Beallsville High to Close Upper Grades Starting 2025–26 School Year
In a swift and unanimous decision during a Special Meeting held Thursday, May 29, at 2:00 p.m., the Switzerland of Ohio Local School Board voted 5-0 to suspend classes for grades 9-12 at Beallsville High School, effective the 2025–26 school year.
Board President Greg Schumacher introduced the motion, which was seconded by Ron Winkler. Jerry Gust, Robert Putsock, and Ken Phillips supported it.
According to current enrollment figures listed on the district’s website, Beallsville High School currently serves 92 students in grades 9–12. Nearby River High School enrolls 180 students, Monroe Central has 239, and Swiss Hills Career Center has 136.
Beginning with the 2025–26 school year, high school students from Beallsville will attend either River or Monroe Central High School.
A printed notice dated May 22 and distributed to Beallsville administrative staff Tuesday night — and to all staff the following day- signaled the impending decision. The agenda for the Special Meeting, held at Swiss Hills High School, included item #3: “Consideration of suspension of grades 9-12 at Beallsville High School.”
While the meeting was open to the public, the district made clear that there would be no public participation allowed.
This is not the first time Beallsville’s fate has been challenged. In 2015, a previous board voted 3-2 to close the high school, but a local citizens group, the Beallsville Keystone Committee, filed suit.
The Ohio Seventh District Court of Appeals later upheld a ruling that the board violated open meeting laws, forcing the school to remain open.
Ironically, Thursday also marks the final day of the current school year, with classes at Beallsville dismissing two hours early, a symbolic and emotional close to what may be the school’s final year as a high school.
