WALHALLA — The possible closing of Tamassee-Salem Middle and High schools, listed among options in the long-range facilities study presented to the Oconee County Board of Trustees last December, has evoked plenty of emotions.

That was again in evidence Tuesday night as the board heard arguments both for and against keeping the schools in place. Although consolidation was among the recommendations made by USC professor Ken Stevenson in his December presentation, the board won’t make a decision until they discuss the issue further in meetings this summer.

Jane Brosnan, a Keowee Key resident, who helped establish the “Tamassee-Salem Friends Club” for the middle and high schools, urged board members to retain the schools.

“I’m here to ask you to let Tamassee-Salem Middle and High School continue to provide what they do so well,” Brosnan said.

When she first moved to Oconee County, Brosnan admitted she had concerns about the size of the schools and their ability to offer the same quality education as the larger ones. But she said those concerns were quickly alleviated after becoming involved with Tamassee-Salem Middle and High faculty and staff.

“The education that students receive at Tamassee-Salem and the values they have make an impact on their families and older siblings and help these students prepare their children for a successful future,” she said, adding that her biggest fear is that a consolidated school “won’t provide the individual attention that these students need.”

Brosnan said many school districts throughout the country are constructing smaller schools.

“Oconee County already has one in the middle of Salem,” Brosnan said.

Kym Alexander, president of the School Improvement Council for Tamassee-Salem Middle and High School, presented a resolution from the Salem Town Council requesting that board members carefully consider the impact closing the schools would have on the school system and communities.

“It would have an adverse impact on Salem and the surrounding communities,” Alexander said. “We have a 73 percent poverty rate in our community, so please consider the hardship this would place on the poor. If there is an overcrowding issue, just put students back in the schools in their district, and we wouldn’t have this issue.”

Alexander requested that she and other parents of Tamassee-Salem Middle and High School students have an opportunity to meet with the board prior to any decision regarding the future of those schools.

But Francis Maloney, of Walhalla, said the school district is spending $15,000 per pupil at Tamassee-Salem High — a figure he feels “doesn’t make sense.”

“You could get an education from Clemson University for that kind of money and get your books paid for,” Maloney said. “We’re spending too much money per pupil.”

Maloney said Tamassee-Salem Middle School is spending $5,800 per pupil as compared to the $6,800 being spent per pupil at Walhalla Middle School. He also noted that close to 20 percent of students that live in the Tamassee-Salem area are choosing to attend Walhalla High School.

“It’s about numbers,” he said. “The students will do just fine — it’s the parents who will be inconvenienced. But the number of individuals moving into the Tamassee-Salem area that have kids is very small.”

School Board Chairman Andy Inabinet argued that students could attend any school in the district they desire, since the school district adopted its school choice policy several years ago. The only conditions are that students must provide their own transportation and the desired school must have room enough to accompany them.

Oconee County District Superintendent Mike Lucas said the actual cost per pupil at Tamassee-Salem High School is $13,000 per student — a figure he said lags behind Code Elementary and Kellett Elementary that are Title I schools (and both of which are consolidating into the new Blue Ridge Elementary that will open in August).

“It’s hard to equate each school based on just the cost,” Lucas said. “There are other factors, such as the age of school buildings and maintenance costs that also play a role.”

When Maloney argued that shutting down Tamassee-Salem High School would automatically save the school district $15,000 per student, Lucas replied, “We would not have a place to put students and staff members (since Walhalla High’s current facility is already crowded). Portables would have to be added and that would cost more.”

Walhalla High School officials told board members that — consolidation or no consolidation — they need a new school.

“I feel the quality of education that our high school students are receiving suffers,” said Sam Gray, a science teacher at the school. “The existing lab facilities are not adequate for the 21st Century and I feel my students are receiving less of an education than they would if they had a new school building.”

Though a decision on Tamassee-Salem and Walhalla middle and high schools will be made later this summer, the board voted Tuesday night to proceed with additions at Seneca High School and West-Oak High School. Each project is estimated to cost between $6 million to $8 million and, along with the entire building program, is being funded through eight percent money.

All school boards have the ability to borrow up to 8 percent of the assessed value of county property.

The 30,000-square-foot addition at Seneca High features not only an auxiliary gymnasium but also 10 classrooms and a science lab addition. West-Oak High’s proposed 20,000-square-foot addition includes expansion of the cafeteria, air conditioning for the gymnasium and eight classroom and science lab additions as well as a more secure front entrance.

District officials say the Seneca High and West-Oak High additions won’t impact the Walhalla and Tamassee-Salem projects since 2014 is the earliest that construction would begin in those areas.