CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Kanawha County Board of Education will receive more than $1 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency as reimbursement for the portable classrooms being used by Herbert Hoover High School.
The announcement Friday by U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., is related to the purchasing of the classrooms after the school building was destroyed in the June 2016 food.
Clendenin Elementary School was also destroyed by flooding.
FEMA awarded the school system the money from its public assistance program.
Capito spoke this month to FEMA Region III Administrator MaryAnn Tierney regarding the lack of progress on building new schools in the Elk River community.
“While coordinated recovery efforts by local, state, and federal officials have made progress in many areas, it is critical that we have permanent facilities for those students whose schools were damaged as a result of the floods. I have listened to the concerns of community members and local officials in Kanawha County regarding the delay in constructing a replacement for Herbert Hoover High School and have communicated those concerns to FEMA leadership,” Capito said.
Manchin said West Virginians are still recovering from the flood.
“This grant will help our communities repair and provide the students of Kanawha County the best education available. These students deserve to have their schools rebuilt and as a member of the Appropriations committee, I will continue to ensure they receive that support,” he said.