New Claxton school rises as officials weigh old site’s future
Construction work continues on a new school building at 105 Fellowship Lane in the Claxton community. The new school will replace the nearby Claxton Elementary School when completed. (photo:Ben Pounds )
The Anderson County Commission voted at its March 12 meeting to hold a work session with school and county officials to discuss the sale and future of the current school property at 2118 Claxton Highway. A date for the work session has not yet been set.
Meanwhile, construction continues at the future school site at 105 Fellowship Lane.
Board of Education member Jo Williams, who represents Claxton, told The Courier News that Anderson County Schools wants to finalize the sale of the current building by December. However, she and Anderson County Schools Assistant Director Kelly Myers said the school system will not be ready to move students out of the old building and into the new one until summer 2027.
Construction progress
In a written report included with the March 16 County Commission agenda, Anderson County Director of Schools Tim Parrott stated that construction of the new school was 20% complete.
Board of Education members watched a drone video at their March 12 meeting showing construction at the site. Parrott said workers were installing sewer lines and would begin laying brick for the new school the following week.
At that same meeting, the board approved a transfer of $1 million to continue helping pay for construction. The Anderson County Commission authorized a total of $20 million in bonds for the project in 2024.
Selling the current site
To help pay for the project, the school system plans to sell the current Claxton Elementary School site. Anderson County Schools has estimated the property’s sale would bring in $3.5 million to $4 million.
At its March 9 meeting, the Operations Committee voted to form a new task force to look at options for the current school property’s sale and future. Because the proposal lacked specifics about the task force’s role, Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank suggested at the March 16 County Commission meeting that officials instead hold a work session.
The motion to hold the work session passed unanimously, although commissioners Sabra Beauchamp and Michael Foster were absent. Commissioner Chad McNabb made the motion, and Commissioner Robert McKamey seconded it. McNabb and fellow Commissioner Tracy Wandell represent Claxton on the County Commission.
Wandell brought the original task force proposal to the Operations Committee. During that meeting, he said he would prefer the property’s eventual use benefit the whole county and that officials needed to work toward that goal. He said he had heard rumors that the Department of Energy wanted to use the land for a training center.
“I think that would be a win-win for everyone,” he said of the training center possibility.
