BECKLEY, W.V. (LOOTPRESS) – Tuesday afternoon’s groundbreaking ceremony in the parking lot of the current Stratton Elementary School marked the beginning stages of a project that has taken years to come to fruition. Within 24 months, Stratton Elementary students will have a new state-of-the-art facility, complete with every possible educational amenity.
The ceremony was attended by Raleigh County Board of Education members, Beckley City Councilmembers, the mayor, students, teachers, members of the community and key players in the project.
The school’s current Kindergarten class- future Stratton leaders- was able to take part in Tuesday’s groundbreaking, symbolizing the reason and inspiration for the project: the students.
The current Stratton Elementary School is an outdated building that was originally used as a high school. The building currently provides several struggles for faculty and students, including numerous flights of stairs, lack of sufficient air conditioning and heating and poor air quality.
Superintendent of Raleigh County Schools, David Price, says the new $20 million facility will be a one-level building specifically designed for the elementary-age students of East Beckley.
“It will be here for years to come,” he said. “It will provide every opportunity, every new item that’s available for students.
“Any time you invest in our students and our kids, it’s an investment in the community, and for East Beckley to receive this type of investment, we hope it’s the first step or another step to make sure this community continues to come together and support our students.”
Ward 5 Beckley Common Councilwoman Janine Bullock, who represents East Beckley, expressed what the new school facility will mean for the community.
“I am just so prideful. I am so overjoyed because it has taken years for this to come about with the Lord bringing us all together in collaboration, bringing us together to make this happen. I just can’t express how I feel right now. We are so glad for our children, for our community, for our facility. This is going to being so much pride into our community.”
According to Price, the school’s funding was made available through a partnership between the Raleigh County Board of Education and the West Virginia School Building Authority (WVSBA). WVSBA contributed $9 million to the project.
The Raleigh County BOE and WVSBA have partnered in the past to construct or renovate school facilities within the county. Their most recent project was the renovation of Shady Spring High School.
The new school will be built at the site of the current school’s athletic field at the same location on South Fayette Street in Beckley. Following the completion of the new facility, Price says the old building will be demolished.
Price expects constriction to begin within 30 days.
