School Dist. 4 Plan Aimed at Meeting Demands of Growth
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
Anderson School Dist. 4 is asking voters to approve plans to deal with projected unprecedented growth in the decade ahead. The proposal includes a new high school and plans to move sixth-grade students to middle school.
With more than 1,000 housing units either planned or under construction in the district, the student population is projected to swell by at least 800 in the decade ahead.
“Residential growth in Anderson School District 4 is at the highest level in many years,” said School Dist. 4 Superintendent Dee Christopher. “We anticipate three of our schools to exceed their capacity by 2026-2027. Our plan to address student growth in our district serves as a road map to provide ample space for students into the next decade to serve the educational needs of students in our community.”
Christopher said the district has already been challenged by growth. After more than 30 years with a student population of between 2,600-2,900, the 2023-2024 school year has 3,100 students enrolled. The growth is particularly acute at Mt. Lebanon Elementary School.
“Those things that affect our families, with longer car lines longer, fuller buses, and more traffic around the schools, and that will continue to progress,” said Christopher. “The school board and district administration is trying to keep our class sizes as small as we can, and we are adding 17 teaching positions this year, with the majority in elementary schools.”
Pendleton High School will top 900 students for the first time this year.
“We see there are challenges ahead and we have to plan to deal with it now,” said Christopher.
The Growing 4ward Plan proposes construction of a new 1,200-student capacity Pendleton High School on Boscobel Road district-owned property behind the current high school. The current high school will be converted to Riverside Middle school, which will be able to serve 1,000 students. Sixth-grade students would be moved to middle school, creating more classroom space in the elementary schools. The plan also includes upgrades to the district’s elementary schools, as well as athletic facility improvements.
Complete details of the proposed plan are available here. Voters in School Dist. 4 will have the opportunity to decide on the plan in a special referendum scheduled for Nov. 7.