The town of Waynesville, N.C., has approved the design for a permanent home for the Shining Rock Classical Academy charter school.
The Mountaineer reports that $14.9 million facility will span across 13 acres not far from its.current school location. Head of School Josh Morgan says the academy intends to sell the modular units that make up its existing campus and vacate the property totally.
The town's approval clears the way for the school’s design-build partner, BC Construction Group, to start moving dirt.
“The Waynesville Historical Committee was very pleased with the building,” says Chip Harp, director of Business Development at BC Construction Group.
“I think it’s going to be a very attractive school — probably one of the most attractive schools we’ve done,” says Neil Tate of Tate Architecture.
The design calls a building of about 48,000 square feet; it will have a two-story layout, a full-size gymnasium, a stage, nurses station, and outdoor instructional spaces.
The academy's existing campus has capacity for 400 students in grades K to 8. The new facility will have a 850-student capacity.
The additional space will enable the school to eventually expand and offer high school grades.
The new school building is scheduled to open for the 2021-22 school year, when the academy expects to have an enrollment of 500 students at the new school. By 2022-23, Shining Rock is aiming to have an enrollment of 650 students.
