Fort Mill in 10 years: New schools, virtual space, teacher housing on the table.
The Fort Mill School District board went through its most up-to-date forecast Tuesday night for new schools and enrollment.
Cumming Group began work with the district about 20 years ago and provides regular updates on needs -- everything from when new schools are needed to when roofs or carpet must be replaced.
“That’s all captured in this mega document,” said assistant superintendent Tommy Schmolze. “It’s good. I don’t know how school districts function without that.”
The latest update comes with uncertain growth figures but has plans for elementary and middle schools. Virtual and prekindergarten (4K) space could follow.
Elementary and middle schools
Jim Britton with Cummings Group updated the school board about a 10-year facilities need study. It shows need for three elementary schools, two middle schools and more high school space. Yet one giant question looms. The COVID-19 pandemic could continue to impact the growth rate of student enrollment.
The pandemic already has about 30% of the roughly 17,000 district students in virtual settings. About 650 students from before the pandemic didn’t move but aren’t enrolled, likely having chosen outside virtual options. District leaders expect many of those students back post-pandemic.
“Now, it’s time to turn toward updating the plan in anticipation of — if the numbers were to stay solid -- the growth we would need to identify when we need schools and what kind of schools we would need,” said Chuck Epps, district superintendent.
There is reason to believe growth won’t stop even with a pandemic. A generation of new school construction starting in 1992 progressed as more and more students arrived, regardless of economic conditions.
“Even in 2008, even the recession, you’re still growing at about 500 students a year,” Britton said. “It’s no flat line or decrease.”
The district held a $226 million referendum in 2015 on 2014-19 needs, then a separate $190 million referendum in 2018 for needs from 2019 to 2024. The district now looks to focus on 2024-29. The study compares projected enrollment with building capacity.
School board Chairwoman Kristy Spears referenced a color-coded chart Tuesday, where red would be immediate need for space at individual schools.
“We do not have a school anywhere close to red, this year,” she said.
Yet, she said, even with COVID-19, it’s foreseeable that district enrollment will track pretty close to pre-pandemic projections.
“I could see it being very reasonable that we would grow (by) another hundred kids by the end of the year,” Spears said.
School enrollment growth plan
An elementary school takes about 33 months “trees to keys,” or from earliest planning to completion, Britton said. A middle school takes 36 months, and a high school 48 months. Britton forecasts a need for two elementary schools in 2024-25 or 2025-26. That puts the need for funding, likely a bond, at 2021. Middle school funding plans by 2022 would allow for schools by 2025-26.
There are more than 10,000 seats just at the elementary school level. Orchard Park is the only elementary school that doesn’t show capacity constraints in the next 10 years, Britton said.
High school is different.
“You will need to develop some type of educational space within the next 15 years,” Britton said. “My gut is that this virtual world that’s going to be the new normal to some degree, will push that out from the 2029-30, out even further.”
High school space likely means expansion rather than a fourth high school. It also could mean more online options. Fort Mill Virtual Academy began in response to the pandemic, but won’t stop there.
“We know going forward we’re going to have a virtual academy,” Epps said.
Already district staff have visited other districts that have online options.
“It knocks off the need for some brick and mortar classrooms,” Epps said.
Britton, who said enrollment has more than tripled since he began work with the district more than a decade ago, sees virtual options as an interesting variable for planning.
“Historically we’ve had to put students in desks,” he said. “Now it’s a little bit different.”
4K and teacher housing
Epps said Fort Mill is one of 17 districts in South Carolina, that doesn’t provide 4K (or pre-kindergarten) classes beyond what the state requires. In the state budget prior to COVID-19 there was money planned to increase 4K in the Fort Mill district for all students.
“That’s going to happen at some point, so if you look ahead...we’ll have some decisions to make as a board,” Epps said. “It’ll be like adding a grade.”
One of the planned elementary schools could become a site for 4K learning.
“Then you wouldn’t have to take space in the other 11 elementaries,” Epps said.
Another possibility involves a partnership similar to the Fort Mill YMCA at the Complex.
“We’re excited about the potential of partnering with Leroy (Springs), the Town of Fort Mill, for a facility in the Paradise community,” Epps said.
Initial conversations involved a 4K space there.
“Now the discussion has gone into a virtual space, a virtual academy, where we don’t know what that looks like until we do some more research, but it’s probably a stand alone office-type building,” Epps said.
Plans aren’t specific yet, but are ongoing. As are plans that involve affordable housing.
“There’s a housing component to this plan as well,” Epps said.
A group is in discussion with the district, he said, on possible affordable housing options that group may provide in the Avery Lakes community.
“The price of housing is so high in Fort Mill that it is difficult for teachers and other professions to afford — a single person — a first home,” Epps said.
Details aren’t in place yet but affordable housing options would be meaningful for the district as other areas of the state and country face questions of teacher shortages. The school board in Fort Mill has had discussion on the need for affordable options in town.
“You talk about a recruiting tool,” Epps said. “That would be a good sell if we’re having any difficulty recruiting teachers.”
