New state of the art schools prepare to open in Charleston county

It’s an exciting time for students and parents at several Charleston county schools.  The district will open four new state of the art schools next week.  News 2 took a tour of the new schools.

For Moultrie Middle School principal Jean Siewicki, Christmas came early this year. She says, “It feels like Christmas. I’m opening up a brand new school, opening up a huge gift. It does feel like christmas.“  The new 34-million-dollar school in Mount Pleasant has more than 30 state of the art classrooms, with smart boards and computers.  Siewicki says, “We’re so thrilled to have this school.  It’s just phenomenal.  It’s just state of the art.  I can walk out of my office and stand here in the center and look down the 7th grade wing and the 8th grade wing and all the way back to the gym, they tell me it’s the length of a football field all the way to the gym from the door, so we’re going to get a lot of walking in.  The hallways are all color coded for the grade, 8th grade is all red, green is 7th, and further down is 6th grade.“  The school also has nine science labs, as well as a unique art room, which opens up to one of two main court yards.  Siewicki says, “So we have a glass garage door that slides up to allow us to design big pieces of scenery sets that can be moved in and out and also it’s a wide open classroom.“  The school’s library has a balcony.  Siewicki says, “We have a balcony, and we have rocking chairs where kids can rock and read.“  Parent Lisa Davis says she’s excited.  She says, “It’s beautiful.  It’s enormous. It’s just such a nice thing to have a child be apart of a new school.“ Student Rachel Lewis says she’s actually ready to go back to school.  “I think it’s really pretty, it’s huge, I’m afraid I’m going to get lost, that’s the one main thing.“  The school is right next to the Farmer’s Market and students will use that as an outside classroom as well.

Another new school in Mount Pleasant will open next week, Mount Pleasant Academy.  The new 18-million-dollar facility proudly displays a nautical theme throughout.  The 65-thousand square foot building is complete with state of the art equipment.  Teachers have a lap top with a mobile station, and the playground has a ground amphitheater, and a spectacular view of the harbor.  Jane Davis has been principal of the school for 22 years.  She says, “This building is absolutely gorgeous, and it’s very functional.  It has many of the features that we’ve done without for many many years.  For the first time ever, we’re all going to be under one roof.  We’re all going to be in the same building.  We have no trailers.  We have state of the art technology.“

The new Orange Grove Charter Elementary open it’s doors in West Ashley.  The 22-million-dollar school features state of the art technology, and an advanced security system.  Principal Larry DiCenzo says the K-through-5 school has 725 students, and the new building is more secure.  DiCenzo says, “This is a great facility for us.  Everybody has their open space finally.  Security wise, we are in a much more secure building.  In the past, we did not have the type of security that we have here in this building.“  The school has 46 security cameras.  Orange Grove Charter Elementary will have a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday at 2 p-m.

District officials say the new schools are a part of a five year half-a-billion dollar building program.  They say the money was raised locally through bonds, which are capital funds, separate from general operating funds.