Carolina Forest Breaks Ground on Two New Elementary Schools to Combat Overcrowding

Construction site with builders and blueprints for school.

Carolina Forest Welcomes Two New Elementary Schools

Carolina Forest, SC – The Horry County School District is making significant strides to address overcrowding in local elementary schools with the construction of two new facilities. Both schools, located off Carolina Forest Boulevard and Ronald McNair Boulevard, are projected to open their gates to students in the 2025-26 school year.

Construction Progress and Timeline

As reported during a recent meeting on August 26, 2023, by Joe Burch, the executive director of capital projects for HCS, the school scheduled on Ronald McNair Boulevard is on track for substantial completion by May 31, 2025, while the project at Carolina Forest Boulevard is expected to be finished by July 9, 2025. This timely completion is critical given the pressing need to alleviate overcrowding in existing schools.

Addressing Overcrowding

The recent statistics reveal that current elementary schools in the area are operating at significantly over capacity. Burch stated, “All three schools are well over 100% of capacity,” with River Oaks Elementary at a staggering 160%, followed by Ocean Bay at 141% and Carolina Forest Elementary at 133%. To manage the high student numbers, these schools have resorted to using modular classrooms.

New School Capacity and Attendance Area Plans

Each of the new elementary schools will be designed to accommodate approximately 1,200 students. To maintain a balanced enrollment across schools and ensure future growth, the adjustments to attendance areas will be critically important. Burch mentioned that the aim is to populate each elementary school at about 75% of its capacity. This strategy helps to provide enough room for the expected growth in the community while preserving neighborhood integrity and preventing street splits.

The district plans to utilize 2024-25 attendance data in October for updates to the realignment proposals, which will be further adjusted as required. The recommended realignment will eventually be shared online to collect community feedback before it is presented to the governing board for approval in the upcoming months.

Community Involvement in Naming and Mascots

An exciting aspect of establishing these new schools is the community’s involvement in the naming process. A dedicated committee will be formed to propose names, mascots, and school colors for each new elementary school. This committee will include advisory board members, school improvement councils, community leaders, and school personnel. Notably, the school district policy mandates that schools cannot be named after individuals or organizations.

Transitioning Modular Classrooms

Once the new schools are completed, the district anticipates spending about $7 million to relocate current modular classrooms from the existing Carolina Forest elementary schools to both Carolina Forest and Myrtle Beach high schools. The modular units are expected to support high school students during renovation projects while also serving as a buffer for future class sizes.

Enhancing School Security Measures

Conclusion

The addition of two new elementary schools in the Carolina Forest area is a crucial development for the Horry County School District, aimed at addressing chronic overcrowding while promoting community engagement and enhanced safety measures.