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Plan includes new facility for O.P. Earle Elementary School, upgrades for Landrum High School

 

LANDRUM—At a February 10 meeting, the Spartanburg District One School Board was presented with a comprehensive plan to construct two new schools and implement significant capital improvements without raising taxes by borrowing up to 125 million dollars.

Assistant Superintendent of Operations Jason McCraw outlined the four-phase development plan to address aging school facilities and growing enrollment numbers. 

The first phase proposes limiting school choice and out-of-district tuition with no associated costs. The second phase includes constructing new facilities for Mabry Middle School and O.P. Earle School, both built in the mid-1950s. Additional upgrades for New Prospect Elementary would involve a new cafeteria, four classrooms, a K5 playground, and a designated carline area. 

The third phase would focus on evaluating and redrawing school attendance zones that have remained unchanged for decades, along with plans to raze the existing Mabry Middle School. A new Inman Elementary is planned at that site, along with the addition of four classrooms at Holly Springs Middle School and a new central parking facility. 

Finally, phase four would involve updating Landrum High School and Chapman High School, continuing the Swofford building project, and establishing a new administrative office at the current Inman Elementary site.

Board members raised concerns regarding the delay in evaluating school attendance zones, highlighting that recent engineering studies indicated current facilities could accommodate 2,000 additional students. Some schools, like those in Landrum, operate well below capacity.

Other Board members emphasized the necessity of addressing deteriorating facilities. 

McCraw reiterated that the need for new schools is driven by the age of existing structures rather than demographic shifts. He firmly stated that the plan would move forward without a tax increase and assured attendees that more information would be provided at the next board meeting.

McCraw asked the board for a March decision on the proposal.