ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. — The Orangeburg County School District is now proposing closing three schools in the eastern part of the county. Vance, Saint James, and Holly Hill Elementary schools will be combined to form the construction of a new Holly Hill Elementary. Elloree Elementary school will remain open as a K-5 school. According to the district, these plans were based on community input from the last round of feedback meetings.
It also plans to open a new middle school wing on Lake Marion High School's campus.
Holly Hill resident Gaynell Walters expressed some reservations about these plans at a public input meeting on Wednesday.
“If they just had one school, there will be an overflow, so what’s gonna become of the overflow once these developments start being developed," Walters asked.
Rose Wamer is another resident of Holly Hill who says she's concerned about the children's' safety.
“On the highway, standing waiting for the bus is not safe for them and I would and hoped and prayed that they would consider the children and have the school to remain in Holly Hill," said Wamer.
There is also a potential site for Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School that the district is partnering with the county to acquire. The district is proposing beginning minor renovations and repairs to Edisto Primary in July. In August, the district plans to begin transitioning Rivelon students to Edisto Primary.
“They’ve done an outstanding job of coming together, giving the feedback, to help us reach what I believe is a workable plan that will provide high quality facilities but also high-quality education opportunities for our students," said superintendent Shawn Foster.
Foster says this plan will fit into the district's budget of $190 million and won't raise taxpayer dollars. The next public input meeting will take place at Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School on Thursday at 6:30 pm.
