Big changes are coming to the Warren County School District following a 5-4 vote held on Monday, January 13th at the school board's first meeting of the new year.
 
The board approved plans to close Sheffield Middle High School and Youngsville High School, with the closures set to take effect in 2025.
 
It was standing room only at the Warren County School District Central Office, where community members packed the meeting in opposition to the proposal.

The decision will see all 9th through 12th grade students from Sheffield transferred to Warren High School, while Youngsville students in those grades will move to Eisenhower High School.
 
The vote saw board members Cody Brown, Kevin Lindvay, Paul Mangione, Mary Passinger, and John Wortman in favor of the closures. Against the measure were board members Savanna Cochran, Tammi Holden, Stephanie Snell, and Daniel Sullivan.
 
The decision sparked outrage among parents, teachers, and students, many of whom voiced their concerns before the vote. They urged the board to consider alternative solutions, such as selling unused properties in the district.
 
"I think this is a major setback not just for the district, but for the county and the community it affects," stated Zachary Sanford, a teacher at Youngsville High School. "The county's population is already shrinking. Sheffield and Youngsville were set to bring in more people and jobs, folks looking to live in a small town and attend a smaller school, and this decision just squashed that."
 
"I think that they didn't hear us, they didn't listen," added Youngsville student, Nate Leamon. "They decided to make a stupid decision and it's going to affect us for the rest of our lives.  I have been in Youngsville my whole life, and now I'm being forced to graduate at a school that I never wanted to attend."
 
Superintendent Gary Weber issued a written statement after the meeting, calling the closure a step toward expanding academic opportunities and ensuring long-term financial stability for the district.
 
“The decision follows a comprehensive review of academic opportunities, student enrollment patterns, and financial projections, all aimed at better preparing students for success in an increasingly competitive world,” Weber said. “Consolidating resources will allow us to offer expanded course offerings that will better serve the diverse needs of all students more diverse electives and strengthen the district’s finances.”
 

The board emphasized that work will be continuing in the next coming months to address the more finite logistics for the transition, and they plan to keep gathering community feedback to ensure transparency.