Concerned parents bombarded Randolph County School Superintendent Sue Hinzman and Elkins Middle School Principal David Roth with questions and concerns over their children's classrooms being housed in modular units in the parking lot of Elkins High School.

"I have been meeting with EMS teachers all summer and they have been instrumental in this," Roth said of the plan to locate EMS students at EHS. "We are looking forward to meeting the challenges. I believe all of us have been working together."

Parents directed their questions and concerns to the school system employees during a public forum Monday night at Elkins High School. West Virginia Department of Education Executive Director in Office of School Facilities Bill Elswick also fielded questions.

"I still consider this a big challenge to accomplish this," Elswick said. "There is a lot of work to do. One of my staff members will be here once or twice a week to monitor the project."

One of the first questions brought forth was from a parent asking whether students or teachers would move for class changes. Hinzman explained that the students would be moving from classroom to classroom.

Parent Carol Holt asked if the eighth-grade students would be the only middle school class inside EHS.

"We think it will work out well," Roth said. "We will have 20 modular classrooms and they will hold two thirds of the students. All EMS students will have classes in EHS."

Roth explained that all core classes will be taught in the modular units and that related classes, such as band, physical education and art, will be taught in the high school. He said when the seventh-grade students are in the modular, the eighth-grade students will be in EHS and vice versa.

"All the sixth- and seventh-grade core classes will be in the modulars," Roth said. "All students in seventh and eighth grades will have related arts classes in EHS and some core classes in EHS."

Roth said the scheduling was examined and studied very closely and administrators looked for scenarios that would minimize student movement during the day.

"We are going to stagger the dismal times," Roth said. "EHS will dismiss first, then EMS."

He said there would be at least 20 teachers outside during class changes and during dismissal of the students.

"There is no perfect way, but we studied it and found the minimum amount of movement," Roth said.

Mark Smith asked about students driving to and from school.

"We are not sure what the spaces will be," Hinzman said. "Most likely only the seniors will be able to drive."

Jeff Mullinex expressed concern about students having to carry their instructional materials with them all day. Roth informed him the reason the scheduling is being done this way is the EMS students will be able to access their instructional material every two periods. Roth also said the students will be able to carry bookbags between classes. The sixth- and seventh-grade students will not have lockers, but instead will have areas set aside in the modulars for their possessions.

Other parents expressed concern about the EHS and EMS students mingling together and Hinzman reminded the parents that these students already share busses. Hinzman said EMS is on a 45-minute class schedule and EHS students are on a 90-minute block schedule.

"Our students will be moving half the time with just them and the other half will be in with the EHS students and when they arrive at EHS," Roth said. "The areas we are using in EHS are grouped together so the majority of our kids will be in one section."

Another concern expressed by parents was for students who normally walk to EMS. The parents said many of them have not ridden the bus. Randolph County Director of Transportation John Daniels said they would be assigned a bus and EMS would be a bus stop for the students to get a ride to EHS.

Roth informed the parents that EMS students will be dropped off behind EHS at the cafeteria and then dismissed to their classrooms. EHS students will be dropped off at the front entrance of the school.

Roth told the parents in attendance that lunch will be served in three shifts and EMS and EHS students would share the cafeteria. The EHS students will be dismissed to lunch first and be given time to get through the lunch line, and then the EMS students will be dismissed. The cafeteria will be split into two sections to keep the grade levels separated.

Randolph County Director of Child Nutrition Lorraine Corley said there will be three separate lunch lines. Two of the lines will serve the regular meal for the day and the third line, the "Express Line" will give another choice such as sandwiches and subs. Corley also said they would serve a "grab and go" breakfast.

"There are going to be problems with this," Hinzman said. "We have tired to think of all the scenarios to prepare and we will deal with the problems."

Randolph County Board of Education President Ed Tyre asked why EMS was not using an identification card procedure the board put into place. Hinzman said the administration has decided to use the ID cards and will be purchasing a machine to make them.

An open house for EMS parents and students is scheduled for Aug. 20. The parents and students will be able to get their schedules and receive tours of the facilities to learn where the classrooms will be.

According to Roth, all athletics will remain essentially the same. He said EMS would practice at EMS and have games at Wimer Field. Cheerleaders will practice at the EHS auxiliary gym and cross country will practice at EHS. He said the school is working with Davis & Elkins College to host some games and practices at D&E facilities. Track will be at EHS and softball will remain at EMS.

"The county is going to provide a bus to transport athletes from EHS to practices," Roth said.

"We are taking a 900-student school to a 1,600-student school," Elswick said. "This is a very ambitious project."

After the meeting, Elswick spoke with The Inter-Mountain and said there have been similar projects across the state.

"Right now it is getting the modulars set up and operational," Elswick said. "Tomorrow it will be working with logistics to get the students to where they need to be."