The Fort Mill (S.C.) School District has won approval of a $190 million bond package that will pay for three new schools and other facility improvements.
The Rock Hill Herald reports that the district plans to use the proceeds to build two elementary schools that would open in August 2020, and a middle school that would open in August 2021.
Bond funds also would be used to acquire future school sites; upgrade technology; replace aging HVAC systems; buy additional school buses; and replace kitchen equipment, the district says.
“We would like to thank the Fort Mill School District community for again voicing their support for our schools and joining with the district in our mission of placing ‘Children First,’ ” reads a statement from the school district. “The growth our area is experiencing is significant, and the community has once again shown their commitment to providing a quality education for all students.”
The Fort Mill district has about 15,000 students, making it second in size in the York-Lancaster-Chester region.
An online survey earlier this month found residents split on the bond package; some said it was needed to maintain high standards for schools throughout the district, but others argued that it could lead to too much growth in the Fort Mill and Tega Cay areas.