A Message From Mr. Salfia

I am writing to provide an update regarding last week's announcement by the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC), which determined that our football program violated eligibility requirements. Their decision resulted in the forfeiture of four varsity football games—a disappointing setback to our football players, students, and the entire community. Additionally, this ruling caused our team’s standings to drop from second place to twelfth.

In response, Berkeley County Schools and Spring Mills High School, represented by Bowles Rice LLP, filed an injunction today against the WVSSAC to overturn its decision concerning the eligibility of a former student. We strongly believe the WVSSAC’s decision conflicts with the federal McKinney-Vento Act. This act mandates that Berkeley County Schools must immediately enroll all students experiencing housing insecurity and eliminate any barriers to their participation in extracurricular activities. The WVSSAC’s ruling disregards these requirements and unfairly penalizes all Spring Mills student-athletes by forfeiting four of their nine wins.

With post-season football games for all four classes now delayed by the WVSSAC, we will keep our players and the community fully informed as we navigate this process and hope for a positive outcome.

As always, I appreciate your continued support of our students and athletes.

Mark Salfia

Principal, Spring Mills High School