Residents of Wilmington and Whitingham voted yesterday to consolidate their elementary schools. The two southern Vermont towns, a dozen miles apart, merged their middle and high schools in 2003 and formed the Twin Valley School District.
But the towns have been unable to pass a bond for badly needed repairs. School board member Phil Taylor says Twin Valley High School in Wilmington is in danger of losing its accreditation because of its poor physical condition.
Taylor says the vote to merge elementary schools means that one of the joint district’s schools will close, probably the old Wilmington High School. The money saved will be used to help renovate and reconfigure the remaining schools.
Tuesday’s vote only goes into effect if and when both towns approve a bond for the renovations.