NEW MARTINSVILLE — With student enrollment projections for Wetzel County on a downward trend and expenses $11 million plus per year more than the state formula, school board members and administrators are in agreement changes are in order.

One of the changes being considered is the consolidation of Paden City High School and Magnolia High School — a move many Paden City supporters have opposed for years. If that happens, the board would work with the public to create a new name for the consolidated school.

On Friday, the Wetzel County Board of Education, along with the new schools superintendent, Cassie Porter, and other officials met at the board office for a work session to review the results set forth by the Vision Committee, a group selected to provide the board with facts and figures facing the county and what they mean for the future of the county’s nine schools.

After a rundown of current enrollment figures at the schools and the cost of keeping those schools open over the past five years, the discussion moved to current professional job postings and the lack of qualified teachers to fill the positions. Other topics of discussion included transportation, daily attendance and graduation rates.

The board then discussed realistic options — including consolidation. One option was bringing Magnolia High School, Paden City High School and Valley High School together into one new facility and leaving Hundred High School alone.

Another option the board will look at going forward is to build two new facilities, which would combine Magnolia and Paden City in one and Hundred and Valley in the other.

It was also noted that any change would require a name change for the schools involved.

While a merger of schools for the coming school year has been ruled out, it could be used as a temporary solution down the road.

Board President Linda Fonner reiterated several times this was a meeting to begin the process of modernizing the schools in Wetzel County. But it was clear that change is coming.