Chapin, SC (WLTX)- There's a new middle school opening in Chapin in response to the population growth in the area.
The Director of Economic Development in Chapin, Karen Owens says the town has experienced tremendous growth in the past 15 years. She says there was a population growth of 130% from 2000-2010 about double digit population growth every year.
Right now there are two more subdivisions being built in the area.
"When I was growing up, people had houses up here. They came up here on the weekends but they lived in Columbia now people are making that switch because they want to live and enjoy the high quality of life that we have out here in the Chapin area plus we have some of the top performing schools" said Owens.
The latest example of this growth is the new two story Chapin Middle School.
Anna Miller is the Principal at the school, "because of the increased growth in the area and the number of students that we were serving in our limited facilities we did need to expand and we opened a brand new building."
The school has the same name just different configuration, 7th and 8th graders will be in the new building while 5th and 6th graders will stay in the old building.
"Our construction crews will continue to put the finishing touches on the building and they will not be doing those things while instruction is going on" said Miller.
8th grader Gracie Culley was happy to see the chairs she voted for are actually a part of her new classes."So far I really like the cafeteria. It's really cool we have these special benches and like high tables. They actually made tables for Chapin Middle School and it has our new emblem on it so I really think that's awesome and then the stage in the cafeteria is huge it's much bigger than our last stage" said Culley.
Wednesday Chapin Middle School will open its doors to 822 students.
Chapin Middle School is not the only one that has experienced growth across the board Lexington-Richland School District Five says they've seen an increase in the enrollment numbers.
