ORANGEBURG, S.C. — The WLTX street squad has been on the ground in Orangeburg learning about the stories that matter most to residents in the community including the consolidation of the Orangeburg School districts three, four and five.
Parents and staff members are concerned about what will happen to the children and employment for workers in the district.
South Carolina lawmakers approved legislation for the county’s three school districts to merge into one by July of this year.
The districts will end their work on June 30th as three individual districts. On July 1st, the three will officially come together as one consolidated school district.
An 18-member Orangeburg County Consolidation Transition Committee was formed to oversee the transition but the responsibilities have now been given over to the newly elected school board.
Peggy James Tyler, chair person of the Orangeburg consolidation school board committee says, she understands people’s apprehensiveness as plans are still being made about the first school year the districts will be consolidated.
Tyler does however want to assure people of one thing. She says, “As an Orangeburg County board, we’ve been told that no schools will be closed. In order to close schools you would have to have a referendum. So no schools will close just one Orangeburg County district.”
The boards meets tonight in hopes to pick an new superintendent.