The Aiken County School District has identified six schools - including Aiken High and North Augusta High - as having its most critical facility needs.

As the Board of Education moves through a process of addressing facility issues countywide, the trustees had asked the administration to cite those schools that have the most significant deficiencies or expansion needs.

At a specially called board workshop, Deputy Superintendent David Caver specified the two high schools, Leavelle McCampbell Middle School, Ridge Spring-Monetta Elementary/Middle School, Jackson Middle School and the Aiken County Career and Technology Center.

School Board members are taking a comprehensive look at long-term facility needs. Any effort to begin addressing them likely will result in taking a bond referendum to the public as early as 2010.

During the meeting, the trustees had discussed programmatic issues and safety concerns related to any new construction and renovation efforts. Board Chair Dr. Christine Harkins and board member Wesley Hightower said the report from Caver was just the kind of information the board needed to hear.

"This will be a lead-in to future discussions," Harkins said. "We have to decide how we will tie it all together for quality schools and programs. This is just the tip of the iceberg, but we have to start someplace."

The Aiken High School building dates back to the 1950s, Caver said. When the adjacent North Aiken Elementary School got a new school a decade ago, the high school took over that campus. Yet the school has 20 mobile classrooms, has buildings spread over the campus and is in great need of repair overall, Caver said.

Its counterpart in North Augusta has nine portable classes. The school is overcrowded, Caver said, and 10 teachers don't have their own classrooms but "float" throughout the school, which also has historical infrastructure problems.

In March 2008, the Columbia-based M.B. Kahn Construction Co. presented a facilities survey report to the district and gave some first-phase construction and repair suggestions. But the proposals for Aiken High and North Augusta High were relatively minimal, said board member Ray Fleming. He doesn't want to see "band-aids" for either school.

Caver said the major renovations needed at Aiken High alone could cost $30 to $40 million.

"It would be worthwhile to see if we could salvage some of the existing campuses at both schools," he said. "We have to consider which is better - to build new or salvage what we can."

Leavelle McCampbell is another aging building dating back to the mid-1920s, and the district and administration again will have to decide whether to remodel the middle school or accept the need for a new facility, Caver said.

"It obviously needs help," he said. "The floors creak. Are students in any danger? No, but it could become a safety issue. The administration has done a great job in planning student movement around the school, but substantial work is needed."

RS-M Elementary/Middle has its own physical plant deficiencies. One consideration for the board members, Caver said, is to construct a new facility near RS-M High School. That would provide some K-12 opportunities.

The elementary/middle school is unusual, however, because it's located in Saluda County and has students from both districts. That school district contracts with the Aiken County School District for services. Any new construction would move the school to Aiken County, and the two school boards would have to get involved in that situation.

The Career Center has been growing in recent years and could be a candidate for expansion. Caver said other areas, such as Area 4 in Wagener, Ridge Spring and Monetta, could benefit from additional space for career offerings.

Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.