become a possibility?)

[1inStripes 932]

Lebanon, Graham, Tazewell and Lee. I think Lee will get there faster than Union. 

[Union_Fan 2,155]

About a year ago, I would have said Union, but I'm being told that Union Primary is busting at the seams. So much so that they are building an addition. I also see Ridgeview being added to the list above. Like Union, I think their consolidated school was intended for 750 students. What are they down to now, 500's in 9-12?

[Liam McPoyle 1,863]

All of them

[SXSW 557]

9 minutes ago, Liam McPoyle said:

All of them

With Gate City, John Battle and Virginia High being the outliers! Bristol is going to add students because of the casino and GC will stay steady because of the Tennessee kids!

[SXSW 557]

The Mountain 7 could become a district with 3 classes in it within 5 years!

 

[BBHoops_18 206]

Virginia needs to go to five classes maybe even four. I think five would be okay. If they did that then I think a lot of 2A schools especially the smaller ones would then just drop down.

[Liam McPoyle 1,863]

2 minutes ago, SXSW said:

With Gate City, John Battle and Virginia High being the outliers! Bristol is going to add students because of the casino and GC will stay steady because of the Tennessee kids!

I was half serious about "all of them", but every 2A school is somewhat vulnerable unless something significant impacts their community. Hard Rock is a great example and will definitely bring in younger workers with school age children.

[SXSW 557]

Draw a line on the map from Gate City to Abingdon, everyone near that line and south of it will stay steady or gain a little and everyone north of that line is subject to drastic enrollment declines! Coal mines and the mining industry could keep people for a while but all that is gone and it ain't coming back!

[BlueDevil4Life2008 35]

I’m 10 years I think things will look differently. 
 

Black Diamond  District 

Council

Hurley

Twin Valley

Grundy

- All four of these should be one school very soon.  If Virginia goes back to 5 or 4 classes this school will most likely be a Class 1 school.

 

Southwest District 

Lebanon

Marion

Graham

Richlands

Tazewell

Virginia High

- Graham could be Class 1 at anytime 

 - Tazewell could be Class 1 also 

-Marion should stay Class 2 maybe but with Smyth Co shrinking could Marion, Chilhowie and Northwood combine? Would  be a formidable school   

- Lebanon you can’t tell with them

- Richlands maybe Class 2

- Virginia High should be Class 2 

Would any of Tazewell County consolidate?  

 

Mountain 7

- Ridgeview 

-Lee

-Union

-Central

-John Battle

-Abingdon

-Gate City 

In a four or five class Virginia 

All of these could possibly be Class 1 except Battle, Abingdon, Gate City and maybe Union  

If enrollment continues to drop in Scott County they could be looking at consolidation in 10 years   Rye Cove at 200 kids   Twin Springs at 175 kids   Gate City at 550 maybe  This all going off what I have heard from people   These numbers would make a Class 3 school but under a four or five class Virginia would be a good size Class 2 school and would be a very competitive Class 2 school in athletics and academics  

Hogoheegee

Patrick Henry

Honaker

Holston

Chilhowie

Northwood 

Rural Retreat

- A consolidation of Patrick Henry and Holston would be  a major force if they joined   

Honaker might get quite a few students from Council from Buchanan consolidation

if Smyth County joins up that’s another blow to the Hogo

Cumberland Distrixt

Norton - Could they join up with Central

TS and RC - A Scott Co combo with GC

Eastside - ?

Thomas Walker - ?

Castlewood -  would Russell County become so low that they all join together?

 

 

[BlueDevil4Life2008 35]

Imagine a future of this in Southwest Virginia  

If Virginia were 4 classes:

 

These are all hypothetical guesses:  

 

Lonesome Pine District 

Lee - Class 1

Scott Co. - Class 2

Union w Norton - Class 2

Central w Eastside - Class 2

Virginia High - Class 2

John Battle - Class 2

Abingdon - Class 2 

 

Southwest District

Russell Co - Class 1

Ridgeview - Class 1

Buchanan Co - Class 1

Tazewell Co - Class 2

PH / Holston combo - Class 1

Smyth Co - Class 2

Bland Co - Class 1

 

New River District 

Carroll Co - Class 2

Grayson Co - Class 1

Galax - Class 1

Wythe Co. (Wythe, RR, FC) - Class 2

Radford - Class 1

Pulaski Co - Class 2

Giles Co  - Class 1

 

Class 2 Region Tourney teams 

Scott Co

Union w Norton

Central w Eastside

Virginia High

John Battle

Abingdon

Tazewell Co

Smyth Co.

Carroll Co

Wythe Co

Pulaski Co 

 

Class 1 Region Tourney Teams 

Lee

Russell Co

Ridgeview 

Buchanan Co

Bland Co

PH/Holston 

Grayson Co

Galax

Radford

Giles Co

 

 

 

 

[LacesOutDan23 53]

All too many times on here, we view consolidation thru the eyes of the football team. Most of these counties would have excellent football teams if consolidation happened. Personally, Tazewell County could average 68 points a game on offense while giving up >6 points a game. But Tazewell county isn't going to consolidate anytime soon. In fact, current kindergarteners at any Tazewell County school, barring moving will stay attend the same town high school. Buchanan County is still fighting to avoid consolidation. Smyth county might but Marion wont be a part of it, same with Scott county and Gate City. Schools are too expensive and recent consolidations have scared counties from jumping the gun. I've gotten that info first hand. Consolidation sounds great on here, but sometimes its unfeasible. Tazewell and Graham could drop today and still be one of the largest 1A schools, and within the next 10 years, I say they will. But Richlands couldn't drop. 

[SXSW 557]

1 hour ago, LacesOutDan23 said:

All too many times on here, we view consolidation thru the eyes of the football team. Most of these counties would have excellent football teams if consolidation happened. Personally, Tazewell County could average 68 points a game on offense while giving up >6 points a game. But Tazewell county isn't going to consolidate anytime soon. In fact, current kindergarteners at any Tazewell County school, barring moving will stay attend the same town high school. Buchanan County is still fighting to avoid consolidation. Smyth county might but Marion wont be a part of it, same with Scott county and Gate City. Schools are too expensive and recent consolidations have scared counties from jumping the gun. I've gotten that info first hand. Consolidation sounds great on here, but sometimes its unfeasible. Tazewell and Graham could drop today and still be one of the largest 1A schools, and within the next 10 years, I say they will. But Richlands couldn't drop. 

I have posted on here many times that Scott County will never consolidate it's schools, the county is just too big! 543 square miles big and 70% of the population lives with in 10 miles of Gate City, you could combine GC/TS or GC/ RC but never all 3!

[Gridiron60 2,555]

30 minutes ago, SXSW said:

I have posted on here many times that Scott County will never consolidate it's schools, the county is just too big! 543 square miles big and 70% of the population lives with in 10 miles of Gate City, you could combine GC/TS or GC/ RC but never all 3!

Combining  would put some kids on the bus for an ungodly amount of time in addition to just the normal school day hours. I think that’s the problem with a lot of rural districts. Kids already catch the bus early before daylight in some places. Add in the cost of constructing new facilities right now , it’s a hard sell for those reasons alone. 

[1inStripes 932]

The only way there is every consolidation in Scott County is if better infrastructure is put in place which wont happen.  If not you have to locate the school at the intersection of 72/71 or on 23 near the quarry pond.   

There could be a north of the Clinch plan and south of the Clinch plan which would keep RC but not change its enrollment much at all.

[tornado99 345]

I think most of us that post are against consolidation and realize that it often hurts athletics as well. Usually money, aging buildings, and better education for the students are cited as reasons for consolidation, but I will leave that to the “experts” and those who have experienced it to advise if those proposed benefits are a reality. 
I, myself, am in favor of smaller community schools. Since this is a football portion of the message board, seeing from the football team eyes only, I still believe it is a negative, especially if having a little better talent comes at the cost of some numbers due to time/distance or a move up in classification. 
 

I would be interested to hear about the experience of those who have been through or observed consolidation in their communities.

[BearsFan88 117]

I can see Union dropping within 4-5 years. COVID is one of the things that hurt the population in Wise County. The main problem is loss of jobs. You have Red Onion and Wallens Ridge for the prisons. Plus I think there’s some sort of facility in the Coeburn area. 
 

The school district will have another budget crisis and probably cut staff.
 

Then you have Sykes as a major employer in Wise County as they have been for many years. They are also probably the worst employer in Wise County but that’s another can of worms I won’t open. 
 

I have heard talk about a nuclear sort of plant or something (not a reactor I don’t think) being planned for Wise County but there are risks and benefits of that. 

[UnionGuy2017 182]

8 minutes ago, BearsFan88 said:

I can see Union dropping within 4-5 years. COVID is one of the things that hurt the population in Wise County. The main problem is loss of jobs. You have Red Onion and Wallens Ridge for the prisons. Plus I think there’s some sort of facility in the Coeburn area. 
 

The school district will have another budget crisis and probably cut staff.
 

Then you have Sykes as a major employer in Wise County as they have been for many years. They are also probably the worst employer in Wise County but that’s another can of worms I won’t open. 
 

I have heard talk about a nuclear sort of plant or something (not a reactor I don’t think) being planned for Wise County but there are risks and benefits of that. 

SMR’s (small nuclear reactor) is something I’m a big fan of and would be one of few things that would bring me back from Kingsport. 

[Wolf1207 239]

3 hours ago, BearsFan88 said:

I can see Union dropping within 4-5 years. COVID is one of the things that hurt the population in Wise County. The main problem is loss of jobs. You have Red Onion and Wallens Ridge for the prisons. Plus I think there’s some sort of facility in the Coeburn area. 
 

The school district will have another budget crisis and probably cut staff.
 

Then you have Sykes as a major employer in Wise County as they have been for many years. They are also probably the worst employer in Wise County but that’s another can of worms I won’t open. 
 

I have heard talk about a nuclear sort of plant or something (not a reactor I don’t think) being planned for Wise County but there are risks and benefits of that. 

I see Union and RV dropping. Not in 5 years but 10-15 for sure under the current system.  I still believe Eastside will be closed and sent to Central, so they’ll stay Class 2 for the foreseeable future.  I also would expect some consolidation of elementary and middle schools in Wise County too.  
Sykes is a large employer along with Walmart. 
Dickenson county really has nothing other than the school system and Red Onion prison.  They have started the newest scam for money with the so-called industrial park at the top of Red Onion, but I fail to see anyone biting there.  Call centers will be a thing of the past due to AI and work from home.  

[1inStripes 932]

If Eastside closed I wonder how many Castlewood students return to Russell County.  I would imagine quite a few.

[Union_Fan 2,155]

18 minutes ago, 1inStripes said:

If Eastside closed I wonder how many Castlewood students return to Russell County.  I would imagine quite a few.

When Wise Co first consolidated in 2011, only 40 students from St. Paul came to Eastside.

I have no idea how many Russell Co kids are there now.

[1inStripes 932]

40 new or 40 total?

[Union_Fan 2,155]

1 hour ago, 1inStripes said:

40 new or 40 total?

40 total. Eastside/Coeburn, grades 9-12, went from 400 to 440 after St. Paul was closed in 2011.

I think some students went to Burton, some went to Central. No clue where the rest went.

[Duke2015 451]

9 hours ago, Gridiron60 said:

Combining  would put some kids on the bus for an ungodly amount of time in addition to just the normal school day hours. I think that’s the problem with a lot of rural districts. Kids already catch the bus early before daylight in some places. Add in the cost of constructing new facilities right now , it’s a hard sell for those reasons alone. 

They don’t care a bit about the kids.  When Lee High was built the kids from Keokee have a long trip on a terrible road.  I think my cousins kid catches bus at around 7am and gets home around 4:45pm