Photo

Click on photo to enlarge

A rendering of the future Daniel High School, to be constructed at the location of the current Singleton Field football stadium, is shown. Bob Folkman, building program administrator for the School District of Pickens County, updated school board members on Monday night on all building projects —including those planned for the new Daniel High.

EASLEY — Bob Folkman, building program administrator for the School District of Pickens County, told school board members on Monday night that renovations conducted over the summer are nearing completion and the process of new school construction is proceeding smoothly.

The summertime projects consisted of 13 elementary schools, including Clemson Elementary, Central Elementary and Six Mile elementary schools. Safety improvements — consisting of reworking the general office, guidance and principal’s office — and technology upgrades were the highest priority items. Some schools also saw the addition of new classrooms.

Folkman then turned his attention to new school construction, including new high schools for Daniel, Liberty, Pickens and Easley. Individual groundbreaking ceremonies for all school construction projects have taken place and Folkman said work required prior to building the facilities is now under way.

The new Daniel High School is set to begin construction in April. Once the two-story building is completed in May 2012, it is set to open in August of that year.

Pickens High School will be the first of the new schools to undergo construction. Folkman said recent right-of-way issues with the SCDOT were resolved last month and the sewer line extension is set for completion in January and the water line extension in May of next year.

Construction of the new school is expected to begin next month and completed in May 2011.

The new Liberty High School is scheduled to undergo construction in December and will be completed by May 2011. The new facility, whose GMP is still being determined, is set to open in August 2011.

The new Easley High School will undergo construction in February 2010 and will be completed in October 2011. The anticipated bid date is in January, and the school is scheduled to open in January 2012.

Two new elementary schools — Dacusville and Chastain Road — are also part of the district’s $365 million facilities improvement project. Folkman said construction of Dacusville Elementary, which has a GMP of $11.3 million, will begin in December and will be completed in January 2011. The new school will open in August 2011.

Chastain Road Elementary School will undergo construction starting in January and will be completed by February 2011. The school will open in August 2011.

greg@dailyjm.com | (864) 882-2375