School district presents growth plan for bond referendum | News | Berkeley Independent

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School district presents growth plan for bond referendum

Published Tuesday, February 07, 2012 9:51 AM

By Stefan Rogenmoser
Berkeley Independent

Are a new high school and at least one new middle school in Berkeley County’s immediate future?

That will ultimately be up to voters – but school district officials say that the growing population of the county makes new schools a must.

More students are enrolling in the Berkeley County School District than ever – and the district is growing even more rapidly than expected. The district has 850 more students today than one year ago.

The school board met on Jan. 26 in Moncks Corner to discuss the district’s growth plan for the next three to 10 years.

Superintendent Rodney Thompson said the meeting was about quality of life, quality of jobs, economic development driven by education and quality schools that produce a quality workforce.

Thompson said quality school facilities are needed to attract new businesses; but added that if someone toured Whitesville or Sangaree elementary schools they would not see the school because there are so many portable units (aka classroom trailers).

The list of the county’s needs is daunting.

Sangaree Elementary and Intermediate schools are well over capacity, BCSD Deputy Superintendent Archie Franchini said. The two adjacent schools have a capacity of 1,300 students but there are currently 1,671 enrolled, according to the presentation.

It’s a similar story at Westview Primary and Elementary schools, which have a capacity for 1,256 but enrollment has reached 1,158. Those schools are located in the Sheep Island/Carnes Crossroads area, where there are 36,000 homes planned which will bring an estimated 10,800 students to the area alone.

In the Hanahan and Goose Creek area there are more than 9,000 homes planned that will bring an estimated 2,700 students.

Boulder Bluff Elementary is 46 students over capacity, Hanahan Elementary is 116 over, Hanahan High is 81 students over, and Goose Creek Primary/Sedgefield Intermediate are 271 over capacity.

Daniel Island School, which feeds into HHS, is 69 students over capacity. There are 8,200 homes planned bringing an estimated 2,400 students to Daniel Island.

Berkeley Middle is 219 students over capacity while Sangaree and Westview middle are nearing capacity.

With all the homes currently on the drawing board, the district expects an average of 900 new students a year, meaning an entire school’s worth, according to Franchini.

The district also needs numerous renovations, such as a wider hallway and taller ceiling at Goose Creek High School, where only two students can pass at the same time during class changes, Franchini said. GCHS was originally built as a middle school.

Cross High School needs major work on its gym/multi-purpose room and Marrington Middle and Elementary schools both have inadequate stages, Franchini said. Marrington Middle is an arts school and has a 16 x 8 foot stage. Performances are usually held at other facilities.

Stratford High needs more seats in its cafeteria so students won’t have to eat lunch while sitting in the hallway, Franchini said.

The district is looking to build more schools in the near future at $150 per square foot, Franchini said. He recommends building a high school for $50 to 65 million in the Clements Ferry Road area to relieve overcrowding at HHS.

At least one middle school ($25 - $35 million) is needed in the Clements Ferry area and possibly a second in Moncks Corner or near Cypress Gardens.

Elementary schools ($75 – 90 million) are needed immediately in the Tanner Plantation and Sheep Island areas. In the next three to five years Carnes Crossroads and Foxbank areas.

To pay for the new schools there may need to be a millage increase equaling $40 more a year on a $100,000 home in 2014 and $80 more by 2017, according to BCSD Chief Financial Officer Brantley Thomas.

In November county residents will vote for or against the district’s bond referendum.

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