Orangeburg County School District has changed its building plans to keep elementary schools in Holly Hill and Elloree. It has also added details to its proposal for a new Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School.

District officials are still planning to ask Orangeburg County voters in November to approve a $190 million borrowing package to pay for the work. Trustees first have to approve taking the plan to voters.

“The final vote, if the board approves, is left in the community’s hands,” Superintendent Dr. Shawn Foster said.

“It is not left up to the school board,” he said.

The district says the borrowing will not increase local school taxes, since the district’s debt payments will increase as payments for earlier debt declines.

The district announced its building plans earlier, but went back to the drawing board after hearing from residents. It announced its new plans on Tuesday during a forum at Edisto High School.

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The proposed, new $100 to $110 million O-W High would be located on 95 acres at the corner of Red Bank Road and Industrial Boulevard, located near Interstate 26’s Exit 145. The district is swapping land with the county to obtain the site.

Foster said the O-W location would be similar to Lee Central High School, which is located off of Interstate 20 near Bishopville, and Dorman High School, which s located off of I-26 near Spartanburg.

“This would give you that same sense about the feeling of education and what education is,” Foster said.

The main entrance would be located off Red Bank Road, with separate entrances for buses and athletic events.

The proposal for the completely new campus includes space for 1,600-1,800 students and a dedicated front entrance, gymnasium, parking and athletic fields.

The district estimates the current O-W High School needs nearly $54 million in repairs. Even with that investment, architects cautioned district officials about the projected lifespan of the building itself, meaning it would be more cost-effective to build a new school.

If voters approve the plan, the district hopes to have the school finished by the 2024-2025 school year.

Holly Hill Elementary

The district changed its original facilities plan to include the construction of a new 900-student elementary school at the existing Holly Hill Elementary School site on Brant Avenue.

The new school would serve students currently attending St. James-Gaillard Elementary, Holly Hill Elementary and Vance-Providence Elementary. Those three schools would close.

The plan would leave Elloree Elementary School open with renovations and upgrades to infrastructure, Foster said.

Foster said the $40 to $45 million Holly Hill school would be built where the football fields and baseball fields are. The existing school would then be demolished.

“That is a beautiful facility. I think it is something that that community can be extremely proud of and offer educational opportunities for our students for decades to come,” Foster said.

The district’s original plan called for, among other things, the closure of schools in the eastern end of the county and consolidation at the Lake Marion High School site.

Some parents and residents raised concerns about children having to travel longer distances and spending more time on buses. Others questioned the rationale of closing schools rather than using money to renovate existing schools.

Foster said the decision to change the original plan was made after hearing feedback, getting letters and working with the district’s architects.

“Do I still think the original plan of having them all together, being able to maximize resources and everything on the same site is the better option?” Foster said. “Yes, that is why I brought that to this community. However, hearing the feedback and looking at and weighing what we offer and what we give up, I am OK with that because now we are moving together as a community.”

“Now instead of splitting up into six different schools, it is two, which is doable,” he said. “I think we can work with it.”

The new elementary school in Holly Hill would be built in time for the 2024-2025 school year under the proposal.

Other plans

OCSD’s proposal seeks to address a number of factors facing the school district, including the declining student population and low usage rate of the current buildings.

The plan also includes:

• Adding a middle school wing at Lake Marion’s campus. This 20-classroom addition will hold around 400 to 500 students.

It would open in August 2024 to students from Holly Hill-Roberts Middle and Elloree Middle.

“This is about programing and academic opportunities for our students,” Foster said. “Having those students there would allow them access to particular classes, but we also have growth and separation.”

• Combining smaller schools and closing the ones that need the most work.

Rivelon Elementary and Edisto Primary School exclusively serve early learners in pre-kindergarten through second grade. The underutilized schools have bordering attendance lines.

The district proposes completing minor renovations at Edisto Primary School and transitioning Rivelon students to EPS.

Roof work and flooring, painting and lighting would have to be done at Edisto Primary School. Edisto Primary has a full wing not being used.

The district hopes to have the school open in the 2023-2024 school year.

• Building an additional 20-classroom wing at Clark Middle and renovating and repurposing Howard Middle for elementary learning.

The additional wing at Clark Middle would hold between 400 and 500 students.

With a proposed addition of 28,312 square feet, Clark’s campus could be home to all middle-level students throughout the central area of the county, including those within Clark’s attendance zone and students previously zoned for Howard.

Howard Elementary would serve students from Whittaker, Brookdale and Mellichamp elementary schools.

Whittaker, Brookdale and Mellichamp would close under the plan. The schools are all within four miles of each other.

The work is scheduled to be done in time for the 2025-2026 school year.

• Athletic and fine arts building improvements would be made across the county, including to fields, scoreboards, baseball/softball dugouts, lighting, sound and seating. Work will be done based on needs at the various facilities.

• Vacated facilities could be used for community needs. No building will be left vacant, according to the district’s plan.

Foster said public and private partnerships will be sought to preserve the buildings, but if they are not successfully obtained the buildings will be demolished.

• Other schools in the district will likely see improvements as part of a proposed partnership with ABM for energy performance contracting.

The district plans to hold the next meeting on its facilities plan at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28, at O-W.

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