CLOC (Citizen-Led Oversight Committee)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 7, 2019

BEAUFORT – The Board of Education tonight approved contract negotiations with architects for referendum projects scheduled for next summer at nine schools.

The Board’s vote authorized contract negotiations with the four architectural firms:  McMillan, Pazdan Smith of Greenville, LS3P Associates Ltd. of Charleston, Jumper Carter Sease of West Columbia and Rosenblum Coe Architects, Inc. of Charleston.

Once contract negotiations are complete, the four architectural firms will be assigned specific referendum-funded projects related to safety/security, technology upgrades, playground improvements at some schools and athletic facilities improvements at others.

Robert Oetting, the school district’s Chief Operations Officer, said summer referendum projects would be spread over the next four to five years, starting with 10 schools in summer 2020: Beaufort Elementary, Bluffton Elementary, Hilton Head Island Elementary, St. Helena Early Childhood Center, James J. Davis Early Childhood Center, Bluffton Middle, Lady’s Island Middle, Whale Branch Middle and Beaufort High.  WBECHS athletic facilities.                                             

Oetting said that over the next four to five years, because the summer referendum projects will require complete school closures, they will be scheduled at schools already scheduled to be closed for other large projects such as schoolwide painting or heating and air-conditioning upgrades.  The summer projects and accompanying school closures will be spread across the district, and across grade levels, to allow summer school programs to be operated in all areas of the county.

Architectural firms competed for the Summer 2020 referendum work by submitting proposals.  Five finalists were interviewed on Nov. 26, and their proposals were independently evaluated and scored by a panel of five reviewers: two school principals, one community member with expertise in facilities design and construction, one district staff member from the Division of Instructional Services and one district staff member from the Office of Facilities, Planning and Construction.

Following the interviews, the five-member review panel independently scored the finalists as part of a process that led to the final selections.  The competing firms were scored based on numerous criteria that

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 18, 2019

BEAUFORT – The Beaufort County Board of Education tonight approved one of the nation’s best-known firms to help manage construction projects funded by the school district’s $345 million bond referendum approved by voters in November.

The Board also approved four South Carolina-based construction firms to build specific referendum-funded projects related to safety/security, technology upgrades, playground improvements at one school and athletic facilities improvements at another.

The project manager approved by the Board tonight, Atlanta-based CBRE Heery Inc., will provide “assistance, staffing and advice necessary for organization, budgetary and scheduling control throughout the design, bid/award, construction, close-out and warranty phases of (referendum) projects” under the direction and supervision of the district.

CBRE Heery will send representatives to Beaufort County to assess the school district’s needs and determine what the district expects the firm to do in terms of project oversight, coordination and accounting functions.  Once those determinations are made and staffing needs are estimated, the district will negotiate a price with the firm.

On its website, CBRE Heery said it consistently ranks among the nation’s top professional services firms by industry publications.  The 40-year-old firm says it has earned more than 75 industry awards for excellence in design, construction management and design-build.

Three firms submitted bids for the project manager position and were interviewed by a committee consisting of district staff from the Finance, Operations and Technology offices, as well as a community member with experience in capital project management.  Scoring criteria included past performance on similar work, expertise and capabilities, and the degree to which the bidding companies could meet the district's needs.

The four South Carolina-based construction firms selected by the Board tonight were Contract Construction of Ballentine; H.G. Reynold Co. of Aiken; M.B. Kahn Construction of Columbia and Thompson Turner Construction of Sumter.  Those four construction firms will be assigned specific building projects – most funded by referendum dollars but some funded with “8 percent” dollars borrowed by the district – over the next two years.

Referendum projects will be completed at Beaufort High School; Lady’s Island Middle School; Beaufort Elementary School; Hilton Head Island Elementary School; Whale Branch Middle School; H.E. McCracken Middle School; and Right Choices.  Two additional schools – Bluffton Elementary and Whale Branch Elementary – will be closed this summer for previously scheduled work funded with “8 percent” dollars, and while closed, additional referendum-funded work will occur.  Whale Branch Early College High School is scheduled to have its athletic track resurfaced using 8 percent funding.  While this work is under way, referendum-funded athletic work at the football field will occur. 

Architects previously approved by the Board are currently developing plans for these projects, and once those architects’ designs are complete, the district will negotiate contracts with the four construction firms approved tonight by the Board.  Prices will be based on the specific projects assigned to the individual firms.

The four construction firms were selected by a committee consisting of two principals, two members from the district’s Office of Facilities, Planning and Construction and one community member with experience overseeing projects. 

Scoring on construction bids was based on factors that included relevant experience and quality of the contractor, relevant experience and quality of the contractor’s team, fee structures and other considerations.

Referendum-funded projects at other district schools will be spread over the next four to five years. 

District Chief Operations Officer Robert Oetting said that over the next four to five years, because summer referendum projects will require school closures, projects will be scheduled at schools already scheduled to be closed for other large projects such as schoolwide painting or heating and air-conditioning upgrades.  The summer projects and accompanying school closures will be spread across the district, and across grade levels, to allow summer school programs to be operated in all areas of the county.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, November 5, 2019

BEAUFORT – Beaufort County voters today overwhelmingly approved a $344 million school bond referendum aimed at improving school safety, renovating facilities and adding classroom space to address enrollment growth.

Nearly 70 percent of voters approved the measure, according to unofficial results posted late Tuesday night on the website of the county’s Board of Voter Registration and Elections.

“This is the largest bond referendum in our district’s history, and its approval by such a large margin represents a strong show of support for our 22,000 students and their futures,” said Superintendent Frank Rodriguez.  “Our job now is to demonstrate to voters that their vote of confidence was deserved.  We have to complete these important projects on budget, and we have to do that in a straightforward and transparent fashion.”

Rodriguez said that after today’s results are certified by the Board of Voter Registration and Elections, several things will happen within a few weeks:

• The Board of Education will select a financial adviser to guide the district in issuing the first bonds approved by the referendum.
• An independent citizen-led committee of community volunteers will be selected to monitor the expenditures of all referendum-related funds.
• A new website will allow parents and community members to track the progress of all referendum projects and review regular reports from the independent monitoring committee.

Beaufort County voters approved two separate ballot initiatives:

• $290 million in safety and security upgrades at all district schools; technology infrastructure upgrades at schools district-wide; additions at River Ridge Academy and May River High; a replacement building for Robert Smalls International Academy; and renovations at three schools (Beaufort Elementary, Hilton Head Island Middle and Battery Creek High).
• $54 million in Career and Technology Education expansions at Battery Creek and May River high schools; design work for renovations at Hilton Head Island High; improvements to athletic facilities at district middle and high schools; and playground improvements at early childhood centers, elementary and PreK-8 schools. 

The first projects set in motion will be additions at River Ridge Academy and May River High School because initial planning and design work has already been completed, said district Chief Operations Officer Robert Oetting.  Construction on those two projects will begin as soon as bond referendum funding is available, Oetting said.  Once construction begins, the estimated time of completion will be 10 months for the River Ridge Academy addition and 16 months for the May River High addition.

All of the projects were included in a comprehensive list of facilities needs identified earlier this year by an independent committee of county residents.  Members of the Community Project Review Committee visited 26 schools in Beaufort and other districts and received presentations from outside experts before producing the district-wide projects list.  CPRC members also received presentations from a safety and security consulting firm, a demographer, four architectural consultants, the Town of Bluffton, a playground equipment vendor, a furniture vendor and district staff.

After the CPRC identified $629 million in district-wide facilities needs, the Beaufort County Board of Education specified $344 million in projects for voters to consider in today’s referendum.

Rodriguez said growing school districts generally need to approve a bond referendum every four to five years to accommodate increasing enrollment and preserve existing facilities.  Beaufort County’s last successful bond referendum was 11 years ago.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, December 10, 2019 / Referendum review committee

BEAUFORT– Superintendent Frank Rodriguez today announced the formation of a citizen-led committee that will monitor all building projects, schedules, budgets and expenditures from the $344 million school bond referendum approved by Beaufort County voters last month.

“Our community gave the school district an overwhelming demonstration of support, and now we have to keep taxpayers’ confidence by completing the projects they approved on time and on budget,” Rodriguez said.  “The new Citizen-Led Oversight Committee will serve as an independent watchdog by monitoring projects and spending and then reporting directly to the public and the Board of Education.”

Rodriguez said CLOC members will bring a wide variety of professional experiences to their tasks.  Those members include CPAs, urban planners, civil engineers and project managers.

“The committee’s independence will be an important asset,” the superintendent said.  “Taxpayers need to be able to trust them as watchful and effective monitors.”

The CLOC’s first meeting will be in January, and it will meet thereafter on a schedule it develops.  It will make public quarterly reports that will be presented to the Board of Education and posted on a dedicated section of the school district’s website.

Initial committee members will be:

·         David Ames – City and regional planning expert who has consulted on public- and private-sector projects throughout the Southeast, Mexico and the Caribbean.  Projects ranged from single use to major resort developments and town, county and regional plans.  Chaired a $4.5 million capital campaign for The Children’s Center and co-chaired a $6 million capital campaign for the Boys and Girls Club.   

·         Ted Barber – Retired Director of Operations for the Coca-Cola Co. with experience in multiple divisions, including project management, audit and internal controls, supply chain operations and enterprise risk management.  Certifications in Quality Engineering, Quality Auditing, Quality Management and Project Management.

·         Derrick Coaxum – Public Works Manager for the Town of Bluffton, where he is in charge of maintaining the town’s roads and facilities, including all buildings and parks and recreation areas.  Prior to taking his current position, Coaxum was Assistant Facilities Manager and Maintenance Administrator for the Town of Hilton Head Island.

·         Carlton Dallas – Owner of Dallas International Trading and Solutions LLC, which advises public and private organizations in strategic operations and financial growth.  International business experience as a former executive with Chevron Corp. with assignments in Cape Town, South Africa and Bridgetown, Barbados.

·         Kim Fleming – Government and External Relations Director and Community Plans and Liaison Officer for Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.  Previous work as a civilian contractor supporting the military and the Office of the Secretary of Defense as a project manager or subject matter expert on sustainment, encroachment and environmental compliance issues.

·         Ron Groteluschen – Chief Financial Officer for Hilton Head Regional Healthcare and former Chief Financial Officer for Coastal Carolina Hospital.  Licensed as a CPA, he has more than 30 years of financial management experience.

·         Michael McNally – Retired civil engineer, land surveyor and urban planner licensed in seven states, including South Carolina.  Owned McNally Engineering, a consulting firm specializing in land-use planning and construction management.

·         Richard Tritschler – Responsible for maintenance, equipment replacement and special projects for 303 Associates, LLC, a Beaufort-based property development and management firm.  Retired U.S. Navy hospital corpsman and former residential and commercial Realtor.

·         Ray Warco – Retired CPA with nearly 50 years of professional experience in local, regional and international accounting firms.  He has worked with trusts, estates, resorts and nonprofit organizations, and his experience includes both tax compliance and financial reporting.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, December 10, 2019

BEAUFORT – Just four weeks after Beaufort County voters approved a $344 million bond referendum, the Board of Education tonight set maximum prices for building additions at two schools and also approved contract negotiations with architects for referendum projects at nine more schools.

Tonight’s Board vote means that M.B. Kahn Construction of Columbia must build River Ridge Academy’s additions – four classrooms on each of two existing wings and a new eight-classroom wing – for a guaranteed maximum price of $8.9 million with substantial completion by Sept. 1, 2020 and final completion by Nov. 1, 2020.

M.B. Khan must also build a new two-story wing containing 23 classrooms at May River High for a guaranteed maximum price of $11.1 million with substantial completion by Jan. 1, 2021 and final completion by April 1, 2021.  

M.B. Kahn was conditionally approved by the Board in August pending a successful referendum vote, is building the additions at River Ridge and May River.  Both schools were designed with the additions in mind, and preliminary design work was completed before the November 5 referendum.  The guaranteed maximum prices for both construction projects were below the estimates provided by a private-sector consultant hired to advise the district.

In addition to setting M.B. Kahn’s maximum construction prices for the River Ridge and May River additions, the Board of Education tonight selected four architects for referendum-related projects next summer at nine schools.  The Board’s vote authorized contract negotiations with the four architectural firms:  McMillan, Pazdan Smith of Greenville, LS3P Associates Ltd. of Charleston, Jumper Carter Sease of West Columbia and Rosenblum Coe Architects, Inc. of Charleston.

Once contract negotiations are complete, the four architectural firms will be assigned specific referendum-funded projects related to safety/security, technology upgrades, playground improvements at some schools and athletic facilities improvements at others.

Robert Oetting, the school district’s Chief Operations Officer, said summer referendum projects would be spread over the next four years, starting with nine schools in summer 2020: Beaufort Elementary, Bluffton Elementary, Hilton Head Island Elementary, St. Helena Early Childhood Center, James J. Davis Early Childhood Center, Bluffton Middle, Lady’s Island Middle, Whale Branch Middle and Beaufort High.                                                                                                    

Oetting said that over the next four years, because the summer referendum projects will require complete school closures, they will be scheduled at schools already scheduled to be closed for other large projects such as schoolwide painting or heating and air-conditioning upgrades.  The summer projects and accompanying school closures will be spread across the district, and across grade levels, to allow summer school programs to be operated in all areas of the county.

Architectural firms competed for the Summer 2020 referendum work by submitting proposals.  Five finalists were interviewed on Nov. 26, and their proposals were independently evaluated and scored by a panel of five reviewers: two school principals, one community member with expertise in facilities design and construction, one district staff member from the Division of Instructional Services and one district staff member from the Office of Facilities, Planning and Construction.

Following the interviews, the five-member review panel independently scored the finalists as part of a process that led to the final selections.  The competing firms were scored based on numerous criteria that included such areas as past performance, personnel qualifications, demonstrated ability to complete projects on time and on budget, and related experience on similar projects.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 14, 2020 / Groundbreaking RRA-MRHS

BEAUFORT – School officials, students, Board of Education members and community supporters today celebrated the beginning of construction on the district’s first two projects to be funded through a bond referendum approved by county voters two months ago.

Construction has already begun on additions to River Ridge Academy and May River High School.  Four new classrooms are being built on each of two existing wings at River Ridge, and a new eight-classroom wing also is being added for a total of 16 new classrooms.  At May River High, a new two-story wing containing 23 classrooms is under construction.

Both schools serve the Bluffton area, which is the fastest-growing section of the county.  Both schools were originally designed with the expansions in mind, and preliminary design work was completed before the November 5 referendum. 

Columbia-based M.B. Kahn Construction is building both projects.  The River Ridge expansion is scheduled for completion no later than Sept. 1, while the May River expansion is scheduled for completion no later than Jan. 1, 2021.  District Chief Operations Officer Robert Oetting said the district hopes to complete both projects even sooner.  

The guaranteed maximum prices for both were below estimates provided by a private-sector consultant hired to advise the district.

Speakers included Board of Education Chair Christina Gwozdz, Superintendent Frank Rodriguez, River Ridge Academy Principal Bryan Ryman and May River High Principal Todd Bornscheuer, and students from both schools.

Gwozdz expressed appreciation to county voters who approved the school district’s bond referendum by a two-to-one margin, and Rodriguez commended the Board of Education for completing design work on both expansions prior to the referendum so construction could begin immediately after voter approval.

“These new school expansions are badly needed and much welcomed, so this is a very exciting day,” Rodriguez said.  “But what will be even more exciting will be the outstanding teaching and learning that takes place in these classrooms every day.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 23, 2020

BLUFFTON – Students, educators, elected officials and community members today celebrated the first construction project built using revenues from the Beaufort County School District bond referendum approved by county voters in November 2019.

Today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the official opening of expanded classroom wings at River Ridge Academy.  Work is complete on four-classroom expansions to two existing wings, and work is nearing completion on a new wing featuring eight classrooms.  Those classrooms are scheduled to be available for teachers and students by the end of October.

“Despite all of the complications caused by the coronavirus, it’s wonderful to see this referendum project completed on schedule,” said Superintendent Frank Rodriguez.  “The teamwork between the school district and our contractors has been extraordinary.”

Principal Brian Ryman said the River Ridge community was excited about the expanded classroom wings at the school.

“The explosive growth in Bluffton has resulted in a lot of overcrowded classrooms in our building,” Ryman said.  “Adding these 16 classrooms will allow us to bring our kids under one roof and enhance the educational experiences we provide.  It’s an exciting time to be at River Ridge.”

Board of Education Chair Christina Gwozdz thanked community members for supporting the November 2019 bond referendum that paid for the River Ridge additions.

“The rapid completion of the River Ridge expansion – not to mention the fact that the May River High expansion remains on schedule – should demonstrate to Beaufort County taxpayers that their investments are being used wisely and efficiently,” Gwozdz said.  “These are facilities that the entire community can be proud of.”  

Student Council President Morgan Wegard said students and teachers are excited to come back to school on Oct. 5 to use the new additions.  “Bricks, metal, and glass make a building, but students and teachers turn a building into a school.” She concluded, “Together, we are Raiders.”

A total of $9.88 million in referendum funds was budgeted for the River Ridge expansion, Rodriguez said, and about $9.1 million has been spent or encumbered as of today.  Some additional spending will be required to complete the work, he said.

Soon after the bond referendum’s approval by county voters in November 2019, construction began on two major construction projects in the fast-growing Bluffton area: the River Ridge expansions as well as a two-story, 23-classroom addition at May River High.  Robert Oetting, the school district’s Chief Operations Officer, said the May River project is also nearing completion.  Those new classrooms should be available for students when they return from winter break in January 2021, Oetting said.

All referendum projects and expenditures are being independently monitored by the Citizen-Led Oversight Committee, several members of which attended today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony at River Ridge.

Participants at the outdoor ceremony wore masks and observed physical distancing precautions.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020

BEAUFORT – One year after Beaufort County voters approved a record $344 million bond referendum, the school district’s building projects are on schedule and on budget, according to district officials and independent monitors.

“It’s been an exciting year,” said Superintendent Frank Rodriguez, who was named as the district’s leader just four months prior to the successful vote that saw nearly 70 percent of county voters approve the measure.  “Despite the complications caused by the coronavirus, we’ve made solid progress and stayed on track.” 

“We know we have to be smart, honest, and transparent so we can maintain the confidence that county voters placed in us exactly one year ago today.  And we know we have to keep working hard with our architects and construction firms so we end up with safe and high-quality facilities that provide greater opportunities for our students.”

The Citizen-Led Oversight Committee (CLOC), an independent group of professional volunteers who monitor all referendum projects and expenditures, meet monthly and submit quarterly reports to the Board of Education and the public.  CLOC monitoring reports have indicated that the district’s referendum projects are on schedule and on budget.

Two of the six largest building projects are either complete or nearing completion, one is under way, and the other three are in the planning stages:

• River Ridge Academy – Work on a new wing and two wing expansions (a total of 16 additional classrooms) began shortly after the referendum vote and has been completed.  Ribbon-cutting ceremonies were held in September.
• May River High School – Work on a new 23-classroom wing began shortly after the referendum vote and is nearing completion.  The new wing is expected to be open in January when students return from winter break.
• Beaufort Elementary School – Major renovation work began last summer and is expected to be completed by November 2021.
• Robert Smalls International Academy – The largest single referendum project calls for a replacement building, with construction scheduled to begin in summer 2021 and conclude in December 2022.  Once students and staff are relocated to the new building in January 2023, the old building will be demolished.  The school’s new athletic facilities will be completed by August 2023 in time for the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year.  One community meeting has already been held for the Robert Smalls project, and a second meeting will be held later this month.
• Battery Creek High School – The high school’s complete renovation will be done in phases so academic instruction will not have to be interrupted during construction.  The work is scheduled to begin in summer 2021 and be completed in summer 2023.  A community meeting for the Battery Creek project was held last month.
• Hilton Head Island Middle School – Major renovation work is scheduled to begin in summer 2021 and be completed by the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year.

The remaining referendum projects, which affect nearly all of the district’s schools, will be completed during the summer months because they involve security improvements, schoolwide painting, or HVAC upgrades, said District Chief Operations Officer Robert Oetting.  The summer projects and accompanying school closures will be spread across the district, and across grade levels, to allow summer school programs to be operated in all areas of the county.

“Since the Beaufort County Board of Education first approved the school district’s bond referendum, our goals have been to produce excellent facilities for our students and employees, and also to spend every taxpayer dollar as wisely and efficiently as possible,” said Board Chair Christina Gwozdz. 

The school district’s referendum projects were included in a comprehensive list of facilities needs identified in early 2019 by an independent committee of county residents.  Members of the Community Project Review Committee (CPRC) visited 26 schools in Beaufort and other districts and received presentations from outside experts before producing the district-wide projects list.  CPRC members also received presentations from a safety and security consulting firm, a demographer, four architectural consultants, the Town of Bluffton, a playground equipment vendor, a furniture vendor, and district staff.

After the CPRC identified $629 million in district-wide facilities needs, the Beaufort County Board of Education specified $344 million in projects for voters to consider in the November 2019 referendum.

More information about district bond referendum projects visit CLOC and watch our video.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 16, 2021                                                                            

BEAUFORT – The Beaufort County Board of Education has approved an architecture firm for a major referendum project. The Board approved Charleston-based LS3P Associates LTP to design Hilton Head Island Middle School’s renovation and addition.

“This is a significant project made possible from the referendum approved by voters in November of 2019,” said Superintendent Frank Rodriguez.  “This will modernize Hilton Head Island Middle School’s building, bringing their classroom spaces into the 21^st century.”

Architectural firms competed for the referendum work by submitting proposals.  Finalists were interviewed, and their proposals were independently evaluated and scored by review panels composed of a school principal, community members, and district staff.  Competing firms were scored based on numerous criteria that included such areas as past performance, personnel qualifications, demonstrated ability to complete projects on time and on budget, and related experience on similar projects.

Robert Oetting, the school district’s Chief Operations Officer, said although this will be a challenging project to complete a renovation at school while at full capacity, “the reward of a modernized space and improved learning environment for students and staff will be exceptional.”  

The Citizen-Led Oversight Committee, an independent group of volunteers, is monitoring all referendum building projects, schedules, budgets and expenditures.  Quarterly reports from the CLOC are presented to the Beaufort County Board of Education. CLOC members include CPAs, urban planners, civil engineers and project managers.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, June 25, 2021

BEAUFORT – School officials, students, Board of Education members and community supporters celebrated the beginning of construction on the district’s project to be funded through the bond referendum approved by county voters in November 2019.

Commencing this month with an anticipated completion date of September 2023, construction will be broken into multiple phases. A total of $56 million in referendum funds was budgeted for Battery Creek High School renovations that include, but are not limited to:

• Career and technical education improvements: a new culinary kitchen, agricultural sciences lab, greenhouse, business lab enhancements, and welding HVAC upgrades;
• Athletic improvements: A new weight room, athletic offices, new turf field, concession building, field house, baseball and softball press boxes, as well as new dugouts and scoreboards for football and softball;
• Safety and security improvements: IT upgrades, a new fire protection sprinkler system, new camera and PA systems, door and door hardware replacement, hardening of the building exterior, and new fencing;
• New finishes in classrooms, offices, restrooms, locker rooms, cafeteria, and kitchen;
• Building-wide HVAC and electrical upgrades; and
• A new ROTC suite. 

Speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony included Board of Education Chair Christina Gwozdz, Superintendent Frank Rodriguez, Battery Creek Principal Chad Cox, and Student Lighthouse Leader Ivan Huerta. 

Both Gwozdz and Rodriguez expressed appreciation to county voters who approved the school district’s bond referendum. “All of these infrastructure enhancements allow us to provide our students with the best environment to learn,” Rodriguez said.  “Our goal is to prepare them in the best way possible so that they can be academically successful.”

Columbia-based M.B. Kahn Construction is the contractor for the renovations and the designer of record is Jumper Carter Sease Architects. 

All referendum projects and expenditures are being independently monitored by the Citizen-Led Oversight Committee, which was represented at the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Battery Creek High School.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, December 7, 2021

BEAUFORT – School officials, students, Board of Education members, and community supporters celebrated the beginning of construction on the district’s largest referendum project to be funded through the bond referendum approved by county voters in November 2019.

The new school will be located behind the existing building, which will ultimately be demolished. Site work has already started and large-scale construction will begin in January 2022, with an anticipated completion date for the new school building of August 2023. Athletic facilities will be completed in January 2024. A total of $62 million in referendum funds was budgeted for the Robert Smalls International Academy (RSIA) project that includes, but is not limited to:

• Two floors and four wings
• Outdoor learning pavilions and spaces
• Two-story lobby that pays tribute to the life and journey of Robert Smalls
• Corridor with a historical timeline depicting the school’s history as well as significant local, state, and national events
• New ball fields
• Increased parking and additional space for car riders
• Exterior detailing resembling the C.S.S. Planter, the ship commandeered by Robert Smalls

Speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony included Board of Education Chair Christina Gwozdz, Superintendent Frank Rodriguez, and Robert Smalls International Academy Principal Bradley Tarrance.

“This significant project is made possible from the referendum approved by voters in November of 2019,” said Superintendent Frank Rodriguez. He expressed gratitude for having significant community input even during the pandemic. “Based on the strong participation in public meetings held via Zoom early on in this process, we are confident the K-8 facility is going to reflect the community’s desires for years to come.” 

Board of Education Chair Christina Gwozdz also expressed her enthusiasm for the longevity and significance of this project. “May generations of Beaufort students, their families, and school staff enjoy this new facility,” said Gwozdz. “Perhaps someday it will also be designated as a national Historic Landmark.” 

Kansas City-based J.E. Dunn Construction is the contractor for the renovations and the designer of record is LS3P Associates Ltd. of Charleston. 

All referendum projects and expenditures are being independently monitored by the Citizen-Led Oversight Committee.

Supporting video