District lists schools with pressing facility needs 12/2/2009 6:30 PM
By ROB NOVIT Senior writer
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.
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Posted by: On: Saturday, December 05, 2009 6:58 AM
Comment Title:
Hey Kathy,
The toilets are stopped up all the time because the plumber who goes out there doesn’t know what the hell he is doing nor does he cares if the problem ever gets fixed right. This is nothing new. It’s been an on going problem for years.
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Posted by: Jason D. Redd On: Thursday, December 03, 2009 1:04 PM
Comment Title: AHS Architectural Design 2 class
My Architectural Design class at Aiken High are currently working on a project to develop two different plans that could improve the school. The first one plan are designs which would improve the campus we currently have by including the recommendations from the Aiken County School District's 2008 Demographics & Facility Needs Assessment. The second plan are designs for an entire new school campus. Wish us luck! Well, at least wish me luck!!
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Posted by: On: Thursday, December 03, 2009 10:22 AM
Comment Title: A New School
I believe it would be better to bulid a new school. Aiken High was built in the 1950's and its 2009 now.
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Posted by: Jaflacian "the Hessian" Nation On: Thursday, December 03, 2009 10:20 AM
Comment Title:
Mr. Redd's Architecture RULEZ!!!!!!!
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Posted by: Shaney Joe Coleslaw On: Thursday, December 03, 2009 10:19 AM
Comment Title:
I'm putting my faith in Mr. Redd's Arch. Design class. They are a bunch of brilliant students who are trying to solve all our problems.
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Posted by: JoGa On: Thursday, December 03, 2009 10:19 AM
Comment Title: solutions
I am in Mr. Jason Redd's arch. design class and we are working on improvements for the school and hopefully we can come up with some good solutions!
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Posted by: Big Redd Architecture On: Thursday, December 03, 2009 10:16 AM
Comment Title: Evaluation
Aiken High is terrible, Kathy!
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Posted by: Kathy On: Thursday, December 03, 2009 5:33 AM
Comment Title: Old Schools Needing Repairs
It would be nice of the District would just do minor repairs on the schools. My son goes to Aiken High and he says the bathrooms are so nasty. The stalls don't have doors the toilets are always stopped up. Why cann't these small issues be dealt with. Small everyday maitnesnce can surely help and make the school at least useable.
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