COUNTY — Students in the School District of Pickens County are scheduled to begin classes August 21, and SDPC operations director Bob Folkman is confident that both the new Easley and Daniel high schools will be completed and ready to receive students on that date, if not before.
In the last 30 days, the SDPC received the necessary permit from Easley Combined Utilities to complete site work at Easley High’s lift system, a gravity-fed sewer system built into the plans at not only the new EHS but also Daniel and Pickens High.
Folkman also said that one of the Easley Fire Department’s connections at EHS has been successfully relocated.
Utility delays preventing the completion of road work around the new EHS site have been resolved, so final road work around the campus is well under way. According to Folkman, traffic lights and turning lanes will all be completed prior to August 21.
Additional road work running from the Easley High property line to Sheriff Mill Road will continue until completed.
Although Easley High’s principal, assistant principal, guidance counselor and athletic director have moved into the new building, it will not be open to faculty and students or the general public until the final road work on campus is completed. As a result, Folkman said, fall registration will be held at West End Elementary.
All furniture and fixtures slated to be moved from the old Easley High has been moved to the new campus.
At Daniel High, complete demolition of the old school is now complete.
Folkman said massive site work is under way in the front parking area of the school. It is anticipated that this work will be completed by August 17. Until the work is completed, students and the general public will not be allowed on campus.
A final inspection on the school building is scheduled for August 7, and if the inspection is successful, faculty and staff will be permitted to begin relocation into the new building.
The school sewer system connected to the town of Central should receive required DHEC certification soon as well, Folkman said.
In addition to the progress made on the two high school buildings, the SDPC’s Food Services and Transportation departments have successfully moved into the west building at the old B.J. Skelton Career Center, and the Pickens High School conversion project is well under way.
Folkman will present plans to the SDPC board of trustees at its next meeting for the old EHS conversion into a second middle school in Easley, so that work can begin as soon as possible.