School board reaffirms consolidation of Council High into Southern Gap High School
March 20, 2026 | BUCHANAN CO PBLC SCHS, School Districts, Virginia
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The Buchanan County School Board voted to reaffirm consolidation of Council High School into the new Southern Gap High School starting in August, following the close of a public hearing on the plan.
The motion to reaffirm consolidation was made from the floor and seconded; the roll-call-style vote recorded four yes and two no votes and the motion passed. A board member framed the motion by saying, "Now that the public hearing is concluded to consolidate Council to Southern Gap starting in August," and the board proceeded to vote. Two members recorded negative responses during the roll call.
During public comment, Jonathan Norman urged the board to address a student-specific attendance/discipline matter and said he had emailed each board member seeking discussion; he told the board, "I've requested Miss Fletcher to come before the board, and I was told I cannot." After the comment the board voted to move into closed session for personnel and legal advice (see separate action entries).
The board also discussed logistics tied to consolidation, including surplus items from schools that will close. Administration said surplus items will be offered at three public auction Saturdays (items tied to federal cafeteria funds handled separately) and must be removed from school property by June 15 if sold. The board appointed a committee to negotiate and present surplus sale recommendations to the full board.
The board directed administration to prepare the required resolution and implementation steps for the consolidation and to notify affected principals and staff. No timetable changes to the approved start date for Southern Gap were announced at the vote.
What happens next: administration will run public surplus auctions and proceed with specified closure and transfer logistics for the consolidated schools; the board has delegated limited contract-closeout authority for the Southern Gap project to the superintendent (see related articles).
The motion to reaffirm consolidation was made from the floor and seconded; the roll-call-style vote recorded four yes and two no votes and the motion passed. A board member framed the motion by saying, "Now that the public hearing is concluded to consolidate Council to Southern Gap starting in August," and the board proceeded to vote. Two members recorded negative responses during the roll call.
During public comment, Jonathan Norman urged the board to address a student-specific attendance/discipline matter and said he had emailed each board member seeking discussion; he told the board, "I've requested Miss Fletcher to come before the board, and I was told I cannot." After the comment the board voted to move into closed session for personnel and legal advice (see separate action entries).
The board also discussed logistics tied to consolidation, including surplus items from schools that will close. Administration said surplus items will be offered at three public auction Saturdays (items tied to federal cafeteria funds handled separately) and must be removed from school property by June 15 if sold. The board appointed a committee to negotiate and present surplus sale recommendations to the full board.
The board directed administration to prepare the required resolution and implementation steps for the consolidation and to notify affected principals and staff. No timetable changes to the approved start date for Southern Gap were announced at the vote.
What happens next: administration will run public surplus auctions and proceed with specified closure and transfer logistics for the consolidated schools; the board has delegated limited contract-closeout authority for the Southern Gap project to the superintendent (see related articles).
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