The McDuffie County (Georgia) district has broken ground on an elementary school in Thomson that will replace two existing campuses.
WJBF-TV reports that the new J.A. Maxwell Elementary School would combine students from the existing Maxwell and Thomson elementary schools.
Both are two of the oldest schools in the district. Thomson Elementary was built in 1954, and Maxwell Elementary was built in 1977.
Superintendent Mychele Rhodes says the $36.6 million project has been in the works for four years.
The new Maxwell Elementary will have a “pinwheel” design, enhancing the ability to supervise students.
It will feature four STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) labs, 37 regular classrooms and an outdoor classroom.
The school will also have four special education rooms, a computer lab, art room, music room, gym, and media center.
The district aims to have the new school open at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year.
Work also continues at two other schools in the county. The district is adding four classrooms at Norris Elementary School, and two classrooms at Dearing Elementary.
