IRMO, SC (WOLO) — Lexington Richland School District Five will be making major upgrades to many of its campuses following the approval of a Bond Referendum.
Superintendent Dr. Akil Ross says 70% of voters approved the Bond Referendum on Election Day.
“We’re excited about going to our new Board of Trustees and taking these projects, so that we can actually come up with a plan of scheduling, the financing plan, and then how we will communicate the deliverables,” he says.
Over $41 million of funding will be used to relocate Dutch Fork Elementary School — after the expansion of Broad River Road continues to create safety concerns for its students.
“So to have four lanes in front of a tightly compacted elementary school with student runners is just not safe. They have a four lane road going into their front yard, and I-26 going into their back yard. I need to move that school as soon as possible,” he says.
But top priority is to use over $5 million to upgrade the security at 12 school entrances across the district.
“When it comes to school safety, we seem to always be protecting ourselves against yesterday’s school shooting. Our goal is to prevent tomorrow’s school shooting and so with that surveillance and monitoring is going to be the key. And for us that’s one of the first things off the bat,” he says.
Other projects include rezoning related issues. Dr. Ross says expanding Chapin and Lake Murray Elementary Schools will alleviate some of the rezoning to come in the Fall of 2026.
“We want to minimize impacts to instruction while we do construction,” he says.
A Citizens Advisory Review Team will also be created, made up of community members, and chosen by the Board of Trustees.
Dr. Ross says a dashboard will be available on the district’s website so that citizens can follow funding and construction efforts.
“It is on us to show that these projects will be delivered for the purposes on which they voted for. And it’s going to be through transparency and open communication that we earn that trust,” he says.
Categories: Local News, News
Tags: bond referendum, Dr. Akil Ross, Lexington-Richland School District Five